Car Alarm Incident Reveals Tensions in Fort Greene?
The Post did its best this weekend to drive a divisive wedge into the multi-culti image of Fort Greene by writing about a car alarm incident on Lafayette Avenue. In case you missed it, here’s the play-by-play: Man (who turns out to be black) has a car whose alarm frequently goes off in the middle…
The Post did its best this weekend to drive a divisive wedge into the multi-culti image of Fort Greene by writing about a car alarm incident on Lafayette Avenue. In case you missed it, here’s the play-by-play: Man (who turns out to be black) has a car whose alarm frequently goes off in the middle of the night; residents (plural) leave notes on car to ask him to fix his alarm; car owner does nothing to fix alarm; one of the residents, who turns out to be white, calls Council Member James to complain; James calls the car owner, who uses his anger over the changing demographics of the neighborhood and his Brooklyn cred to justify his inaction: “I don’t know what my fellow neighbors think goes on at night, but people come by and pillage vehicles! All of these little white people over here are not gonna dial 911 for a car alarm going off if it’s only once. The article goes on to quote a older African American woman irked by the new arrivals and their wide-load strollers (never mind that the sidewalk on that stretch of Lafayette is barely wide enough to accommodate a single pedestrian), though she attributes the differences more to class than race. The article’s attempt at pushing the race button feels like a stretch to us, but the one thing that does resonate is the attitude of people who’ve lived in any neighborhood for a long time—regardless of location or race—take towards newer arrivals who want to improve certain quality of life issues. “You haven’t lived here long enough to deserve an opinion” or “If you don’t like it then move” are familiar refrains. Last time we checked, though, we all pay taxes and there’s no reason anyone should put up with illegal or unneighborly behavior simply because it’s the status quo.
A Car Alarm, Gentrification and Fort Greene [NY Post]
give it a couple years and no one will be able to say “new comers” any longer. the actual racism inherent in these “old timer” complaints won’t be able to be played off as old versus new any longer. i’m a white a guy who’s lived here for nine years and while the vast majority of my neighbors are friendly and color blind there is a contingent that’s not. They can couch it in whatever terms they like but i’m tired of the “oh i’m disrepected”…”you won’t look me in the eye” idiotic statements that really mean i’m uncomfortable that you are different than i am.
The last sentence of this article certainly points to one problem with new arrivals. Some tend to conclude (and are quite vocal about it) that crime is the “status quo” in these gentrified nabes. Then there is almost always the implication that the previous residents were living substandard…or were in a cave-like existence before their arrival.
I don’t find much improvement: don’t eat out much (new restaurants), don’t drink (bars & lounges) and how much (flea market stuff ) can you pack into a 800 sq ft apt?
The only major improvement I’ve seen is the upgrade of the YMCA on Bedford.
-Public transportation still sucks.
-Crime is still high (has gotten worse).
-Its still dirty.
-Its overpriced.
What, exactly, are you bringing to the nabe that now makes it so great? Please don’t say increased property values. I care more about people.
bxgirl: what did you do to attract the attention of the NY Post I wonder? In any case of course I’m sure there have been people, even politicians, unfairly smeared by the Post.
I hope you were able to weather that storm.
Yes- the Post loves to expose people. And when they can’t find a legitimate target, they make one up. They’re great with insinuation and innuendo.
Rob is correct. Pols and city officials always keep an eye out for the Post. The paper does more than you realize to keep the rich and powerful in line. Even the great giants who felt they were above the rules of ordinary people have fallen like a neighbor’s dead catalpa thanks to the NY Post. Think Hevesi and Spitzer.
Well, if it’s all about being neighborly then why wouldn’t the people who have complaints CALL their fellow neighbor after the guy left his number on the windshield before getting the councilwoman involved?
And the sentiment brownstoner speaks of as it pertains to long time residents is usually in reaction to complaints of newer arrivals, most of which have had nothing to do with “illegal or unneighborly behavior”.
what’s wrong with the post? it’s a pretty funny newspaper and they put people in their place.
*rob*
NSS- I guess mine is everyone likes everyone else – until they don’t 😉
There are cranky and unhappy people in every neighborhood. The best policy is to give them a wide berth, that is, to stay out of their way because it will make their day to ruin yours.