Flip Side of the Dream (by Bob Herbert for NYT, via Truthout)

Flip Side of the Dream
By Bob Herbert
The New York Times

Saturday 16 June 2007

Camden, New Jersey - Emmanuel Wayne pressed his back against the shabby, one-story building, trying unsuccessfully to escape the downpour. The blue-and-white sign overhead said Bill's Liquors.

I was standing there with him. The water pouring down the teenager's face created a funhouse mirror effect, making it look like he was laughing and crying at the same time. It was an absurd place to conduct an interview, but a lot of things about the inner-city are absurd.

"I been looking for a job," he said, "but you know...." He shrugged. "I went to the McDonald's. I was up to the Cherry Hill Mall. Ain't too much out here."

It was a gloomy late afternoon. Throughout the rundown neighborhood, young people were gathered in clusters on porches, looking out at the rain. I talked to some and they told the same story as Emmanuel. No jobs. No money.

"That's why people go on the hustle," said one young man. "Got to get the money somewhere."

The summer job outlook for teenagers is beyond bleak. A modest 157,000 jobs were added to the nation's payrolls in May. But teen employment fell for the fifth consecutive month, an ominous trend as we head into the summer months when millions of additional teenagers join in the hunt for jobs. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/061607D.shtml