I want to tell you something
Carter Hendricks
Posted: 04.08.2008 / 8:57 AM EDT
Greetings from the “military bastion” of Hopkinsville, Kentucky. I’m not even sure what a bastion is but I think it’s a good thing. I guess I’ll have to use my old Thesaurus to figure all of this madness out. Of course, to my four year old son, a thesaurus is a man eating dinosaur.
That reminds me. Yesterday, my son started a conversation like he normally does. He said, ” I want to tell you something.” I usually respond with a nod of approval or a quick “let me hear it.”
He continued by asking me if I could name words that begin with D (he’s really into dinosaurs right now and anything that starts with the letter D). I answered, “dandelion, dainty, dentures, drill, dentist, dog, and daffy duck.” I was quite proud of myself for demonstrating such a thorough command of letters that begin with D. He replied, “but, there’s a word you missed. It’s what you are.” I quickly replied, “DADDY!”
With a delivery that would have made Billy Crystal proud, he responded, “nope, dummy.”
Ouch. Yet, I’ve never been prouder of him. That’s quick wit…
Now, I want to tell you something. Hopkinsville, like many military bastions, is dealing with yet another major deployment. Fort Campbell has over 17,500 troops from the 101st Airborne Division, deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. There are about 1500 more that will deploy in the weeks ahead. There are some soldiers who have been deployed four times since 2001.
As it stands now, the deployment is set for fifteen months. The community and families are prepared for the lengthy rotation. Yet, we hope that last week’s announcement about shorter rotations will bring the troops home sooner rather than later.
As such, the discussion on the war is personal here. The military are integrated into the fabric of our community. They are our neighbors, peers, co-workers, volunteers, coaches, players, and friends. We worship together. We cheer for sports teams together. We learn together. We laugh and cry together.
Almost 1/3 of our population is active duty miltiary, retiree, or a Veteran. When considering their family members, then it’s easy to understand that many of our citizens know first hand the realities of war.
Because of this, I think we spend less time debating the war as we’re too consumed with the actual impact of the war on our families and our community. We’d rather find a way to mow a yard for a military spouse, to solicit care packages for troops, to raise money for scholarships for wounded warriors, to provide emotional support, etc…
Consequently, I don’t beleive the war is a “winning or losing” issue for any candidate as folks seem more concerned with the economy, immigration, and social values. Of course, we know that the political world is constantly changing and as the debate continues to be framed then the war may take on a greater role in our region. One thing is certain, only time will tell and I’ll be here to talk about it.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:12 am
However history judges the war, it will have to commend the hard work and sacrifice of our service members, their families, and their communities. Pass along our thanks.
April 16th, 2008 at 8:27 am
What does your community want the next president to do for you? Aside from getting out of wars, what would be helpful?
April 16th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Largely, I believe our area will continue to emphasize social issues and trends toward conservative on those issues. The economy will be a hot button issue as it will be in most communities. The perception of weak or strong on defense will be key.
If I had to paraphrase the general will of our community, I speculate that it’d be that the next President, Democrat or Republican or Independent, needs to convince our community that they care about moral standards and principles, will be strong on defense, and will have a clear plan for helping the economy recover.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:03 am
This area is far from conservative as the majority of people are registered Democrats. They tend to vote locally for Democrats, while the state and national elections tend to swing for Republicans. The only issues in this area that we should be worried about are crime and the lack of jobs in the area as they leave like rats on a sinking ship.
Why do you find it neccessary to speak in generalities when it comes to the people of the area and what they want, as opposed to what they need? Why, besides the fact that it is in your job description, are you so gung-ho on turning this town into a tax free zone for the military when the people who live and work here daily are the ones who need the economic help???? Why has the Chamber seen fit to play politics both locally and at the state level to try and push an agenda that is not good for the everyday, local people, only those that could profit from this agenda and who already make a fortune off of the locals as it is????? Why do you remove post from others who question your sincerity on these issues????? I believe it would serve not only you, but the Chamber as a whole to quit being so secretive and to quit avoiding questions or acting like they were never posted and just answer them. In my mind I can at least gain a certain respect for that whether I agree with it or not. It can only serve to better the conversation as a whole.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:05 am
I’m somewhat taken back by this blog.
I for one feel the war is for all the wrong reasons and that many of innocent soliders have died for lies brought forth by our current administration. No, I’m not a bleeding heart liberal but I am neither conservative. I’m a in the middle of the road kind of girl that has high morals and standards regardless of what my profession may imply.
For years people in Hopkinsville have had this notion about the military. I personally don’t think it has changed, we’ve made a neat little package of a book cover in some ways but the book inside still reads the same–Hopkinsville does not embrace the military.
It is just like the other issues in town that many in the Chamber want to perceive differently: gangs, racial differences, drugs, unemployment, and teen pregnancy. You can’t fix these things with a pretty band-aid. There needs to be community buy-in and support.
Mr. Hendricks, can you honestly tell me and others that you feel safe in Hopkinsville? That you would take your family out in the evening walking around outside of your I’m sure quiet and friendly neighborhood? I for one would not. When I go into these areas of the community, I go with law enforcement in hand. We need change in the community, big time change!
April 16th, 2008 at 6:31 pm
backand4th and Funny Girl–
What would you expect from the next president with regard to the problems you see in your community? Would your town/county be better off without the base? Many bases have closed down, their assets conferred on the local governments. Would that be a good solution to your problems?
I remember as a young service member myself, in some places, the “townies”–who were our fellow citizens–hated us, jeered us, tried to trick or cheat us. In other places, we were treated very well, not discriminated against at all for being military. Clearly the two of you have a different view of the town and its military–guests? occupiers?–contingent. Very interesting. How will those differences affect the coming election?
April 16th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
The crime in Hopkinsville is on the verge of being overwhelming and people here are scared as to what will happen next. Our economy has tanked and our industries have been having layoffs. We have a lot of poverty here and reduced educational expectations. Having the 101st on deployment means that there is less economic activity in the county.
We have a rather poor situation here and I just hope that we can dig ourselves out of it.
April 16th, 2008 at 10:31 pm
Shel I have nothing against the military and the families, however I do not think they are any more special then those people who work everyday at jobs that do not garner the pay or respect that the military is enjoying right now. The military is a big part of our economy and it would make this little slum worse then it already is. Let me break it down for you
First - Hopkinsville will never be Clarksville, TN no matter what they think there just isn’t that much population. While Hopkinsville will see some spill over it will never match Clarksville.
Secondly - Trying to pander to a small segment of the population and alienating the majority of people in the process is just bad business. Military personel are no more special then me or any other average joe and yet the Chamber would like to create this “Tax Free Zone” strictly for the military because Tennessee doesn’t have payroll taxes. The last time I checked the military used the same services I do and should therefore pay for their upkeep just like me. They think this will bring in the troops so far as population goes. It wont, trust me on that one.
Third - Clarksville is already an established shopping area as well as restaurants and plenty of housing, be it single family homes or apartments. They are taxed on everything they buy because there is no payroll tax. So when they really want to go somewhere where they don’t have to pay an out of this world sales tax they come to KY. That is where the Chamber should be focusing it’s attention not on bringing people into live but to shop.
Fourth - Jobs are leaving this area as if it had the Plague. Why in the world would you cut your tax base in order to pander to a very few people in order to try and get them to leave a very nice town to begin with and move to the slums. It will not spark growth and it will not create the boom that the Chamber has convinced itself it will.
Finally - I am of the mind that you fix your problems before you move on and try to create more. We have a major crime problem at this time and it is related to gang activity and the fact that jobs are leaving the area in a hurry, as well as the whole slum thing we have going for us. If the Chamber wants to actually do something constructive they will work these problems from the inside out before recruiting others or acting like nothing is wrong and trying to move on and just add to the problem in the end.
Our problems are just that, they are our problems. There is really nothing that can be done on the federal level unless they repeal the NAFTA agreement or the city actually gets a grant to condemn buildings and then destroy them. We have to solve and deal with our problems and we need to do this in a timely manner before it blows up and we are no longer able to get a handle on it. I believe the next Prez needs to address the problems here at home long before they ever deal with Iraq though. I think once the war is concluded though then that money which is being wasted there can be put to better use here at home.
April 17th, 2008 at 9:06 am
Our town personally would be better off with a complete over-haul of city and county administration. The good ole boy system is not getting the job done! The Chamber’s nose cannot be stuck in the middle of everything single thing that goes on in town and shouldn’t be. They have a focus to promote regardless of good or bad.
With regards to the base, it is basically empty now with everyone overseas being murdered in a war that should have never been. I personally do not think it affects our economy. Majority would rather be in Clarksville as I do myself because of better selection, choices, and quality. I worry about the families being left behind and know that Hopkinsville is not a good place for them to be in and raise their children. As the case and point, I moved my family from the city to another county just because how bad things were getting.
A child should not have to sleep on the floor of their home because of gun fire and that happens every night in Hopkinsville–east side, west side, downtown–equal opportunity offender!
Our law enforcement want to change but don’t have the support to do that. Now, this new chief, he’s going to have his hands full. Does he try to make the Mayor happy, Chamber happy or do what in his gut is right for the citizens that he has been hired to protect and serve?
Shel, I just know this isn’t the Hopkinsville/Christian County that it could be. I get so tired of hearing military this and military that. While I admire them for doing a job, I also admire and call my hero that fireman that risks his life every shift with the unbeknownest of what is going to happen second to second. Nothing there in place to save him except his crew and a hose line. I do not feel that giving military special tax breaks or other incentatives is appropriate as their are many people that go above and beyond in other calls of duty such as the firefighter, police officer, EMT, and even teachers this day and age!
A job is a job, one’s job is their own personal choice. Nobody holds a gun to their head and forces them to do it.
April 17th, 2008 at 4:52 pm
I have never before heard of a tax-free zone for military. In the olden days, the base had a grocery store and another store that carried uniform items and some basic underwear and daily needs. Other than that, we shopped “on the economy.” That means shopping in town just like others. And if the townies are getting lower pay than the military, that is very low pay, indeed. (Please bear with me as I am on a different computer with a very different keyboard and finding the going slow and unpredictable.)
Your troubles are like the ones here to some degree, though this is a larger town, so it’s easier to be away from the troubles. Places that are abandoned now were the hot shopping & socializing places when I was a teen. I’ve often felt that whenever a developer buys a building license, the cost of demolishing the building should be paid in advance, like paying first, last & deposit when you lease an apartment. Abandoned malls and such are nothing but trouble. The number of rats and other varmints living there is dangerous, not to mention the human mischief.
I listened to the debate last night, and Senator Clinton seemed to have a good idea about infrastructure and jobs. It sounded a lot like the programs of FDR, and we are still enjoying the parks, dams, and roads he built. That kind of thing requires a population ready to work–if not already trained, at least willing to work. Perhaps that kind of thing would help? The problems with crime that you both describe sound more like what I’d expect to see in a city of greater size.
If your city/country government is useless or unwilling to admit the problems, what other entities are available and able to help? Churches, for instance. Are they strong enough to wade into the problem?
I’m thinking now about the Parent-Teacher Association. In our area, and most areas, the PTA does a lot for the schools in terms of fund raising, and of supporting teachers and parents in their work. I wonder if a group such as that could rise? Just volunteers, unaffiliated with other groups, but taking lessons from other groups, with the aim of “taking back” their city. In our town, every so often, we have nights during which families go to the parks and public places with the intent of taking up so much room that the mischief-makers leave. True, it’s not known where they go. We hope they go to their homes.
Are you suffering from loss of residents? What are the strengths of your town? Why do you stay? What does your area have to offer? Would it be a good place to start a business? Raise a family?
I’m guessing you would like some manufacturing businesses. Now THERE is where the US government could be of help, though I bet your town would have to stand in line with hundreds of other towns to get a manufacturing plant. What sorts of natural resources are in your area? Are the workers already trained in some field?
Kentucky is beautiful. I’ve seen it, though not recently, to my disappointment. When I was a child, we used to take actual “Sunday drives” after church, to look at the countryside or to see new places. With gasoline at $4/gallon, and all the chatter about global warming, that innocent kind of family pastime is no longer available. Pity.
April 18th, 2008 at 12:30 am
The “Tax Free Zone” I speak of is the brain child of the Chamber of Commerce and all it amounts to is no KY income taxes for those people who can show they are military. It was a discriminority bill which I believe failed to pass if I am correct. The Chamber thought they could steal some people away from Clarksville, TN., which statewide has no payroll tax. That is why I find it to a discriminating piece of legislation, because they are just doing it for the military here in this town no one else and I don’t believe it would have applied to those soldiers working at other bases here in the state. It was a ludicrous piece of trash spearheaded by the group at the Chamber of Commerce, who refuse to admit this town is full of gang bangers and think they can make it all better by having a cleanup party city wide for a day or two and that will make this city shine. LOL They need to put more effort into first, solving these problems, then recruiting new businesses and people. If they would do that and quit playing politics this town would be much better off. They are trying to get there agenda to be the only agenda that gets dealt with and it is a joke pure and simple. The “Community Vision Plan” apparently was written by a blind and deaf mute, because it is completely backwards in its approach to help this area. LOL
Nobody wants to work anymore, especially when they can go hangout with their buddies and make more money in a good afternoon and evening then most make in a week or two. Our crime stats for such a small town are through the roof and it is because the school system stinks and is close to being taken over by the state, jobs are leaving the area because the education base is not here and crime is rampant due to the ****** economy. It’s all just a vicious circle that is perpetuated by the local government and their inability to act in a resposible manner and deal with problems they are already facing, instead of trying to create new ones. People need to first admit there is a problem and then they have to want to help themselves in order to make any changes that will stick. This is something our forum host Mr. Hendricks has a problem grasping. He and the Chamber of Commerce are of the mind that if you ignore the problem it will just fade away and no one will notice the problem ever existed.
Churches wont help because those churches that are of a majority of white parishoners have not yet been affected by the Gang violence. Those churches that are of a majority of African Americans wont step up because it will cut into the money they recieve on Sundays and it isn’t a racial issue, that is untill the local NAACP starts crying that racial profiling is taking place. Which it isn’t, it is good police work that catches the crook. I mean let’s face it criminals aren’t the brightest people to begin with, compound that with the fact that the school system stinks and you have got yourself some really dumb gang bangers.
I don’t know if you are familiar with a sight based council but that is what we have rather then the PTA. It is basically the same thing with the only difference being, the council actually sets the standards for the school to follow, as long as they are in line with the rest of the districts. Here’s another part of the vicious circle, in that, the very people who have gone through the education system of this county, which is far below sub par to begin with, are put in charge of setting the standards, thus putting the patients in charge of the asylum.
We stay here because this is where my spouses family is from and they are getting up in age and will need tending to as they age. We however send our children to a private school and bypass the failing public education system.
This town has nothing so far as natural resources or workers trained in applicable skills and they don’t want the skills they just want to gang bang and make that quick money. KY can be beautiful, but like everywhere else, it depends on where you look because there are some pretty seedy areas as well. They still take those drives it is just around here though it is horse and buggy and the Meninites are the one’s driving.
April 18th, 2008 at 10:02 am
Hm. The tax free zone you describe doesn’t make sense to me. The money you pay in to state income tax is deductible from your federal income tax, so that’s a wash, from the individual’s point of view. Of course, I’m no accountant. It sounds as if the powers that be are aware of the need for improvement but have not yet hit the right solution. Maybe they are trying to keep a good face, in order not to scare away any possible new business? It’s so hard to know what is in another’s heart or mind. But in general, soldiers should be, and wish to be, treated as normal citizens.
You know, I disagree with you about the folly of “clean up” programs. Gangs look for places that look easy to take over, and places with lots of trash and graffiti look easy to take over. Every parasite looks for the soft targets. And every business or potential new resident looks for places that look nice. Is there room for compromise with regard to the clean up? I would think that the mental boost from a clean up would be considerable. Just me. I enjoy cleaning/fixing/gardening. I enjoy the process and the result. I believe that most people would, if they could just experience it once. That first time might have to be in the form of community service in lieu of jail time for some, though.
There is an amount of laziness and greed involved in the life of organized crime, which is what gangs are these days. But is there also a degree of fear? Not only fear of rival gangs, but fear of loneliness, fear of boredom? If your child were in a gang, what kind of help would you want from the government for him/her? And these days, lots of gang bangers are hitting middle age! What a boring waste of a life.
Your analysis of the cycle of having the products of a bad school system then being put in charge of the school system is astute. What a downward spiral! Problem is that it is hard for a person to recognize that he/she is the product of a lousy school. All Americans realize our school system is in need of major overhaul, but (I read this in a poll somewhere) nearly everyone rated his own local school as good! It’s not till you bump up against the college entrance exams that you realize you don’t know much and that all those high marks you got in school were lies. That’s crushing, to realize you have wasted 13 years of your life in sub-par education. I think this is where a program such as the much-hated “No Child Left Behind” could be of help. Maybe it needs to be tweaked, and maybe it does create stress, but it gives students and teachers some idea of how they are stacking up. It is so hard to discern the truth from the spin. In a lot of places, the teachers’ union is as powerful and as corrupt as any other large political entity. It protects bad teachers and bad schools, while screaming for more money and pretending to be concerned for kids. Always look for the results, I say. I am glad that you have the resources and the willingness to sacrifice for your kids so they can attend a private school. There is no downside to a good education, just as there is no downside to planting and tending a garden. And with food prices the way they are, maybe we should be planting corn instead of petunias!
April 23rd, 2008 at 1:15 am
The tax free zone is a joke and makes no sense to anyone but the Chamber and the politicians pushing it in Frankfort. The other part of it though is that they are trying to get it to where no taxes at all are to be paid by those in the military, sales tax and all. It’s just flat out unfair to every other citizen in the area.
The powers that be are idiots!!!!! The gang problem that we have and have had for years is not part of the “Community Vision Plan”, thus they have no clue how to deal with it and refuse to admit that it exist, hoping it will somehow miraculously dissappear on it’s own. To the Chamber it is more important for them to push this idiotic “Leadership Class” they do, and build a stupid playground for kids that really don’t need one as there are plenty of them already. This adult day care class as I like to call it is a joke. Something for all the high falluting white business people to feel good about themselves and hangout with their buddies while taking off a few days of work at the expense of the employeer. There are very few of these people qualified to lead the pledge, let alone people in the community.
I agree that cleaning up is something that needs to be done but the fact that the Chamber and City rate it higher then public safety is ludicrous and they base this on a survey taken on-line by 450 people. Thats it, not even a fraction of 1% of the population. Cleaning up is the land owners responsibility and if it isn’t done hit them in the pocket with fines or condemn it and raze it. Seems pretty simple to me. To place it as priority one though is yet another move of ignorance on the part of our wonderful leaders.
If my child were ever in a gang that would be all for them, because they know how dad rolls and they know they better stick to what they know best and that is studies and excelling at whatever they are into at the time, be it soccer, piano, dance, baseball, whatever it is other then what they know they better never do. I would not expect any government help as the government can’t even function now as it is and it seems things are only getting worse. Hurricane Bush has been far worse to this country then Hurricane Katrina ever was.
The school system is also dependent on those children having a desire to learn and the adults providing a safe environment for that to happen in. Neither one of those exists in our public schools here, County or City and until it is addressed and the teacher turnover rates are slowed down dramatically the teachers union here should be demanding action as should the parents and children who actually want to learn and aren’t just there to gang bang.
You better plant a big garden this year as the price of food, like the price of oil, is going to be unaffordable soon for the average man and woman thanks to all those ignorant Bushes at the White House. I am afraid that another “Great Depression isn’t far off if we keep going down the road we are on.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:12 pm
The original post spoke of some current conditions and challenges that Hoptown faces. I agree. Count me in on helping arrive at and implement solutions. Is safety an issue? Is the economy an issue? When are they not? I am proud to be in Hopkinsville presently and I will not shut my door and complain. Rather, I want to be part of the solution.
Speaking of education, children learn best from adults who are inspiring and constructive. Talking about all that is wrong without proposing realistic solutions is very easy; practically “child’s play.” History is chock full of unsung folks (parents, soldiers, teachers, leaders, followers) who just wanted to make a difference and took a risk improving their and others’ lot in life. I see a lot more of this in Hopkinsville than is acknowledged.
Just because there’s a lot of wood to chop doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be proud and confident that we CAN get there.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:05 am
Well Carlos I am there with you as I am not only a complainer but have taken a role in this community to help our youth and also to get the word out in the community about the Gang problem. By doing this I have become a target at all times for gang retribution and retribution by those who are in power at the time. The thing is I can no longer live as if everything is Hunky Doory, so just to get on with everyday things I have been forced to arm myself and prepare for the worst. So you tell me am I just part of the problem????? I really have a hard time with that, because I give of my time to the community and especially the kids in my community through coaching and mentoring yet now I am a target. I have this info on good intelligence through a very reliable source, so I am in the trenches trying to change the mindsets of these kids about what is right and what is wrong when it comes to drugs and gangs and dealing with the things these kids see everyday.
If you read the blog started by Mr. Hendricks and are not from here you would think we lived in a little conservative utopia filled with white picket fences and happy go lucky people everywhere. Which is false and a Chamber of Commerce tactic rather then admitting the problems we have and taking a leading role in dealing with these issues. I go to these blogs and local discussion boards to report the ugly truth about our community that many would rather turn their heads to, then take action and reverse. This community is split into haves and have nots based primarily on race and race alone. There is nothing for our inner city youth to do but hang on the corner with their “Homies” or boys. We have built all of our athletic facilities out of range from this group i.e.YMCA, Useless water park. We spend more money on a water park that is nothing more then a wading pool with a slide, then we spend on after school programs and tutoring for the youth of our community. Why did we do this???? We did it because it was adventagous to the white community and was something that would serve to further seperate the race lines in our community. It may not have been purposely done for those reasons but it has certainly proven to be exactly that.
So while I complain I also look to serve and help my community in everyway possible, never doubt that because a truer statement has never been said.