Downtown Kirkwood has become a “place to be” for teens, especially during the final weeks of the school year and early summer.
Ground Zero is a place called Tropical Moose Shaved Ice that offers, for lack of a better term, snow cones. Located in the Kirkwood Farmer’s Market at the intersection of Argonne and Taylor, teens line up for their ice treats, then hang out and socialize.
Some of the kids will walk around downtown Kirkwood, go to McDonald’s on Kirkwood Road (Lindbergh Boulevard), or check out a store or two before heading home.
Sometimes they are a bit loud and rambunctious. As a result, there is growing concern from some Kirkwood residents and business owners that it is time to take action. Too many kids, making too much noise—in their estimation—is bad for Kirkwood.
I’d estimate that about 50 percent of the teens who hang out are from Kirkwood; many students are traveling to Kirkwood because it is a hot spot. I’d also estimate that 95 percent of the youths are white.
Meanwhile, along the Delmar Loop in University City, scores of teens have decided to start hanging out in that entertainment district. Up to 100 of them have been found on street corners long into the evening. Some are reportedly disrespectful to others; I’d estimate that 75 percent of the youths that are said to be creating a problem on The Loop are black. A recent incident left a law enforcement official injured, leading police to crack down on teen loitering.
I don’t hang out on The Loop. I do hang out in downtown Kirkwood because I live nearby.
So why is it that I don’t think it is time for action in Kirkwood, yet I support the efforts to halt the loitering on The Loop? Yes, I realize the behavior problems in University City are more of a concern than those in Kirkwood. I also realize that the teens on The Loop are hanging out late into the evening, while the Kirkwood teen crowd has dispersed long before 10 p.m. But I ask myself—as all Americans should—is my reaction to the Loop issue being driven by race? In other words, am I more frightened of black kids than white kids? If a group of black teens is hanging out and talking loud, do I cross the street to avoid them? Do I even think along those lines when it is white kids?
Ten years ago, I would have said race has nothing to do with whether I feared a group of teens. Today, the same is not true. It's sad, but true.
Commentary by Alvin Reid
