From most of the media coverage, it’d be easy to conclude that the only opposition to the CHA sweeps comes from some white guy named Grossman.
And he’s adamantly against the sweeps.
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Pratt’s first encounter with the sweeps was in October 1992, after seven-year-old Cabrini resident Dantrell Davis was killed by sniper fire while walking to school. “After Dantrell was killed, I had a feeling the sweeps were coming to Cabrini,” says Pratt. “There had been sweeps at other CHA complexes in the past. They never make any serious attempt to come up with a good policy for fighting crime. When things get hot, they bring in the TV crews and start sweeping.”
“The police surrounded our building at about 9:30 in the morning, and then they came in,” says Pratt. “I knew they were coming; I could see and hear them. It’s not a big secret. They bring all the media in town, which is why this is so stupid, by the way. ‘Cause everyone they’re looking for has already left.
“And while I’m on the subject, let me tell you about how unfairly the press is treating Harvey. The stuff they write about him is bullshit. I’ve had some role models that have got me out of trouble–people like police officer Pat Hill, who sat me down years ago and talked me out of gangs. Well, I consider Harvey another role model. If it wasn’t for him, poor people like me wouldn’t be heard. And I’ll tell you another thing about Harvey: he’s spent more time in CHA housing than Vince Lane or any of Vince Lane’s lawyers. And when Harvey comes out here he’s not surrounded by a bunch of cops like Lane is. Harvey may not live here, but he’s been out here. And he’s been out here more than most of the people who write about him, that’s for damn sure.”
“K-SO lived in Cabrini-Green until he was incarcerated,” says Pratt. “I don’t know why he’s in prison. He’s very serious about his column. He does his own illustrations, and he never misses a deadline.”
