Making Atlantic Yards a Black-and-White Issue
The map that ran with the Atlantic Yards article in yesterday’s Times was pretty neat. Not that the results were particularly surprising (they were about what you’d expect) but it was particularly interesting for us to see that Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, which get so much press for being so racially mixed are still…
The map that ran with the Atlantic Yards article in yesterday’s Times was pretty neat. Not that the results were particularly surprising (they were about what you’d expect) but it was particularly interesting for us to see that Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, which get so much press for being so racially mixed are still predominantly black on a pure numbers basis. As for the article, it wasn’t much fun being reminded of the appalling amount of race-baiting that’s gone on in battle for the hearts and minds of Brooklyn residents over the Atlantic Yards issue. We thought Brad Lender from PACC summed everything up the best:
If you live nearby, you have a nice home and you have a job, you’re probably not that excited by the benefits, and you’re swamped by the drawbacks. If you live a little farther away, and you don’t have a job and a nice house, then you probably get a lot more of the benefits. None of that is about race per se. But when you layer on that the people who live nearby are more likely to be whiter and wealthier, and the people who live farther out are more likely to be people of color without good jobs or housing, the race elements have become stronger.
We agree. It’s much more about class than race. It just happens to be that economic stratification in the neighborhoods surrounding Atlantic Yards happens to occur along racial lines so it’s a convenient lever for the powers-that-be to try to manipulate.
AY Development Through the Prism of Race [NY Times]
Anon 11:55, what sort of ‘intervention’ do you need? Torture device created by your good friend Dr. Josef Mengele. Or maybe you’d prefer other solutions, still left to be outlined, by your other doctor friend, Eryximachus.
The post by “Welcome Wagon” above is obviously the troll. I think we need intervention from above on this thread….
The article overlooked the analysis, recommendations and opinions of the already existing (as opposed to made up by FCR, paid off by FCR, or newly formed opposition groups) community groups that are directly going to be affected by the Atlantic Yards. These groups include the Fort Greene Association, the Boerum Hill Association, Park Slope Civic Council and untold number of community boards in the area. This allowed the author to follow the simplisitic overstatements about the importance of race by groups that are paid off and/or created by FCR (the developer.) Also to ignore the current analysis of jobs that has been brought up this week in the Brooklyn Papers and to ignore the huge amount of analysis about the real affordable housing numbers in the Ratner proposal meant that the Times gave great credence to the bogus numbers released by FCR. The NY Times is certinainly not the paper of record on this story. You would think that because of their massive conflict of interest on this story they would work so hard to get it right. They are just trying to shill for the developer and create a story out of whole cloth. And how insulting were those demographic maps? Many people in many areas do not report their race to the census bureau because it’s an offensive measure and also because they don’t give enough categories. So please reporters, why don’t you hit the streets and talk to the real community leaders (not Acorn, not Build and not Daniel Goldstein) if you want to do things right next time?
I thought the Times article was interesting too- more for the exposure of the extremely cynical manipulation of the race issue. I realize the Times wants to walk a fine line, considering their connection to ratner, but at least they put the issue out there.
As for living in a mostly Black neighborhood- I’ve found it to be pretty much the same as living in a white one. People are people- cultural and economic issues aside- and the important things are the same. Family, work,health, home- everyone has those same concerns. But until the day people are willing to understand that, race will always be an issue. And so is ignorance, courtesy of those like Eryximachus. what was that Shakespeare said? “full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.”
I have always believed in the Great Melting Pot. I never thought it meant that we would all give up our identities, or cultural histories. I thought we were making soup- tomatoes are still tomatoes, beef is still beef, veggies are still veggies- but together they make a great soup. and it’s much healthier than that slice of American pie we seem to be gobbling down at the expense of our fellows. Cuisine tip of the day. 🙂
Anon, 11:29 AM, me thinks you’re the troll. You’re invited to the party too, along with Eryximachus and your Neo Nazi cohorts.
Physician heal thyself.
The cat goes away for a day and the mice begin to play.
Eryximachus, I hate to tell you this but you’re arguing with a troll. I did not make any of the posts that appear above in my name.
For what it’s worth, I’m in basic agreement with you, and if I did disagree I wouldn’t be a jerk about it.
Eryximachus and ‘just curious’,
we would love to invite you over to the projects (Whitman, Ingersoll, etc.) for crumpets and ovaltine. We will reserve special v.i.p. treatment for you.
Who can identify the two “white” blocks east of Washington Ave and south of Lafayette and why are they so different from their surroundings?