By
Julian Estrada
February 2, 2009
I love the Ave. It’s a thriving environment, a pit stop away from the fast-paced and imposing University of Washington.
But the Ave is no utopia. In fact, it has what many consider to be an infestation problem — Ave rats. But if we look closely at these so-called “Ave rats,” we can see that they are human beings.
So why the discrepancy? How did they go from humans to rats? It’s a wonder we can strip these people of their humanity without as much as a blink of an eye. Husky Pride that leads to arrogance and dehumanization of the less fortunate defeats the purpose of an education.
Let’s look at extreme cases where a group of people went from humans to “others,” then decide whether we want to perpetuate the dehumanization process — or shun dehumanizing lingo.
Even before World War II, anti-Semitic propaganda in the form of books, pamphlets and movies portrayed Jews as caricature, inferior to the Aryan race. Jews were blamed for Germany’s economy, and Adolf Hitler and his party manipulated the masses masterfully.
This anti-Semitic propaganda from 1919-39 was indeed what blind-sided rational Germans. The result? Few people tried to stop the genocide of an entire race. Jews had been painted as less than human, worthy of extermination.
Today, it is hard to fathom this concept.
One need not travel across the ocean, nor through time, to see the derogatory characterization of a group and its hindrance on positive relationships.
Popular depiction continues to represent American Indians inaccurately, for example. Professional sports team names including Redskins, Chiefs, Indians, Braves, Blackhawks and Redmen are offensive to American Indians.
Some justify these names by saying it is an honor. Some, however, see it as cultural imperialism. As Barbara Munson of the Oneida Nation said, “When someone says you are hurting them by your action, if you persist, then the harm becomes intentional.”
Come graduation, students will have amassed fertile knowledge and rich experiences only a university like the UW can provide.
This sort of attention brings with it pride and prejudice. The tendency is for the rat within each of us to rear its ugly head.
It is in these formative years that not only are futures and fortunes foreshadowed, but attitudes.
We must remember that those we have come to call “rats” are actually people.
Hopefully the world of academia will not inflate our brains to the point that we have no perspective or respect outside its fortress.
Reach columnist Julian Estrada at opinion@dailyuw.com.
15 Comments
#1 really...?
on February 2, 2009 at 12:40 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name | UW Community)
don't question why homelessness is increasing or what can be done to reverse it. or anything complicated like that.
you might hurt people's brains.
#2 chris
on February 2, 2009 at 8:59 a.m.(Location Unknown | Unverified Name | UW Community)
how can you seriously compare anti-semitic propaganda and persecution of native americans to labeling of street kids as "rats". these people you are so ready to defend are leeches on society, not contributing anything worthwhile to our community. the jewish people and american indians weren't robbing people and abusing drugs. you failed to mention that many of them are meth addled delinquents that will just crawl back to mommy and daddys house when the weather gets cold. if you can't support yourself and need my spare change why do you have a dog and a fifty dollar piercing in each ear. there are services and opportunities for these people if they really want to better themselves but in general they are just lazy.
#3 John
on February 2, 2009 at 9:20 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name | UW Community)
Chris, amen brother. The vermin are making the area around the UW seedy and dangerous and everyone is looking at them like they are the victims here. The facts are that they disrespect society and are simply lazy rats. I can't even count how often the rats sneak onto buses through the back door to avoid paying and bringing on their obnoxious dogs. This article is an over reaction to how the homeless are really treated at the UW. Maybe they can run this article again once the police start rounding them up and holding them in camps instead of turning a blind eye to their harassment towards normal citizens and their harassment tactics.
#4 fuck you
on February 2, 2009 at 9:21 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
chris: agreed the comparison cannot be made, but also, shut the fuck up you moron.
#5 fuck you too
on February 2, 2009 at 9:22 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name)
john: please kill yourself.
#6 John
on February 2, 2009 at 9:49 a.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name | UW Community)
Man that's harsh. You have a tendency of making remarks like this towards other people named John. For example in the conservative portion asking whether Bush should be prosecuted or not you told the article's author(who's name is John) to "kill yourself" just that time you signed your name as God. What I think is that "God" may have been abandoned at an early age by someone named John or something like that. To be honest I wouldn't blame them if they did, you strike me as someone who is wound too tight.
#7 Ashley W.
on February 2, 2009 at 10:03 a.m.(UW Campus)
I think it is unreasonable to compare the ave rats (which I have never heard until today) with anti Semitic, and native americans with, people on the ave. who even said that "ave rats" is that terrible?! sure maybe its a shitty name... but I dont see that they are being dehumanized in the least. I just feel that your comparison was a complete and utter stretch! couldn't you have found anything else to write and opinion column on?
#8 chris
on February 2, 2009 at 10:10 a.m.(Location Unknown | Unverified Name | UW Community)
re: #3 shut the fuck up? you obviously spent some time on that one. tell you what, i have nothing more i can say. the depth of your argument has left me speechless. now isn't there some off you could be fucking?
#9 Eric Staples
on February 2, 2009 at 10:47 a.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name | UW Community)
I can't help but think that they've earned the name ave rats.
#10 Mark R.
on February 2, 2009 at 11:18 a.m.(UW Campus)
Mr. Estrada
As already stated by people in these comments, I feel that the comparison between the Holocaust and the Ave Rats is unfounded, and ultimately offensive.
I have lived one block from the Ave for 2 years now, and was working at the Jack in the Box up on 50th. I even volunteered with the Roots Organization, helping cook meals for homeless people in the University District. The homeless youth living on the University Way often made my life incredibly difficult.
I have seen a man mugged less than a block from my apartment by these Ave Rats. I had garbage and loose change thrown at me behind the counter at JIB by these Ave Rats. I have been heckled for money and drugs by these Ave Rats. One Ave Rat punched another one, sent him flying into my girlfriend, knocking her down. These are only a few of the events that have transpired during my residence here.
I'm sure not all homeless people living on the Ave are this terrible, but man can only turn the other cheek so many times.
#11 O
on February 2, 2009 at 5 p.m.(UW Campus | Unverified Name | UW Community)
Budding journalists need to get in through their minds that references to the Holocaust and Nazi Germany aren't universally applicable. So many student articles aim for profundity and end up with a bunch of useless analogies that barely support the point of the article.
To echo what other commenters have said, the "Ave Rats" earn their reputation by being absolutely imbecilic. This article could have been valid, if still verbose and uninformative, had it been written about Seattle's homeless in general, or an equivalent demographic, but offering no concrete defense of the "Ave Rats," the author might as well have defended actual rats.
#12 person who read
on February 2, 2009 at 8:11 p.m.(Seattle, WA | Unverified Name | UW Community)
"The so called "ave rats" are human beings, and you should acknowledge so, otherwise you’re a Nazi."
...Very thought provoking article, Julian. However, the distaste that I feel when I see some Ave Rat's dog shitting on the sidewalk in front of Rite Aid hardly makes me a Nazi.
I have had an unusual experience with Ave Rats. Summers ago when no roommates were around for a few weeks, three Ave Rats broke into our rented house on 52nd and crashed there for days. I discovered them asleep in our beds. They made a horrible ungodly mess in the bathroom, and left their trash throughout the house. Forgive me for not wishing to further extend my hospitality towards them.
If you’re trying to make a statement in their defense, you should at least say something of substance. Suggestions: answer questions like why or how they got into their situation, how difficult it would be for them to rejoin society, what kinds of programs are out there for homeless youth. Challenge my perceptions and stereotypes towards the Ave Rats, because right now those are unpleasant ones.
#13 Douglas T.
on February 5, 2009 at 1:28 p.m.(Everett, WA)
There is only one way to be a UW Rat, and that's to call someone else one.
Right?
#14 Nikolaj L.
on February 10, 2009 at 6:56 a.m.(Aarhus, Denmark | UW Community)
@#12
Twista!
#15 Bobby S.
on March 7, 2009 at 5:44 a.m.(Staffordsville, KY)
first off- as everyone else stated the comparison is unfair- second I am a proud ave rat since the late 90's- i have moved on with my life but i always took the term with pride-
i don't think anyone takes in consideration have difficult Seattle is especially in the winter- and a lot of people who are ave rats realize how dysfunctional and broken this capitalist society is- so they choose to opted out. lol i didn't like seeing the yuppies sipping there coffee bothering me in the morning- but the Seattle pigs are not very concern or responsive to my objections. the ave rats make you u-district distinctive and interesting- because they took all the flavor and life out of the ave when they renovated in 2003- nothing but corporate eye sores everywhere you turn- disgusting- lol and you know what there were alot of times i was verbally harassed by college kids and yuppies- unprovoked- they would be like get a job- well stop living of your mommy and daddy's money. proud ave rat- Bobby
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