Hotel Handout, Few Affordable Phase 1 Units at AY
Sarah Ryley over at the Brooklyn Eagle’s been digging through the recently-released Atlantic Yards documents and finding some interesting things. In an article online yesterday, she wrote that the Forest City Ratner would be selling the rights to build a hotel within Miss Brooklyn for $28.8 million. “Basically, it’s eminent domain being used to give…
Sarah Ryley over at the Brooklyn Eagle‘s been digging through the recently-released Atlantic Yards documents and finding some interesting things. In an article online yesterday, she wrote that the Forest City Ratner would be selling the rights to build a hotel within Miss Brooklyn for $28.8 million. “Basically, it’s eminent domain being used to give the land to Ratner for free,” commented Dan Goldstein. “Then he gets to sell it, which again is pure profit to him as opposed to the state and the city. In a separate article, Ryley also notes that less than 10 percent of the first-phase apartments—143 out of 1,580—will be low-income units. Another 216 apartments will be for middle-income earners. “The so-called moderate-income properties are way beyond the incomes of the vast majority of residents in my district, so to call those units affordable is laughable,” said City Council Member Letitia James.
Ratner May Net $30 Million On Sale of Arena Hotel [Brooklyn Eagle]
Few Affordable Apartments for First AY Tower [Brooklyn Eagle]
Beeotch, you wrote:
“City Boy probably never even heard of Harriet tubman, let alone Langston Hughes.”
Wrong, as usual Beeotch. But you bring up a good point. Black writers. Because there are so few, and because only a handful have ever shown serious literary talent and skill, they get their own section in Barnes & Noble and Borders. A little literary segregation. Like the cheese — standing alone.
Do black writers need a separate space within book stores?
Is this segregation an accomodation for black readers? Does it relieve them of the headache of having to search through all the sections of the store to find black authors?
Is grouping all the works by black writers in one area a way to say to the world “Hey we write books too. Just look over here.”
That aside, you should wonder why there are so few good black writers.
Though I admire the marketing drive of Zane, Zane is average, at best. Ralph Ellison is the best, in my view.
There was once a string of black writers including Donald Goines, who wrote about the hard life. Goines and others, like Iceberg Slim, were okay writers. A little talent and a little skill. But most of them died in bad ways, some in jail, some on the street.
I recall one Goines novel I read titled “Swamp Man”, a truly ridiculous tale of one black man’s revenge for the rape of a black woman by a white man.
Beeotch, you wrote:
“But look at some of these posts- they’re not about that at all. city Boy ? I wouldn’t be surprised to know he has a few white sheets in his closet.”
The sheets on my bed are white. Covering my bed is the only use I have for sheets.
You babbled:
“They don’t look at the Black community and see the potential or the incredible history…”
Sorry, but if there’s one statement that sums up black history, it’s that blacks have had virtually no impact on the intellectual advances of the world.
You claimed:
“…or the great achievments”
Like what?
You assumed:
“…they see people who aren’t up to their supposed high standards and need to be shoved out of the way.”
You’re really worried that blacks have done little for the world. You should wonder why there’s been so little intellectual achievement and why black societies in every part of the world lag.
Sociologists and anthropologists look at this problem every day. You should too.
awww- hurt your little feelings? Couldn’t come up with a more intelligent comeback than that. You just proved my point
beeotch–boy, you are an idiot. i love how you assume everyone who disagrees with you is white. that’s typical.
Reality Bites- I hear you. I’ve heard my Black friends say the same things. But I think you also understand that where you are coming from and some of these other people are coming from are 2 different places. Some people want to use your arguments to prove their theories of race, or make themselves feel superior. Where you are saying your community can do better, you are stating a belief in yourself and your community.Everything you wrote expresses your pride in who you are- City Boy probably never even heard of Harriet tubman, let alone Langston Hughes. But you know and all that potential not being used makes you angry- and you’re totally right.
But look at some of these posts- they’re not about that at all. city Boy ? I wouldn’t be surprised to know he has a few white sheets in his closet.They don’t look at the Black community and see the potential or the incredible history, or the great achievments- they see people who aren’t up to their supposed high standards and need to be shoved out of the way.
And anon 8:47- please come back and post when you learn how to read. then you might understand the point I was making about the hypocrisy of white people pointing fingers at any group and howling in fear and loathing like you have. But judging from the lack of intelligence in your post, I fear i am expecting too much of you. Sorry about that.
Beeotch writes:
“And one last thing- the rabid Reality Bites aside- never make the mistake of thinking you know everything about a neighborhood because you drove through a red light there, or you read a news story. yes- terrible things happen in neighborhoods- they happen everywhere- but you have no idea of the doctors, lawyers, teachers, city workers, file clerks, artists, musicians, etc.”
Sister I’m indeed representing the views and thoughts of all of “those” folks you talk about? I’m one of them and among ourselves we talk about it all the damn time! What’s happening to our people and why is it that so many of us, whether small or big, are so afraid to talk about this in public?!? Why is the preservation of “whtite guilt” so more important to us than the salvation of our people?
The Democrats had a debate at Howard University two weeks ago and when the question of “how do black people elevate themselves out of poverty” not one person talked about the culture of black underachievement, self-hatred and social ineptitude! Instead they focused on white racism, discrimation and how black have been given a raw deal. Why?!? Everyone knows that the black underclass is not “holding up” their end of the bargain but no one wants to discuss this in real and honest terms.
Bill Cosby was the first to bring this to the forefront of American public discourse but the black establishment (the Civil Rights era throwbacks) slammed him for washing dirty linen in public! Here is one of the most successful black men in American history saying that black people “must do better” and that mere statement send the entire world ablaze and turns everything on its head. Why? Because it’s not socially acceptable for anyone – even blacks themselves – to criticize black life in America! It’s about time that we bring the chronic scapegoating of the black community to an end!
Black people must do better! And if they don’t, they only have themselves to blame!
Beeotch, you wrote:
“Maybe if some of you stuck your heads outside of NYc you might be surprised to see the number of white people on welfare, committing crimes, living in trailer parks…”
Living in a trailer park is not a criminal offense. Neither is living in limited circumstances in New York City.
But the crime statistics are available for everyone to see. However, Beeotch, you have decided to ignore them.
Violent crime is many times higher in the black and hispanic communities compared with white and asian communities. It’s that simple.
Your next sentence reveals much more than you would like:
“If you think Black people are so bad, white people taught them everything- slavery, inquisitions, discrimination, holocausts, decimantion of native populations…”
In other words, you are claiming that blacks are so weak-minded and so lacking any sense of morality that they embraced the worst parts of life learned from whites. That’s quite an indictment, and quite a statement of black inferiority.
Do you realize you’ve said that blacks don’t know right from wrong?
Moreover, since violence is prevalent in black communities but scholarship is not, despite massive efforts by whites to educate blacks, you are also stating that the only knowledge blacks seem capable of acquiring relates to violence and self-destruction.
In any case, your original statement is ridiculous. As you will probably claim, blacks were the first humans on Earth. Meanwhile, Africa was untouched by whites for centuries.
If you think black tribes weren’t slaughtering and enslaving each other for centuries before they ever saw a white man, you’re dreaming.
Meanwhile, why does this insanity continue today? Could the madness that drives virtually everything in Africa persist if reasonable people were running the countries there?
really, beeotch, shut the hell up. god, are you annoying. you’re making the most general, stupid, baseless assertions. “trailer trash”–who the hell cares? we’re talking about NYC so why are you saying to looking outside NYC? i honestly cannot believe you’re saying that white people are evil and “white people taught them [blacks] everything”. come on!! you are just as bad as those you’re railing against. don’t talking about “venting” and “spewing” when you’re doing the exact same thing.
A number of black and white posters are trying to make those who oppose AY understand why they support it. I now get it. Who can’t knock ’em for feeling the way that they do? There are some serious social issues/problems in the brownstone neighborhoods east of Flatbush Avenue. We can choose to deny it as much as we like but such negligence will never make the problem go away. In this instance, “keeping it real” is a very good thing – the truth is liberating to all who are of true conscience and sincerity in the heart.
Maybe if some of you stuck your heads outside of NYc you might be surprised to see the number of white people on welfare, committing crimes, living in trailer parks (hey- where do you think the name trailer trash came from)? You have no understanding of demographics, populations, densities, etc. You look at the window and think if its raining on your block its raining everywhere. Instead of trying to see the real story- the economic one- you would rather vent and spew and point your little trembling fingers at one particular group because in your all knowing wisdom you think you can actually tell your ass from your elbow.
City Boy- if you would like a run down on white perfection I can show you several shining examples of what white people have achieved. Of course that would assume you actually know world and American history.If you think Black people are so bad, white people taught them everything- slavery, inquisitions, discrimination, holocausts, decimantion of native populations- oh yes- what a shining example we set. You want understanding as to the way poor Black neighborhoods are (your perception that is)then look in the mirror and see the face of the group that helped make things this way.
And one last thing- the rabid Reality Bites aside- never make the mistake of thinking you know everything about a neighborhood because you drove through a red light there, or you read a news story. yes- terrible things happen in neighborhoods- they happen everywhere- but you have no idea of the doctors, lawyers, teachers, city workers, file clerks, artists, musicians, etc. who also live in these neighborhoods because your simple brain can’t hold that much complex information. think Sterling Silver needs to put aside issues- you need to put aside some of your own.