Where are the protests over gentrification of Denver’s historical Black neighborhood Five Points?
The gentrification of Five Points
The creeping crud of racism has slowly eliminated a beautiful Black neighborhood. As a Black jazz musician who came to Five Points, I remember the euphoria I felt playing in an all-Black community. It was a place where Black Pride was understood. Any verbal confrontations were dissipated with humor and love.
Most Black people understood that paddling up the river together was always the best way to go.
The smells of barbecue and other cuisines have been replaced with the smells of pot shops and coffee shops.
Jazz lovers the world over knew about Five Points which is now as dead as the Rossonian Hotel. People who came here understood that Five Points was a community of competent Black jazz musicians enjoying each other.
Walking through the former Black community, I don’t even see a black dog. The destruction of the beautiful old homes that are replaced by tall condos that are not affordable to former Black residents is very hard to see.
Large trains running through the main street completes the destruction of the Black community, killing the businesses. So, if the realtors don’t get you, the light rail will.
Where are the black protestors? Where is the Urban League? The NAACP?
Am I the only Black person outraged by the demise of a beautiful Black community? The saddest thing is this happened under two Black mayors, and now the “hood” has become a historic area.
Eugene Bass, Denver
Exactly who is putting democracy at risk?
Re: “Trump’s endgame,” May 9 commentary
I’m on the opposite side of the political spectrum from Thomas Friedman, however I do agree with his assessment of the damage former President Donald Trump’s “big lie” might do to our democracy, with one glaring exception.
He paints a scenario of Republican victories in 2022 and ’24 due to GOP-driven change to voter laws, whereas Democratic voters will not sit idly by.
In fact, he says they might refuse to pay taxes and some might become violent and that our political system could become paralyzed and unravel. And then Friedman blames Trump’s GOP for setting the Democrats down that path.
How typical for a liberal elite democrat to blame somebody else for their own actions. I can literally hear my father’s voice in my head right now, “So Tom, if Donald Trump told you to jump off a bridge, would you do it?”
If the “disenfranchised Democrats” resort to breaking our tax laws and create violence in our streets, they will have nobody else to blame except themselves. Try telling the judge it’s Trump’s fault.
Kevin Payne, Denver
Friedman worries about Trump’s “big lie” and people believing it. Trump did lose the election. A completely fair election. No doubt about it. That is an absolute fact. Elected officials with integrity must say this publicly. Senators and congressmen who won’t must have crass personal motives. Fox “News” presents disinformation almost hourly. Facebook is crammed full of misinformation.
Why does our federal congress not insist on some level of truth in the “news.” Why not some standards for truth in public communications. Why don’t more people care? Our good ole USA depends on truth. Our founders expected it. Our Congress must take actions and set standards. And soon. Untruth and the dumbing down of America will ruin our democracy!
James Reed, Golden
How ironic. Friedman writes that should Democrats feel disenfranchised of their vote they “may refuse to pay their taxes,” “many will take to the streets,” “some might become violent,” “our whole political system could become paralyzed and start to unravel.”
Yet, the full extent of his commentary is about Republicans declaring they have been disenfranchised. Let the Republicans eat cake if they think the playing field is unfair. Long rule the Democrat royalty. For they may become enraged.
It is a great asset that Republicans have gone to their legislators or courts and not to the streets. The way to settle any dispute is by investigation and law and not by amateur declaration. The Democrats should support investigation as a way to prove their cause.
Janet Brophy, Denver
Re: “Trump still has iron grip on Republicans,” May 9 news story
The articles were surely welcome to those who love the USA.
But the Republican threat to our country has been growing since Reagan’s silly statement “government is not the solution to our problem, government IS the problem;” the party’s concern for corporations and wealthy donors before ordinary citizens, and the rapid growth of Southern racist, anti-American influence in the party.
Moreover, consider the GOP’s education crusade, with its falsehood-flinging and hate-mongering politicians and network spokespersons blabbering about evil government, Democrats who will enforce socialism, poverty caused by poor character, privatizing public tasks for more efficiency, trickle-down jobs creation from tax cuts for the rich, failing public schools, immigrants taking your jobs, election fraud, blah, blah, blah.
The popularity of Trump among GOP politicians and many voters is frightening. These government-fearing, racist, anti-representative government, mean-spirited authoritarians are American fascists.
Daniel W. Brickley, Littleton
Give the Park Hill homeless camp a chance to succeed
Re: “Residents sue to stop legal homeless site from opening,” May 8 news story
I volunteer for an organization called Showers for All, which provides showers and laundry access for people experiencing homelessness. Recently we were at the encampment at 16th and Pearl.
Understanding the neighbors’ concern about the new proposed site at Park Hill, the Colorado Village Collaborative invited residents to see what the site looked like and how it was administered and supervised. Some residents came. I wish there had been more, and I wonder if the people objecting to such a site in their neighborhood were among them.
I am a former Park Hill resident, and I understand their concerns, but I believe we all bear some responsibility for the problem, and we should all be part of the solution. I urge anyone with concerns to drive by and see for themselves. It was clean, enclosed and closely supervised.
Vicki Martin, Greenwood Village
Cheney’s ouster
Dear editors, it seems you really miss the man you disliked (hated) for four years. All these articles from liberals supporting Rep. Liz Cheney are so hypocritical; reasonable people just shake their heads. You never supported Cheney. After all, she is a Republican.
Funny how all the haters of former President Donald Trump are so quiet about President Joe Biden. He is abusing children and adults at our southern border and our editors are silent, only because he is a Democrat. He is destroying our economy with trillions in giveaways that will kill the future for our children. He is permitting war in the Middle East.
And you attack Republicans for getting rid of a bitter voice who is only concerned with the past.
Jack Inderwish, Aurora
After voting straight Republican tickets from Dwight Eisenhower’s first run through George H.W. Bush’s first campaign, I concluded that the party had left me and I voted for Ross Perot. The reason I concluded that the party was no longer the party of Eisenhower and Teddy Roosevelt was the shift to a more radical right and actions like Richard Nixon’s Southern strategy that converted Southern segregationist Democrats to Republicans. Unfortunately, there were no leaders like Liz Cheney to disagree with the party’s new direction and speak out against it. I hope there are enough Republicans now who will side with her to prevent the complete takeover of the party by Donald Trump and his “big lie.”
Dick Sugg, Arvada
Biden and the church
Re: “Church needs to respect First Amendment rights,” May 7 letter to the editor
The writer talks of First Amendment rights and separation of church and state. All would be commendable statements if they were applicable to the situation.
The church is not dictating anything either to the government of the United States or to the president. The church may tell Catholic citizen Joe Biden that if he wants to receive Holy Communion, he needs to consider his view on abortion. In other words, as a Catholic he would not favor abortion, but as president he has to follow the law of the land: President John F. Kennedy’s dictum.
This is a religious issue between an individual and his church, not between a government and a church. The letter shows the same phobias used throughout history to attack the Catholic Church.
José M. López, Centennial
The letter writer states that the First Amendment guarantees the separation of church and state, but I have yet to see it in action.
Look on the back of a dollar bill. Where was Joe Biden’s right hand when he was sworn in on Jan. 20? Why can’t you buy a car in Colorado on Sunday?
Daily, politicians invoke God in just about everything, from memorial speeches to rallies to the dedication of new buildings and the kissing of babies.
The U.S. citizenship oath includes the phrase “so help me God,” although it is optional. Did you know “goodbye” is a contraction of “God be with you”?
God’s honest truth.
Craig Marshall Smith, Highlands Ranch
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