Closing Bell: Meet The Latest Slope Rant
Denis Hamill gets his working-class panties in a bunch today in a rambling column aimed at Park Slope gentrifiers, a group that he claims is attracted to Brooklyn because it’s “a great place to displace working people, for nannies to raise your kids and to rant against Atlantic Yards.” We know it’s the end of…
Denis Hamill gets his working-class panties in a bunch today in a rambling column aimed at Park Slope gentrifiers, a group that he claims is attracted to Brooklyn because it’s “a great place to displace working people, for nannies to raise your kids and to rant against Atlantic Yards.” We know it’s the end of the year and you’re probably running low on ideas, Denis, but, come on. It’s hard to think of a more tired, unoriginal topic or stereotype. Sounds like a little vacation is in order to recharge the old batteries.
Photo by The Back Row Manifesto
“A key point to tack on to my last post: gentrifiers
don’t have to be white.
I know that blows a lot of people’s minds who only
see neighborhood change by visible changes in skin
color (as opposed to other demographics)… but just
because someone is black or Hispanic doesn’t mean they
aren’t a doctor/ lawyer/ corporate tax accountant”
HELLO?
A) Define gentrifier
B) If “gentrifier” in this context is a hard working person(s) who sinks time, sweat, love and money into a run down building in an old neighborhood with lots of beautiful old wrecks, what’s your point? What “blows people’s minds”? That in fact there are black professionals who have jumped into this enterprise of neignborhood improvement with both feet?
Part of the heart and soul of Fort Greene, past, present and future are the black professionals, artists and academics who have lived here for generations and who continue to move here, attracted by the beautiful housing stock, tree lined streets and sophisticated neighbors.
All right, that’s my rant.
I think rob has a point about stroller expense vs. shoes. Otherwise, yeah.
Noki, I find it’s best not to ponder Rob’s ‘statements’ too deeply, or little grey cells in my head explode!
Rob, I am often so genuinely befuddled by your observations that I go a bit slack-jawed.
How is it that you can find strollers to be “pretty stupid when you think about it”, and how is it that you have found Harlem, or even parts of Harlem, to be not gentrified?
And yes, Havelc, of course you are correct. Most of these issues are class, not race. Both of which have pretty nebulous definitions.
Oh, the article. Okay, so I just read it. Lightly. I am jealous of Mr. Hamill, who gets to get paid to rant incoherently. Seriously, so should we all.
Not that I didn’t do some of them, when my kid was that age, but fortunately, Mamalu’s held Music for Aardvarks in the back, so passers-by could not mock us.
I miss Mamalu’s. What were we talking about again?
I walked by the Hootenanny Art House a few days ago, and have to say, (and this is as someone with a child, mind you?) those toddler dancing classes? Look ridiculous.
A key point to tack on to my last post: gentrifiers don’t have to be white.
I know that blows a lot of people’s minds who only see neighborhood change by visible changes in skin color (as opposed to other demographics)… but just because someone is black or Hispanic doesn’t mean they aren’t a doctor/ lawyer/ corporate tax accountant.