Comments on: Controversy! http://antbed.com/2007/1024-controversy The intersection of Myrtle, Nostrand and me. Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:04:49 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Spencer Street http://antbed.com/2007/1024-controversy#comment-19 Spencer Street Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:38:16 +0000 http://antbed.com/2007/1024-controversy#comment-19 Er, just checking what you found so confusing about the Home Depot reference. Most New Yorkers would kill to have one nearby. Also, if there's one thing all Bed-Stuy residents can agree on, it's that the lines in that place are ridiculous. Er, just checking what you found so confusing about the Home Depot reference. Most New Yorkers would kill to have one nearby. Also, if there’s one thing all Bed-Stuy residents can agree on, it’s that the lines in that place are ridiculous.

]]> By: Streetfaerie http://antbed.com/2007/1024-controversy#comment-14 Streetfaerie Thu, 25 Oct 2007 17:02:12 +0000 http://antbed.com/2007/1024-controversy#comment-14 Thank you for responding so quickly! Good answers of course I want to touch point by point but I will resist and make my post pretty general (dont want to risk missing forest for the trees so to speak. I have gotten a chance to read a few more posts, and look at the MYNT site (pretty slick marketing)! Bless you for starting this blog it is actually very brave of you. I dont want to attack or marginalize/target you, or make you a symbol of all that is wrong with the "situation" we have all found ourselves in. New York is a crazy place. It is actually not a "melting pot" as many proclaim it. While technically there are MANY cultures,when it comes to residential living, there is a very delicate balance of cultural enclaves existing next to each other. (As you are on the border of Bed stuy youve gotten to see that i.e. the Jewish enclave). And people are very protective of that. Prices in this city create a pressure point and one of the fascinating outcomes is previously undesireable areas become heavily courted (as you know). NY by nature is cyclic, this neighborhood being just another example of that. Bed stuy has gotten a LOT of press lately and thats a double edged sword. Everyone is being pushed out of their comfort zones and theres a lot of good that can come from that, but of course a lot of negativity, fear, and resentment. (i have very varied and complex views on gentrification that i wont burden you with lol). Maybe you found my post pointed or harsh, and although i'd read a few of your postings, I only commented on this one. Reason being, Ive personally found that in discussing any aspect of this phenomenon, people have a hard time internalizing the fact that this is actually home to people. What i mean is, people move here from other states/countries to work or to live out a dream and they have family/traditions etc elsewhere. They go "home" for the holidays..their memories are of some other place. Well, we are home. Our grandmothers live around the corner or downstairs. This is it for a LOT of people. (not discussing the immigrant community which is an ENTIRELY different beast you dont want to get into lol) There is no place to turn once rents become outrageous. "priced out" is a very nice term that does not do the reality of it any justice. So I was compelled to comment,especially to drive that particular point home lol. I know we all get it: times are a-changing. And its not a zero sum game, long term residents dont automatically "lose" in this lol. But I think the most frustrating part about all of it is the lack of understanding, (compassion?) and even common sense at a basic level. Example, I spoke to a couple at a party recently who, once they found that I lived in brooklyn, couldnt wait to explain to me about the beauty they "found" in bed stuy. (they recently moved to williamsburg from CT) "Oh my God! The homes there are magnificent! And good prices too! Who would have thought!? In Bed Stuy!?". With genuine excitement.I said yes,actually, I would have thought. We carried on a friendly and energetic discussion but when I pointed out that the homes were actually inhabited, and the neighborhood full of people who have been there their entire lives the couples faces BOTH became very blank. "I didnt think of that" the man said. He actually SAID that. And that conversation became very pivotal in my mind. People dont think. Im glad you want to facilitate discussion about this issue. Maybe Bed Stuy can actually become a model of gentrification done right, and become an actual diversified place instead of just another enclave (a white hood that used to be a black hood that used to be..). I hope so, because for better or worse were all in this together. I will continue to read and participate... (Sorry about length and not touching point by point on your comments lol) Thank you for responding so quickly! Good answers of course I want to touch point by point but I will resist and make my post pretty general (dont want to risk missing forest for the trees so to speak. I have gotten a chance to read a few more posts, and look at the MYNT site (pretty slick marketing)! Bless you for starting this blog it is actually very brave of you. I dont want to attack or marginalize/target you, or make you a symbol of all that is wrong with the “situation” we have all found ourselves in. New York is a crazy place. It is actually not a “melting pot” as many proclaim it. While technically there are MANY cultures,when it comes to residential living, there is a very delicate balance of cultural enclaves existing next to each other. (As you are on the border of Bed stuy youve gotten to see that i.e. the Jewish enclave). And people are very protective of that. Prices in this city create a pressure point and one of the fascinating outcomes is previously undesireable areas become heavily courted (as you know). NY by nature is cyclic, this neighborhood being just another example of that. Bed stuy has gotten a LOT of press lately and thats a double edged sword. Everyone is being pushed out of their comfort zones and theres a lot of good that can come from that, but of course a lot of negativity, fear, and resentment. (i have very varied and complex views on gentrification that i wont burden you with lol). Maybe you found my post pointed or harsh, and although i’d read a few of your postings, I only commented on this one. Reason being, Ive personally found that in discussing any aspect of this phenomenon, people have a hard time internalizing the fact that this is actually home to people. What i mean is, people move here from other states/countries to work or to live out a dream and they have family/traditions etc elsewhere. They go “home” for the holidays..their memories are of some other place. Well, we are home. Our grandmothers live around the corner or downstairs. This is it for a LOT of people. (not discussing the immigrant community which is an ENTIRELY different beast you dont want to get into lol) There is no place to turn once rents become outrageous. “priced out” is a very nice term that does not do the reality of it any justice. So I was compelled to comment,especially to drive that particular point home lol. I know we all get it: times are a-changing. And its not a zero sum game, long term residents dont automatically “lose” in this lol. But I think the most frustrating part about all of it is the lack of understanding, (compassion?) and even common sense at a basic level. Example, I spoke to a couple at a party recently who, once they found that I lived in brooklyn, couldnt wait to explain to me about the beauty they “found” in bed stuy. (they recently moved to williamsburg from CT) “Oh my God! The homes there are magnificent! And good prices too! Who would have thought!? In Bed Stuy!?”. With genuine excitement.I said yes,actually, I would have thought. We carried on a friendly and energetic discussion but when I pointed out that the homes were actually inhabited, and the neighborhood full of people who have been there their entire lives the couples faces BOTH became very blank. “I didnt think of that” the man said. He actually SAID that. And that conversation became very pivotal in my mind. People dont think. Im glad you want to facilitate discussion about this issue. Maybe Bed Stuy can actually become a model of gentrification done right, and become an actual diversified place instead of just another enclave (a white hood that used to be a black hood that used to be..). I hope so, because for better or worse were all in this together. I will continue to read and participate…

(Sorry about length and not touching point by point on your comments lol)

]]>