Letters to the Editor - McKinley Neighbors Unite1 - McKinley Neighbors Unite?

    My family recently moved into a lovely home in the McKinley neighborhood. A charming older home with trees, a yard, and what appeared to be a friendly community. All up and down our street, I see signs urging neighbors to unite for a common good. ‘’McKinley Neighbors Unite!’’ they say, in large letters. I have lived in this house now for 10 days. Since we moved in, not one neighbor has stopped by to greet us, inform us of a block club, or invite us to a community meeting. One person, a friend of a resident, did stop to borrow our hose, but he didn’t leave his name. Our vehicle was involved in a hit and run outside on the street in front of our house. A mob of young males hangs out on the corner, blasting each other with roman candles (aren’t those illegal?) and three dogs bark non-stop, day and night. Our cat was beat up on our porch.

    Two days ago the property owner called to say that the neighbors had been watching us, and that we had too many visitors, and perhaps we were involved in drugs. They had held a meeting to determine whether or not to call the police. I was sickened. We are a diverse family, multi-racial in nature, with many friends and family who offered to help us move. We did have a lot of company, and yes, we keep late hours sometimes. We wanted to have a party, to celebrate my husbands 4th anniversary of sobriety, but felt it unwise in light of the “united front’’ of our neighbors, who while never mustering the community spirit enough to come say hello, have actually been peering through their windows, judging from a distance. I agree we should unite, but not against each other. I’m not sure how long I will be able to live here. I’m not comfortable living in a community that is false, bigoted, and united in hate and fear. I don’t want those kind of neighbors. I cannot unite with that.

McKinley