Sen. Parker is an embarassment

I am an identity politics voter in most instances but I will not be supporting Kevin Parker ever again. He has been a complete embarrassment and really should resign even if it means a Republican majority temporarily. His latest is going on a tirade about "white supremacy."

Just go away Senator. Please just go away.

via

New Ditmas Park Restaurant?

I ran into an old friend today from the area and she told me that an mid-upscale soul food restaurant that has other Brooklyn locations is looking to open up here. They are owned by two African-Americans which would mean a minority owned business is taking advantage of the buzz in the area. This would be great news and we hope to be able to break it here first--and with the name of the establishment--before anyone else.

Stay tuned for further updates.

More proof of Ditmas Park Blog's racism continued...

Ben Smith has recruited another non-latino reporter to his day job, Maggie Haberman.

The godfather of his day job is a bircher and his father worked for George Wallace. I am Puerto Rican and Chilean but I do follow politics. If it weren't for the civil rights movement, many positive changes that affected Latinos would not have happened. I take great offense in the fact that the founder of Ditmas Park Blog is associated with someone whose father worked for George Wallace. If you weren't aware, George Wallace fought for segregation. I know my focus is primarily on issues of police misconduct but I believe that the way police treat minorities is directly related to who covers them. If the press is so welcoming to birchers, George Wallace sympathizers, and people like Ben Smith who doesn't like latinos and other persons of color, how can we expect them to expose police brutality and the continued state-sponsored harassment of ethnic minorities?

Ustreetblues

Whomever posted www.ustreetblues.blogspot.com, I am unable to access the website. You can send an email to saveditmaspark@gmail.com as I can check that email so that I can access the website.

Update: U Street Blues is everything you ever wanted to know about Ditmas Park Blog's Ben Smith established by a group of women who they have harmed. From my reading, and I have requested if I can post some of the info here, one is sleazy and the other is a nerdy snob who comes from a well heeled family and who is downright mean and vindictive. He apparently has burned his bridges that it looks like even his fellow college classmates have taken to the internet to discuss how awful he really is. I sent Bev an email with some highlights and we will be discussing this in the future and what it means for this blog and Victorian Flatbush as a community.

Short take away: Ben Smith is a fraud with an agenda.

Thank you,

Tina

An update on ladies networking event

I got an email from an attendee from Kris W's networking event a few weeks ago who said it was lovely and she felt comfortable. The crowd was apparently more diverse from what I had heard of previous events.

Good for Kris. The neighborhood needs more inclusive events.

More proof of Ditmas Park Blog's racism

Via an emailer, Ben from DitmasParkBlog doesn't think that American hero and civil rights icon John Lewis was called a nigger. This should surprise no one. An emailer sends on a posting from an Andrew Breibert who says that Ben said to him that, "Ben Smith of Politico on Congressional Black Caucus N-Word Scandal: 'i think you've pretty much won this one, no?' "

Who has won what? I believe that John Lewis was called a nigger by the white people at those vile protests. They weren't protesting taxes they are protesting a black man in power. Someone who doesn't look like Ben and his gentrifying harpies. They fear him. A black man is the most powerful person on earth and they can't deal with it. This apparently includes Ben. I haven't had time to search on this Andrew guy but when I do, I am sure to find that he most likely shares the racist views of Ben and the people at DitmasParkBlog.


A sidenote: Thanks to everyone for their support and prayers. My family can definitely use it at this time. We have faith in the lord that he will get us through all of this. As for my lawsuit, my son is going to show me how to post the court documents in a readable version on the website for all to see. I hope to be back full-time in the near future. Thanks again for the wonderful emails.

Prayers for Beverly

Bev's daughter Cynthia was in a horrific car accident last week in Los Angeles. Someone ran a red light, hit her car and then Cynthia's car was hit again. She is currently in ICU. Please keep Beverly, Barry, and their family in your thoughts and prayers.

So much sadness in the world these days.

Liena Smith is either a racist, a fool, or both

I was one of several quoted(off the record) in the NY Times article about notorious Victorian Flatbush mega-agent Mary Kay Gallagher. A friend and fellow neighbor asked if I was interested in giving comment on a story that they were working on about Mrs. Gallagher. I was hesitant at first but when I was told that it would be mostly "background" info and I could be quoted in general I agreed.

I thought that the article was in general rather positive and quite fair to Mrs. Gallagher given her known history of her own form of redlining the neighborhood. I am not going to go into too much detail about our dealings with her but to be blunt: the old hag is a racist. Those are probably strong words but they are true. Mrs. Gallagher's "civic duty" are discriminatory and have been for decades. She's lucky she has avoided legal action but those that have the money and are minorities over the years have decided to go elsewhere and ultimately give her the middle finger. Kestyn is barely a step above Gallagher.

Noted "I'm not a racist" Liena Smith is disturbed that the Times would go on record for the world to see what Mrs. Gallagher is really all about. She acts as if the Times should not have printed the comments that Mrs. Gallagher is a racist. She is. Liena writes, ''that this sounds like quite the charge from the Times." If Liena Smith can prove otherwise that Mary Kay Gallagher is not a racist then she needs to do so.

Here is a suggestion Liena since you seem to know everything about the neighborhood and are popular--go door to door, census-style and ask who sold them their house. Document their race/ethnicity and get back to us. If you find a minority in which Gallagher was involved in the transaction, ask them if they paid all cash/more than 20% down payment(like yourself) or if they got conventional financing and how long did it take to closing and if there were any hiccups. This does not include the co-ops or condos I am only talking about the houses because Mrs. Gallagher's attitude depends on whom she is selling to and exactly what they are buying. Sure it may not be scientific but I think it will be very telling as to who sold whom their house. The minorities in this neighborhood who have dealt with Gallagher and those that wanted to buy in the neighborhood know the truth.

ETA: Pardon my language but it is this type of shit that gets me worked up. Liena Smith is not only acting as if Mary Kay Gallagher couldn't be a racist but completely acts as if redlining and other forms of racial discrimination did not occur when Mrs. Gallagher got her start or were practiced by Mrs. Gallagher herself. She acts as if racial discrimination in lending, buying, and selling of real estate never occurred. I know that she is a foreigner as she has said so herself, but her husband isn't. He couldn't have clued her in on the history of real estate racism that minorities faced in purchasing property. A brooklyn office of Corcoran was accused of doing this thing just a couple of YEARS AGO.

There are no African-Americans or Latino Reporters at Ditmas Park Blog's Day Job

Their sole black reporter has left. Ditmas Park Blog is fully employed at a colorless job. I would like to remind everyone that this is 2010. How is anyone expecting them to promote diversity over there when he can't even promote or encourage diversity at his own workplace and he is their shining star.

ETA: In the saveditmaspark inbox there was a response about this from a former employee of Ditmas Park blogs day job who agreed with my point and explained how two Caucasian reporters were brought in by Ditmas Park Blog. This reporter said that she felt unwelcomed at this place of employment.


-Tina

Please keep in your thoughts and prayers

Neighbor Merilee M. Her family could use everyone's prayers and good thoughts right now.

Thank you,

Tina