Playground Jail in Bed Stuy Sparking Outrage
The emergence of a jail-themed jungle gym at the Tompkins Houses in Bedford Stuyvesant has the community in an uproar. Black and Brown News, which ran this image earlier this week, did some homework and found that NYCHA was responsible for ordering it earlier this week. I don’t think they should put that there in…
The emergence of a jail-themed jungle gym at the Tompkins Houses in Bedford Stuyvesant has the community in an uproar. Black and Brown News, which ran this image earlier this week, did some homework and found that NYCHA was responsible for ordering it earlier this week. I don’t think they should put that there in a neighborhood where many Blacks and Latinos go to jail,” one resident of the public housing complex told BBN. “My son will ask me, Mommy, if I go in there, will I go to jail. As of yesterday, NYCHA had told BBN it was “looking into” the matter and there had been no response yet from the mayor’s office. Pretty mind-boggling and offensive, no?
Jail Playground’ at NYC Public Housing Property [BBN]GMAP
Photo by Monifa Bandele
“Funny how that works”
Bxgrl, exactly what I was thinking when I read your post about some “high income earning white guy from the UES” picking out the playground.
You’re justifiably upset about the obvious insensitivity of this playground vis-a-vis the Black and Latino community (which I am in complete agreement with you), but think it is perfectly okay for you to assume that only some rich white guy would be dumb enough to purchase this racially and culturally insensitive piece of junk.
Funny how that works indeed!!
How do you know the decision was made by a man? Maybe it was a woman? And how do you know it was made by some rich, upper east side resident (because you see so many employees of the city walking into their buildings on Park Ave in the 80s?) And how do you know the decision maker was white as opposed to Asian or Latino or, (gasp… deep breath) even Black?
Acrownheightslady- well, there’s also willful dumbness. There’s some malice in that.
I don’t think that it was malicious, but poor judgement by a bunch of city mouth breathers.
quote:
It plants seeds of hopelessness.
a piece of plastic and metal doesnt do that, bad and absent parenting does. i do think it should come down tho since it clearly is offensive to some people who live there.
*rob*
Agree with DH et. al. Highly doubt the intent was racist, but it was insensitive and ill-advised beyond belief. Ridiculous and people have a right to be outraged.
Wow…
I don’t now if I should laugh or cry. It’s so stupid that it’s funny and sad all at the same time. smh
Why didn’t they label it as a club house, or school, or even college. (sigh)
And bxgrl….I agree with you mostly but I’m not to quick to dismiss malice.
Why isn’t this in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope? The fact that it’s in Bed-Stuy also pisses me off. The fact that someone said here take your goverment issued playground in your current home…to your future home. It plants seeds of hopelessness. I’m glad someone had the nuts to say this is wrong.
Next playground toy on NYCHA agenda for approval:
http://tinyurl.com/9xlojn
insensitive and stupid? sure
racist? nah
I think the R word gets thrown around here WAAAY too much.