Bushwick Goes National

Oh, please.

As per usual, the poor and the hard working, working class people, mostly Hispanic and black, are tossed to the side. These families, who have struggled since before the riots and fires of thirty years ago to make Bushwick a decent home, have been so totally forgotten by the city, they may as well have not even been in the city.

My relatives told me about the vibrant, thriving shopping district that was Broadway under the J train, and of the well kept beer meister mansions, and solid middle class homes of Bushwick Ave, when they were growing up in the 40's - 60's. When I first visited the area in the late 70's, early 80's, the store fronts on Broadway were still burned out, the area was desolate, and the whole area looked like Dresden after WW2. It was the worst place I'd seen in NYC, and I've seen pretty much all of the city at one time or another.

Since then, some semblance of rebirth has occurred, and many new Central and South American Latinos have come to call this neighborhood home, but most of them are not people of great wealth. Services have slowly returned, but this is still a poor neighborhood, with some fine old housing stock, lots of new construction, and great old manufacturing buildings, and some of the ugliest public housing in New York.

I have no problem with artists and hipsters occupying the old factories and starting businesses, galleries, and shops. That is great. I do wish that in all of the ga-ga celebration of new hipsterhood, someone, lots of someone’s, would look around and realize that a good neighborhood is made when everyone’s boat is floating, everyone is benefiting, not just the hip and happening newcomers. Williamsburg has a unique mix of old timers, Hispanics and white ethnics, as well as the separatist Ultra Orthodox, who combined with the new hipsters and wealthy people, exist without much interaction, while most of the services and attention go to the newcomers. Bushwick is set to have this happen to them, as well, and that is not right or fair.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 11:21 AM

Pierre, I don't see racism everywhere. I only mention race to say that the population of most of Bushwick is Hispanic and black. That is merely a demographic, not an indictment.

This blog posted a photo recently, from a magazine article that ran in the late spring or summer, that touted Bushwick as the new "it" place. Every single person in the picture was your classic "hipster" - skinny, square glasses, slightly goth, tattooed, white and young. The article and the photo was roundly trashed here, for its pretentiousness, as well as non representation of the community.

As I said, I have no problem with galleries, etc, and I am sure there are people of color involved with the arts and cool scene in Bushwick. That isn't the point, and their participation in such is neither here nor there. I wasn't calling anyone racist. My point, is that the indigenous population of Bushwick, as it were, needs to be included in any positive benefit to the neighborhood. I would say that no matter what the racial or cultural makeup of that neighborhood.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 12:33 PM

Pierre, I didn't read the article until after I posted my initial remarks, which is not usual for me, I usually get as much information as I can before shooting off my mouth, or fingers, as it were.

That said, it was a fluff piece, and all about the galleries and the artists therein. No mention of anything of substance. I find that bad journalism. You don't have to go into a history of Bushwick in order to mention its name, but I think even a fluff piece needs to say something to reference in the larger community. "These galleries are adding a new dimension to the eastern portion of this predominantly Hispanic working class neighborhood, which was once the home to New York City's successful breweries and other manufacturing." That would have been a start.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 1:23 PM

Wine lover, your comments are so absolutely stupid that I won't even deconstruct them further.

If you are looking for racism, try a mirror.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 1:27 PM

The parts of Bushwick that I am more familiar with are next to Bed Stuy, near Halsey, Broadway, Bushwick, which is mostly residential, with a commercial strip. I've also worked with businesses in the industrial spaces that are near the back of the cemetary, going towards Queens, and near Cypress Gardens. I realize Bushwick, like many Bklyn neighborhoods, is quite large, and I'm glad that there is really room for everyone. I still hope that there is enough political activism from both oldtimers and newcomers to work out the inevitable gentrification issues. I defer to the most excellent Mopar on this regard. Her posts in defense of Bushwick have always been right on.

I'm sorry, Pierre, but I continue to disagree that the racial and ethnic makeup of Bushwick is irrelevant. It is neither racist, or non-racist, to bring it up, it's just a fact of the neighborhood, and a part of what makes Bushwick, Bushwick. I think it is possible to be so worried about not offending, or being politically correct that we cancel out those things that contribute to what or who we are. To have a gallery in Chinatown and not mention the area's rich ethnic history is to deny its importance, in my opinion. To describe me and leave out the fact that I am African American, is not elevating us into a non-racial society, it's overlooking who I am, and negating a part of me that helps define who I am. That is all I am saying here.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 3:19 PM

Thanks, Benson! (Bow in your direction).

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 2, 2009 3:35 PM

Unfortunately, Pierre, we don't live in a color blind or beige world. As you well know, we come in all different flavors and colors. This is a great thing, and makes us all interesting. It is also value neutral, in of itself. It's only when we as societies, make one flavor or color superior to the others that we get in trouble. Part of who you are is French, at least that's your persona here. Your Gallic heritage helps shape you, and contributes to who you are. To say you were just some guy named Peter would be to deny you a part of your self.

All I am saying is that neighborhoods also have identities. To me, it is the height of political correct blandness to ignore what is all around you, in order to focus on whatever you are doing. If I tell you my gallery is in Harlem, all that says is that it is somewhere within the established boundaries of that neighborhood. It has no inherent value judgement about the people in the neighborhood,or the neighborhood itself. If you, as a listener, make something, either good or bad, out of that, that's on you. If I tell someone the address is on 145th and St. Nicholas, and leave out the fact that it is smack in the middle of Harlem, that says more about me. What's wrong with saying Harlem? Is my omission because I am ashamed of Harlem, think you won't show up because it is in Harlem, or am so evolved that I don't notice it's Harlem? I don't think that many people are so evolved.

There is nothing wrong with mentioning a neighborhood, or a person's ethnicity or heritage. You highlight your posts almost all the time, by throwing in French phrases, some of which are incomprehensible to non-French speaking readers. Some may find that terribly pretentious, others intriguing, others may have no opinion at all. Yet that establishes your identity to the Brownstone community, ne'st pas? That's all I'm talking about.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 3, 2009 12:14 AM

Unfortunately, Pierre, we don't live in a color blind or beige world. As you well know, we come in all different flavors and colors. This is a great thing, and makes us all interesting. It is also value neutral, in of itself. It's only when we as societies, make one flavor or color superior to the others that we get in trouble. Part of who you are is French, at least that's your persona here. Your Gallic heritage helps shape you, and contributes to who you are. To say you were just some guy named Peter would be to deny you a part of your self.

All I am saying is that neighborhoods also have identities. To me, it is the height of political correct blandness to ignore what is all around you, in order to focus on whatever you are doing. If I tell you my gallery is in Harlem, all that says is that it is somewhere within the established boundaries of that neighborhood. It has no inherent value judgement about the people in the neighborhood,or the neighborhood itself. If you, as a listener, make something, either good or bad, out of that, that's on you. If I tell someone the address is on 145th and St. Nicholas, and leave out the fact that it is smack in the middle of Harlem, that says more about me. What's wrong with saying Harlem? Is my omission because I am ashamed of Harlem, think you won't show up because it is in Harlem, or am so evolved that I don't notice it's Harlem? I don't think that many people are so evolved.

There is nothing wrong with mentioning a neighborhood, or a person's ethnicity or heritage. You highlight your posts almost all the time, by throwing in French phrases, some of which are incomprehensible to non-French speaking readers. Some may find that terribly pretentious, others intriguing, others may have no opinion at all. Yet that establishes your identity to the Brownstone community, ne'st pas? That's all I'm talking about.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 3, 2009 12:14 AM

Sorry for the double post, and should have been n'est pas. Time to go to sleep.

Posted by: Montrose Morris at February 3, 2009 12:26 AM