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Samantha BelangerSWC 100Matt KelleyPaper 3August 5, 2009
Crime versus Faith in Harlem
The Sweet Flypaper of Life
written by
 
Langston Hughes and Roy DeCarava relates toHughes’s
The Best of Simple
by pointing out the more positive elements of Harlem. What theydo not point out though is the crime rate that affects the everyday life of the people that live inHarlem. The article “3 Ministers Call for War on Crime” from the
 New York Times
shows therelation between faith and crime in this city. It is clear by the pictures in
The Sweet Flypaper of  Life
that the people from this city always enjoy the time they have with their neighbors, while believing in a higher power. One photo in particular, with the words “God: is Holy Jesus” drawnon the wall of a building in a vacant lot, with a family sitting next to it, represents what is trulyimportant to the people of Harlem: God.During the 1940’s and 50’s in Harlem, crime was a major player in how the communityran, but was overlooked because of the strong role that faith played among the people. “1940statistics show about 100 murders per year in Harlem,” (Wikipedia, Harlem). Also “between1953 and 1962, the crime rate among young people increased throughout New York City, butwas consistently 50% higher in Harlem than in New York City as a whole.” (Wikipedia, Harlem).If we heard these statistics now we wouldn’t be so surprised because it is something we hear about every day and thus are used to it. In the 40’s, however, this is shocking. One hundreddeaths per year is an incredible amount, and the fact that the rate was fifty percent higher inHarlem than anywhere else in New York City is overwhelming. This source goes on to say thatdrugs became a huge factor in the spread of crime in Harlem. The more drugs that were in production and sales, the more the crime rate grew. It is fair to say that Harlem was the place toavoid at this time.
 
There were people, on the other hand, that were trying to prevent this evil time fromhappening. “Three Protestant ministers in sermons here yesterday morning appealed to churchmembers to take a forthright stand in opposing crime and other evils in New York City” (“3Ministers Call for War on Crime”). This article presents the faith that people have in Harlemeven though no person wanted to be associated with the city. The people of Harlem believed thatthe city could be saved with help from God. Those outside of Harlem though, thought of it as alost cause, not wanting to associate themselves with the city. Ministers are important andinfluential to the people of Harlem by bringing love, faith and honor to the people when they donot have anything else to believe in. They show that there is more meaning to life than sellingdrugs and murdering those in the community. Even the policemen are afraid of fighting for whatis right and just. Reverend Herbert T. Miller declares that “‘leadership is lacking among cityofficials who are afraid to attack the evils’ and that the city ‘is losing its prestige because of openviolence and disregard of law and order.’” (“3 Ministers Call for War on Crime”). When thingsget so bad that even the cops cannot do anything about it because they are scared for their livesthat is when things need to change. The ministers and the people in the church have hope thatthey can turn things around and make life bearable again in this city full of hatred. They arewilling to stand up, put a foot down and speak up about what is right and what is wrong. Thisshows the love they have for everyone even if they have committed sins in the past. It isimportant to them that every person is treated with respect and has an equal chance at life. It isunfair how they are solely counting on the Christians to make things good again. Rev. Dr.Chester A. Pennington emphasizes, “You in the congregation are the Church. You are dailyinvolved in the policies of your city and it is your business to take a Christian attitude towardsthem” (“3 Ministers Call for War on Crime”).7 Christianity is a very large and powerful religion, but is it powerful enough to cut down the crime in a city that knows nothing else? Most like tothink of the world as a good place, a place where a person can walk outside take a deep breath of fresh air, and say “Wow, it is a beautiful day today.” It seems impossible though for people to be
 
able to do that in Harlem. Putting the weight on the Christian shoulders and saying “Okay, this iswhat needs to be done, so do it,” will not accomplish anything.This article relates to the book 
The Best of Simple
 by Langston Hughes because it talksabout Harlem and the faith and crimes that go on in Harlem. In the story “Simple Prays APrayer” Jesse B. Semple discusses how he wants to pray a prayer for peace. “I would pray adon’t-want-to-have-no-more-wars prayer, and it would go like this: … ‘Lord, kindly please, takethe blood off of my hands and off of my brother’s hands and make us shake hands
clean
and not be afraid.’” (Hughes 7). This statement shows that Simple believes that by praying to God thingscan be fixed. He doesn’t want to have any more wars and he wants everyone to just shake handsand be equal, which is beautiful. It is clear that with peace in Harlem it would be a better placefor everyone, not just the people that live there.A picture from
The Sweet Flypaper of Life
shows a family sitting in a vacant lot withwords in large font behind them that reads, “God: is Holy Jesus”. (Hughes, Decarava 34). This isan example of the community’s need for God to help them. These powerful words were writtento remind the people of Harlem that God is there for them, watching them. When someone isthinking about selling drugs on that corner they might look at those words and just walk awayand decide not to do it anymore. Or when someone is down to their last breath and feel like theycannot fight anymore, they will look up and know that there is someone there to pick them up,dust them off, and send them on their way again. That is what faith is. That is what allegiance is.When you are so down and people just keep kicking you, but thinking about God keepsyoumoving on knowing that tomorrow will be a better day, that is loyalty. There is a group of  people sitting next to the wall on wooden chairs. It is a family, but they are not facing the wall,they are looking in a different direction. The words are meant to be in the background but they pop out more than the family does. There is some irony with this though; the words seem to bewritten as graffiti. This is ironic because the whole point is to cease the crime and they are trying
of 00

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