Second Development-Related Rally in May Expects Hundreds
Brooklyn is expected to see its second massive development-related rally this month on May 17, when hundreds are expected to march to Albee Square protesting the “lack of community involvement in upcoming development plans,” according to a press release from Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE). Last Saturday, hundreds of Brooklynites clashed in…
Brooklyn is expected to see its second massive development-related rally this month on May 17, when hundreds are expected to march to Albee Square protesting the “lack of community involvement in upcoming development plans,” according to a press release from Families United for Racial and Economic Equality (FUREE). Last Saturday, hundreds of Brooklynites clashed in a protest and counter-protest over Atlantic Yards. This rally addresses a myriad of other, less publicized effects of Downtown Brooklyn’s development boom that have perhaps been overshadowed (pun intended) by the massive arena and high-rise project, or at least its opponents’ more forceful media efforts. A few of the more noted past events expected to be addressed at this coming rally: Albee Square Mall was emptied to make way for City Point; dozens of small business owners on Bridge and Willoughby streets were evicted so new towers could be built; large apartment building for low-income families and a handful of smaller buildings were taken through eminent domain for Willoughby Square Park, a planned public plaza and underground parking garage (a home many believe was involved in the Underground Railroad was spared from the wrecking ball, but may still be lost to foreclosure). And nearly all of Myrtle Avenue’s neighborhood services between Flatbush Avenue and Fort Greene Park were cleared for construction of luxury high-rises, leaving residents of the nearby public housing complexes with nowhere to shop for groceries. Do you think the end result will put Brooklyn better or worse off in 10 years?
DoBro’s Household Income to Double? [Brownstoner]
Atlantic Yards or Atlantic Lots [Brownstoner]
Much of Downtown Brooklyn Going Out of Business [Brooklyn Eagle]
Albee Square Mall Clears Out [Brooklyn Eagle]
5:17 aka bitter guest #1
Here is what you are wrong about. EVERYTHING!!!
1. If you have ever walked down Fulton street you would know that not just Black and Latinos can get everything they need and want there,but white people can too. But you probably don’t get out much. No, didn’t think so. It already is the third most profitable commercial district in the entire city. So Black and Latino people, through their collective purchasing power, are doing a great deal for the tax base. The success of the Fulton Mall dispels the myth that the area is underutilized and that the changes are market driven.
2. You claim that the developments will help the tax base. Another stupid statement by a repugnant racist. May I ask question? How can these developments help the tax base when they are being built with 100’s of millions of dollars in government bonds and subsidies? You speak of people getting 100’s of dollars on public assistance, but what about these billionaire developers who are getting billions of City, State, and Federal dollars.
Who is really on welfare?
5:26 – What about highly educated parents? A private school education? Middle class upbringing?
I guess all those things equate to class…once again bringing up the race-class connection in America. If there is institutional racism in America, which Obama admits in spite of his personal successes, then those people who use “it as an excuse for their lot in life” might actually be describing REAL issues.
4:28 – If FUREE and other organizations were actually focusing all of their energy on “keeping out private investment and white people,” I might agree with you that those energies were displaced. But they’re not. A look at FUREE’s website reveals that the Downtown Brooklyn campaign, while a major and important part of FUREE’s work, is still just a part of the larger work that FUREE does to reach its goals of racial and economic equality and justice. Additionally, the Downtown Brooklyn campaign isn’t about “keeping out private investment and white people,” it’s about stopping the market forces of which you speak from sweeping away services and stores that are important to entire communities simply because those communities don’t have as much spending power as others might.
“It’s probably easier to achieve economic parity between the races than to supress market forces and keep white people from moving to certain neighborhoods… Seems to me that more progress has already been made on the latter, and it also seems to me that minorities, if given the choice, would rather be part of economic advancement rather than just keeping it out of their neighborhoods.”
Of course the ultimate goal is true economic justice and equality for people of all races. However, FUREE and other organizations and movements have been struggling to achieve that goal for quite some time now, and while progress has definitely been made, there’s still a long, long way to go. The problem with the market forces of which you speak is that capitalism doesn’t want everyone to be equal; in fact, capitalism couldn’t survive that way. For the maximum profit of the few on the top, many people need to be on the bottom holding them up. Throw racism into the mix and the people on the bottom are disproportionately people of color. (See the comment at 4:46 for a good response on that note.)
5:07 #1 The conundrum is why despite facing the obstacles of racism he was able to succeed when so many others simply use it as an excuse for their lot in life.
5:07 #2 KKK blogger? Where does the post that so angers you mention race?
The Mighty Q (I assume that’s your real name?),
I didn’t publicize anything. Everything I wrote is proudly noted on the FUREE website.
Misinformed? About what, pray tell? About the fact that they’re on welfare? Or the number of children they have?
Boricua Jack,
Just pointing out a few of the community “leaders” who insist on protesting the very developments that will help the tax base (and of course, pay for the welfare that Nitza and her 6 kids take everyday).
Great role models, aren’t they?
They’re talking about saving a few cheap stores that sell hair relaxers and shea butter. I say the black and hispanic communities have much bigger problems that FUREE could be holding marches about.
Decency? I’ll tell you what’s indecent, Jack. Living off welfare your entire life, having multiple children with different fathers, working to preserve a “culture” that coined the term “baby daddy”–and beliving anything I wrote is BS.
Unfortunately, nothing I wrote is BS. Tell me ONE THING I wrote that is untrue.
It’s crazy how racist a lot of folks on this blog are.
Yuck!
4:54…hmmm apparently you don’t know your candidate very well (from his website):
“Disparities Continue to Plague Criminal Justice System: African Americans and Hispanics are more than twice as likely as whites to be searched, arrested, or subdued with force when stopped by police. Disparities in drug sentencing laws, like the differential treatment of crack as opposed to powder cocaine, are unfair.”
Seems to me that your guy actually does admit that there is institutional racism in America (check his website…there are a ton of examples). Must be a conundrum for you to imagine a black man that is both successful AND sees racism as a social, not just individual, problem.
4:35
How dare you publicize individuals information who, because they are not obviously lonely pathetic losers like yourself, will not respond. Not only are you a misguided and misinformed fool you are also a coward. How about you not hide behind the “guest” veil. You are nothing more than a KKK blogger. Take off the hood you ignorant…
Actually why am i wasting my time with you. This is obviously your way of venting your frustration because your mother didn’t hug you enough as a child and your wife left you for someone who lives in public housing.