1. "'I saw a boy shot in the head right over there,' he says a moment later, in a voice that does not sound particularly sad, then looks up at me and asks politely, 'Would you like a chocolate chip cookie?'"
Cliffie's nonchalant attitude towards witnessing a boy shot in the head is portrayed here by his instantaneous switch to another topic, namely the cookie. This indicates that such an occurrence is a regularity in Mott Haven. Think about how rare it would be for one of us to witness a murder in our lifetimes, provided we remained within the same socioeconomic conditions in which we currently reside. If I were ever to encounter a murder scene or the results of it, I don't believe I could even consider a cookie. Kozol explains throughout the article various aspects of the neighborhood that make it borderline uninhabitable, but this quote was particularly shocking because of how rapidly Cliffie was able to switch topics and what it revealed about the frequency of murders in the neighborhood.
2. Page 8, from "He seems to take the lessons of religion literally..." to "'God told us, 'Share!'"
People of color are known to have a strong religious faith. This dialogue between Kozol and Cliffie reveals the strong faith that he and his parents possess. This quote is not the only time strong religious beliefs are mentioned in the article, and it made me consider the relationship between poverty and faith. Consider how miserable the lives of these people and compare it to the strength of their religious faith. What surprises is me is that instead of looking at their current lives as depressing, although they may be frustrated at times as presented in the article, they look towards God and live according to what they are taught in church. They still put the well-being of other people before their own well-being, and try to focus on any positive aspect they can.
3. "The pastor tells me that the place is known as 'Children's Park.' Volunteers arrive here twice a week to give out condoms and clean needles to addicted men and women, some of whom bring their children with them."
Although the descriptions of rats, frequency of HIV/AIDS, asthma, and number of prostitutes in the neighborhood was surprising, these two sentences were particularly shocking to me, for the simple fact that a place known as "Children's Park" is where needles and condoms are dispersed. I support giving out condoms in order to promote and ensure safe sex, but not at a public place to which people bring their children. Also, the needle and condom programs are clearly not working to full capacity, as Kozol makes reference to how many people in the neighborhood have contracted HIV/AIDS due to unsanitary needles or sex.
This article was a realization for me about how how intense the effects of extreme poverty can be. Unlike the articles we have read previously, this one is not arguing the author's position on a particular issue and providing a method of solving it. Rather, it is a narrative of the author's experience in a high-poverty neighborhood in which all occupants are of color or Hispanic, and an interview of one particular child who presents an astounding maturity level for the age of seven. Equally as astounding as the economic and health-related conditions of the neighborhood are the statements that Cliffie presents. He tells us his philosophies and experiences in such a way that I could not imagine a child's voice saying them. At the end of the article he even taps into the metaphysical realm in saying that "...we were put here for a purpose, but these people in the streets can't see a purpose."
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