I keep getting emails about how unfair I am and that my complaints about what has happened to the neighborhood are unfair.
Here is my question: why is gentrification good? I want to hear from you. I personally think it is bad because of what it does to minority populations (see: our neighborhood) but I want to hear what others think.
You may leave your views in the comments or email me and I will post with permission.
I'm willing to listen.
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Lowers crime, establishes a feeling of neighborhood comraderie, brings in more stores and businesses leading to more jobs, attracts local government attention needed in order to clean up the neighborhood
ReplyDeleteWhen you say it pushes out minority populations, you automatically assume all minorities aren't as wealthy as the gentrifyers.
It's pretty simple, Eloise. Compare crime rates. It's unspinnable data.
ReplyDeleteHi Eloise,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, thank you for taking the time to address my response to your article. I really do appreciate it.
Onto gentrification:
Gentrification brings good and bad effects to neighborhoods. As Jake mentioned, gentrification may bring stores and businesses that lead to increased house value and stronger local government and civil services. On the other hand, as is evidently clear, gentrification can lead to struggles between classes and, for those who previously lived in the community, gentrification may seem like an invasion.
I think what you are struggling with, and has been represented through your blog postings, is a misunderstanding of who gentrification effects. You seem to strongly believe that it is about race, when it is in fact about class. This is why, and I can only speak for myself, I have a problem with you lambasting your new neighbors as racists. If you were to instead structure your argument that the new community members were hurting previously established businesses on the grounds that they are bringing new wants and demands to the neighborhood, I think you'd have a more defensible case.
On that note, I also think that you've dug yourself a pretty big hole with personal attacks on the founders of the DPB. Your past comments (which to be fair, have waned but still persist) against Ben and Liena only hurt your opportunity to be heard respectfully.
Cliff's notes: Gentrification is a very complicated issue worthy of debate with valid arguments on both sides. Slanderizing those who partake in the gentrification process as racists who are purposely pushing out particular races only is not the way to get pepole to listen.
Well said, Josh.
ReplyDeleteFor one thing the idea that gentrification somehow reduces crime is ridicules. Saying things like that just shows how ignorant you people are. Gentrification is based on racism. Racism is define as the believe that one race is superior to another. The concept of gentrification and the ideas that are being brought upon by the ditmas park blog is a manifestation of that believe system. What the Ditmas park blog is doing is practicing a form of racism. They just don't want to be called out on it. It's funny how white people think that they can dictate to a black person how they should or shouldn't feel. Besides the point of race is socially constructed. It was constructed in a way to benefit white people. Although there is no genetic basis for race. This racial construction had bought great advantages to people like the ditmas park blog. Those who dare to challenge this system will be met with violence and ridicule. Hence the assassination of mlk.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteAs I mentioned in my last post, gentrification is an incredibly grey issue and not defined in polar opposites (ex. for or against) as you may claim it to be. It is not about racism. It is about class. It is about low-income neighborhoods with low cost properties being bought by new middle to upper class residents who then change the neighborhood to suit their needs. The issues between race and class are a whole other issue, one that exists far beyond the scope of metropolitan communities at risk of gentrification. The issue between race and class is such a large issue that I'm not going to go much beyond that over-simplified definition because it's not a response to Eloise's original question; why is gentrification 'good'?
I will however address your post as there are numerous ridiculous statements and it's Friday and I'm bored at work.
First of all, nobody is a fan of being called a racists so I don't think that's specific to the DPB. Second, they have never told black people how they should or shouldn't feel.
"Besides the point of race is socially constructed. It was constructed in a way to benefit white people. Although there is no genetic basis for race." What does this mean at all? Are you suggesting that race is entirely subjective with no DNA coding behind it? Well, then, that's absurd. Race is a result of thousands of year of heritage and local and cultural conditions that produce the unique and equally important attributes with all people on Earth.
Now, if you're arguing that race has been used as a derogatory tool by caucasians in the past, I don't think I'd argue. However, while racism certainly continues to exist, I'm going to revert to John Stewart when he remarked at the Rally to Restore Sanity 'There are racists, but that title has to be earned.' The DPB is not racist nor is it a safe haven for racists.
To be honest, it's a bit scary that you would connect challenging a community (even if it's not your community) blog to violence. And to mention MLK way out of context is just weird and perhaps wrong. MLK fought racism, not gentrification. But then again, you didn't know what gentrification really meant so I'm not surprised with your resolution.
It's a shame, I felt like this blog may be turning into a productive discussion. And I hope your negative rhetoric have not forced us to take a few steps backwards.
Your favorite food coop is thriving. Is that bad?
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful it is to claim that it has nothing to do with race. It's about class. What you conveniently left out is that in too many instances and for the vast majority of the people in the united states, Your race will determine your class. White people have and benefit from a system of unearned privileges that has nothing to do with skill or attributes. They simply have that priviledge because of the color of their skin. That is inhently unfair and evil. I suggest you do your research on genetics before you spur your ignorance. You cannot determined someones race based on DNA. Race is social constructed. There is no scientific basis for race. This is the reason that people within the same family can overlap in skin color and other variations but ultimately share the same DNA. Race is structured to benefit on in group. In this case white people. One of these benefits is the false concept of gentrification. Most of the white people who live in ditmas park are not richer than the black people. They just get favorable loan terms and rental agreements simply because of this perverse ideology. Like it or not the ditmas park blog are the gatekeepers of this racist mindset that only them because of their superior skin tone can save ditmas park. I call bullshit and apparently am not the only one.
ReplyDeleteLouis: [possessed by Vinz Clortho] I am The Keymaster!
ReplyDeleteDana Barrett: [possessed by Zuul] I am The Gatekeeper!
Jake,
ReplyDeleteYou wrote:
When you say it pushes out minority populations, you automatically assume all minorities aren't as wealthy as the gentrifyers.
Unfortunately many of those in the neighborhood who happen to be of color ARE pushed out because they aren't as wealthy as those that are coming in. Rents go up, cost of living goes up and they are forced to leave. Just take any gentrified community and you will notice that it is less diverse than before. I have yet to see a neighborhood where gentrification has led to more diversity.
I'm thrilled that the food co-op is thriving! It provides reasonably cost healthy alternatives to the bodegas.
ReplyDeleteEloise,
ReplyDeleteI 100% agree with you.
Anonymous, learn how to spell and construct a cogent and thoughtful argument.
ReplyDeletePlease, enlighten me as to how race is independent from genetics.
"Now, if you're arguing that race has been used as a derogatory tool by caucasians in the past,"
ReplyDeleteIt still is.
anonymous wrote
ReplyDelete"Those who dare to challenge this system will be met with violence and ridicule. Hence the assassination of mlk."
Yeah. Sure. When homeowners in Ditmas Park who have painted and refurbished homes that were neglected for a number of years, other people are subsequently murdered. Yeah, that's how it always goes. Painting houses has always had that lethal aspect.
anonymous wrote:
ReplyDeleteYour race will determine your class...followed by...There is no scientific basis for race.
Oh. But anonymous has given plenty of evidence that he's suffering from an advanced case of stupidity.
anonymous shows further mental deterioration by stating:
White people have and benefit from a system of unearned privileges that has nothing to do with skill or attributes.
Yes. Of course. But anonymous runs into trouble when he tries to explain why Africa is such a tragic mess.
They simply have that priviledge because of the color of their skin. That is inhently unfair and evil.
Unfair and evil? Aha. Whites are evil. Oh. Where's the black Einstein? The black Bill Gates? The black Warren Buffett? There have never been any black mathematicians. No black economists. No black chemists. If blacks were truly victimized by whites, they'd form a nation and advance themselves.
Okay. There's a whole continent of blacks and the continent is bursting with natural resources. But the entire continent of Africa is a horrible, disease-ridden catastrophe.
I suggest you do your research on genetics before you spur your ignorance. You cannot determined someones race based on DNA. Race is social constructed.
Yes. Of course. To anonymous the history of the human race means precisely nothing. Meanwhile, yes, there are racial markers in DNA.
Not that I agree with much in Anonymous's argument but I do have to agree that "Race" is a social construct. Yes, just like gender, an individual's skin color/physical signifiers are coded in DNA. However, what the attributes signify to the observer is most definitely informed socially. If it wasn't, No Slappz and Eloise would be on the same side of the discussion.
ReplyDeleteanonymous, you wrote:
ReplyDeleteHowever, what the attributes signify to the observer is most definitely informed socially.
It's too bad you believe that nonsense. Your baseless beliefs suggest you have a lot in common with devout followers of most religions.
The history of humanity makes it painfully, abundantly clear that many obvious differences between groups are a function of race. But it's clear you are troubled by the facts.