Goodbyes and/or Good Buys

I thought that the historical landmark and hangout spots were a challenge...oh, how wrong I was. When I traveled around Kingston finding information about social and community issues, and while some were more than open about sharing their thoughts on Kingston, others either declined or never returned a call. I walked around the Kingston Plaza, Franklin Street, and Wall Street. I was still in a daze from Historic Kingston, but after hearing from the residents, it was obvious that some people were either unhappy of disgusting. I had a couple of New Paltz students tell me their experiences with Kingston. They both told me of both crime and the police department and this reminded me of an interesting conversation I had with a local businessman. What was supposed to be a brief interview on local community issues turned into an hour long discussion on youth, guidance, and the power of a good old fashion southern discipline. One of my interviewees talked heavily of the young kids lacking respect for their parents, guardians and elders and preferred the bling over anything else. The area that I was in looked like it was running down and nothing was being done about it. In a like manner, worry appeared on the face of those adults that are worried of losing their home while carrying many bags of necessities. The majority of my interviewees had a lot to say about the environment they were living in. At first, I could sense that they were skeptical of me. But after a couple of minutes, they began telling me their life story. Despite what portrayal is made about Kingston, the city should be cleaned up. Everyone wants to know why their hard-earned money won't pay the rent, but too much money is going into other investments that are compromising the city. Who's is the cause and who is the effect?