Comments on: The chicken and egg problem http://antbed.com/2008/0728-the-chicken-and-egg-problem The intersection of Myrtle, Nostrand and me. Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:13:05 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Jeffrey Marx http://antbed.com/2008/0728-the-chicken-and-egg-problem#comment-2834 Jeffrey Marx Fri, 15 Aug 2008 19:11:27 +0000 http://antbed.com/?p=65#comment-2834 I moved to Bed-Stuy with a neutral yet optimistic sense of living. I was open and willing to love my new neighborhood. The point at which that attitude turned is when the the "people who have been living here for generations" start yelling, harassing, and being openly hostile for no reason other than the color of my skin and my adorable neon tote bag. I don't understand the thought behind "Get the fuck out" vs. a simple "Welcome". If more people in this world were welcoming rather than hostile, this world would be on a different track. I fight turning racist within myself every day due to ridiculous encounters with people in the community with their OWN "bizarre sense of entitlement". Who is right? No one. So why can't we all welcome each other. It gets so tiring. I moved to Bed-Stuy with a neutral yet optimistic sense of living. I was open and willing to love my new neighborhood. The point at which that attitude turned is when the the “people who have been living here for generations” start yelling, harassing, and being openly hostile for no reason other than the color of my skin and my adorable neon tote bag. I don’t understand the thought behind “Get the fuck out” vs. a simple “Welcome”. If more people in this world were welcoming rather than hostile, this world would be on a different track. I fight turning racist within myself every day due to ridiculous encounters with people in the community with their OWN “bizarre sense of entitlement”. Who is right? No one. So why can’t we all welcome each other.

It gets so tiring.

]]> By: Luke http://antbed.com/2008/0728-the-chicken-and-egg-problem#comment-2402 Luke Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:08:41 +0000 http://antbed.com/?p=65#comment-2402 Ugh. After reading the Times piece featuring you and after perusing your blog, I have a horrible taste in my mouth. Guess what? Bed-stuy is a thriving neighborhood with or without daycare and a Duane Reade. People like you show up in established neighborhoods and expect things to change to your exact preferences out of some bizarre sense of entitlement. Somehow, you seem oblivious to the harm that gentrifiers do to lower- and middle-class neighborhoods. Let me spell it out for you: You and your ilk's effects on the neighborhood force out people who have been living here for generations. Why? Because once you and all your buddies move in, attract Starbucks and raise the rents here, no one else will be able to afford it but you. The first sin of the gentrifier is moving into pricey new condos instead of renting a place that was already there. Once a few of the pricey condos succeed, it will only attract more realtors that smell money. Fast forward five years from now, rent has gone up $200 and only other wealthy whites can afford the neighborhood. If you want to live with yuppies, move to Williamsburg. I adore Bed-Stuy exactly because it does NOT cater to the needs of yuppie hipsters. It is a unique, thriving and beautiful neighborhood. If that fact isn't obvious to you the second you step outside of your $1,700 condo, then this place will never be for you. I have too many points to touch on now, but I will return to vent. And in the interest of full disclosure: I am white, relatively well-off, and I live two blocks from you (in the "undesirable" direction). Ugh. After reading the Times piece featuring you and after perusing your blog, I have a horrible taste in my mouth.
Guess what? Bed-stuy is a thriving neighborhood with or without daycare and a Duane Reade.
People like you show up in established neighborhoods and expect things to change to your exact preferences out of some bizarre sense of entitlement. Somehow, you seem oblivious to the harm that gentrifiers do to lower- and middle-class neighborhoods.
Let me spell it out for you: You and your ilk’s effects on the neighborhood force out people who have been living here for generations. Why? Because once you and all your buddies move in, attract Starbucks and raise the rents here, no one else will be able to afford it but you.

The first sin of the gentrifier is moving into pricey new condos instead of renting a place that was already there. Once a few of the pricey condos succeed, it will only attract more realtors that smell money. Fast forward five years from now, rent has gone up $200 and only other wealthy whites can afford the neighborhood.
If you want to live with yuppies, move to Williamsburg.
I adore Bed-Stuy exactly because it does NOT cater to the needs of yuppie hipsters. It is a unique, thriving and beautiful neighborhood. If that fact isn’t obvious to you the second you step outside of your $1,700 condo, then this place will never be for you.
I have too many points to touch on now, but I will return to vent.

And in the interest of full disclosure: I am white, relatively well-off, and I live two blocks from you (in the “undesirable” direction).

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