We're all basing our comments on the news reports. None of us, including me, have read the actual book. From the Tribune article, I got the impression that these are short novels, written for children, but they try to establish a rich narrative with a lot of authenticity, and there is conflict. It's not pabulum. The way the Tribune describes it, the mother makes some disparaging remarks about Pilsen but the girl (who is the protagonist, after all) defends it. In other words, it sounds like the negative statements are a set up and a prod for what is, ultimately, a celebration of Pilsen.

People jumping to conclusions and speaking to the newspapers without actually reading or seeing what they're talking about? Gee, that never happens.

I have gotten to know Pilsen because of its proximity to the Maxwell Street area. Pilsen is great. I have never felt uncomfortable there, but it ain't Des Plaines either (thank goodness).

This week's Chicago Journal invites readers to submit their own stories for the Pilsen doll. They'll publish their faves in an upcoming issue.

Send your thoughts to:
chicagojournal@wjinc.com
c/o Editor, Chicago Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park IL 60302.

"Pilsen's dangerous?" asketh Choey of Lakeview, formerly of Melrose Park, Homan and Chicago Aves, Taylor and May, and other solidly "middle class" neighborhoods.

So, months later, my in-laws and their 7-year-old daughter visit, and what should she have but two American Girl dolls, a Swedish-looking one and... Marisol, the Latina one. (They're quite Anglo, by the way.) If only there was enough time, we'd be down at Nuevo Leon having chilaquiles and there'd be a picture of Marisol back in her old hood....

A shame! You could have added it as a bonus feature on the next pressing of the Gorilla Gourmet Maxwell Street dvds.

Mike G wrote:So, months later, my in-laws and their 7-year-old daughter visit, and what should she have but two American Girl dolls, a Swedish-looking one and... Marisol, the Latina one. (They're quite Anglo, by the way.) If only there was enough time, we'd be down at Nuevo Leon having chilaquiles and there'd be a picture of Marisol back in her old hood....

Nice end to the thread. But hopefully Marisol won't need to take a cab there. In a story similar to one mentioned earlier, my husband and I caught one in downtown Chicago around Christmas last year and the burly, African American cabbie was quite reluctant to drive us to the Mexican Fine Arts Museum. To further the cultural confusion, we non-Christians thought we were politely wishing him a Merry Christmas and found that he was Muslim. We survived the wonderful art show and made what seemed like a long trek back to the train to return to downtown.

Marisol and her pals are in the news again... this time under attack from another quarter...

American Girl Faces Boycott*
Conservative activists protest 'pro-abortion, pro-lesbian' affiliaton

Chicago Tribune, 15 Oct. 2005, section 1/page 7.

Perhaps Marisol should have stayed in the Heart of Chicago.

Antonius

* Should this not be girlcott?

Hey, speaking of Marisol's old hood, the annual and always-interesting Day of the Dead exhibit is at the Mexican Fine Arts Center through December 11. We did that followed by chilaquiles at Nuevo Leon on a rainy day a few weekends ago:



Mexican Fine Arts Center
1852 W. 19th
312-738-1503

I'm a bit amused on some levels about the whole issue. For those of you that don't know, I'm 50% Mexican and 50% Polish. Although I grew up in a "Polish" house, those that have seen me can attest that I look far more Hispanic than Eastern European. I also grew up, back in the sixties, in the Back of the Yards neighborhood when it was evolving from a prominently Polish neighborhood to one with a South of the Border flavor.

For a "White Person" of a "certain age" to dismiss the dangers of any particular neighborhood in the great city I call home, makes me realize that ignorance is indeed bliss. And that, my friends, is what separates the locals from the sub-urbanites (Hyphen used on purpose) and the transplants.

Gangs prey on the young and the weak. Unlike what you see or read in the papers or news, gangs are cowards and that pack-like mentality steers them. For the most part, if you are white you will be left alone. Yeah, stuff happens and it makes the news and we all read it and tut tut... but, the danger of these neighborhoods, is for the kids stuck there without the opportunity to waltz in and out, at will in some, "Ain't I bold-liberal-with it-cool attitude."

My more stereotypical looking Polish childhood friends could walk 18th easily, yet I was the one that got the looks, the gang signs and the repeated ass kickings.

Even now, as a 43 year old I get the looks. Don't believe me? Ask me out to Pilsen and experience it for yourself...

The point that I'm trying to make, without being offensive, is that the majority of the posters to this site, can never imagine what Marisol's day to day life is like.

Be thankful, for never having that target on your back. Support ethnic neighborhoods. Enjoy the amazing food. But don't be an ostrich, I, for one, would hate to either read or hear about your demise.

My .02
Steve/Estebon...[/i]

Delk, I'm not sure precisely who you're addressing above; but if eating in ethnic neighborhoods and urging others to not see them as merely the sum of their crime rates is nothing better than "ignorance" and some contemptibly shallow "Ain't I bold-liberal-with it-cool attitude," then we might as well pull the plug on the whole site.

I certainly didn't want to point any fingers anywhere. I actually let this whole post go on and on without posting, yet reflecting on some of the issues that I, foolishly or otherwise, have strong reactions to, allowed my fingers to do the talking, so to speak.

I am continually surprised and happy with the way that this community reacts and interacts with the massive mosiac that is Chicago.

I apologize in advance because I am acutely aware of the disconnect between a spoken thought, with vocal inflection and facial and body affordances with the unforgiving nature of typed words on an internet forum.

My one and only point that I really wanted to make is that situations vary. I was only trying to shift the focus from our adult views, to what it is like for a young child. I know from personal experience how difficult it is to be confronted by gangs.

Both posts are opinions...
Like they said on Hill Street Blues, "Be careful out there..."

Steve

edited for a blatent typo

re: "dangerous...
* a guy was shot, near point blank range (so i hear) in the alley behind me 2 wks ago. the five ohs pulled the body bag into my complex's lot while investigating.

* my car's exhaust system was stolen out of my parking lot just last nite. about $1000 worth of damage... it's probably already at the metal scrappers on Cermak.

i don't know how dangerous one'd like to live... but my neighbor tells me he's found both used condoms and syringes outside... this is, literally, < 100 yards away from, using chowdish references, the likes of nuevo leon / bombon.

and now they're trying to 'rejuvenate' Bridgeport...

On the other hand, in my stretch of Pilsen there's been no, or virtually no, crime that I've seen or experienced. It may help that I'm close to both the Orozco school and Harrison Park, though, so the area is pretty well-lit and well-patrolled.

This is not to say that there's been no crime. I'm not that naive... I've got chicagocrime.org.