The Village Voice has an article this week about the 125th Street Rezoning which is currently in the public review process. Many of the community activists and residents in the article speak about the major changes that such a plan could bring. Some go so far as to liken the changes to ethnic cleansing.
Read, discuss, comment. The floor is yours.
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Posted in: Community, Real Estate
anonymous
January 11, 2008
I am really getting sick of these stereotypes. I am white, I am not rich, I never will be rich and I got priced out of the Village where I lived for thirty years. End of story. There was a time I could have bought 30 years ago and I did not. I guess I am a stupid white chick. Cut the racism. Live your life and move on.
Anonymous
December 18, 2007
“There is a potentially volatile nature to what’s on the street,” warns Bailey of the Harlem Tenants Council. Huge numbers of low- and middle-income black residents will be priced out of the area forever, she adds, “unless there is militant resistance by Harlem’s people.” – Nellie Baily
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A. “volatile nature”. She’s acknowledging there are some angry short fuses on the street that could be caustic (pissed off people ready to explode).
B. She deliberately injects ‘Fear’ into the mix by saying “Huge Numbers” forever impacted.
C. “Unless” = Nellie Bailey does not offer options, choices, a variety of paths to pursue to solve her perceived problem. No, Nellie Bailey is directly saying there is only one course of resolution, one option, not pursuing it will result in huge numbers, etc…
D. The one resolution is ‘militant resistance’. Interesting choice of language Nellie, it’s what the US Miliary faces in Iraq, it’s what David Koresh and the Branch Dividians mounted, it’s Black Pantherism.
E. Harlem has a rich history of race riots. In 1966, the Black Panthers organized a group in Harlem, agitating for violence in pursuit of change.
Nellie Bailey is responsible for her speech. You cannot disconnect her words from the community she’s speaking to. A college educated 30-something might not hear a call to arms of violence. However a 65 year old Black Harlemite who’s perhaps got a short fuse, some anger, lived through a few race riots, etc. might hear Nellie Bailey loud and clear saying we it’s time to take “arms” (weapons) and commit violence if necessary.
This is Harlem, it has a history, Nellie’s Bailey’s words to a significant sector of this community clearly equate to violence. It’s Nellie Bailey that’s chosen to use language that can easily be interpreted to be calling for violence. It’s not a reach, a stretch, it’s in fact rather consistent she’s agitating for violence in pursuit of changing the ethnic cleansing taking place (in her mind).
You cannot disconntect her speech with the history of Harlem, race riots, weapons, fear,etc. Furthermore she has to realize not everyone is stable, and people due to their experiences will interpret her speech as they will, including violence against Whites.
manhattanisdead
December 18, 2007
take a walk on the island from tip-to-tip and tell me where you are. You probably wouldn’t be able to. You could walk the west side from bottom to about 116th and be in the same fucking neighborhood. every block… 2 old buildings, one new building, a tasty d-lite, a starbucks, and a thai fusion place…
it’s a shame. a sucker is born every day … too bad these suckers are millionares and are polluting this great city. why even move to manhattan if everything you need is right in your own building? they should do like dubai and build a small island in the hudson for all these condos with the same amenities and let these assholes commute in to the city.
I don’t think Harlem will “go”, because of the heart of it’s residents, and also the high density of public housing there (especially on the east side). The same way that the Lower East Side still has a little novelty of what it once was 10,20,30, even beyond, years ago. Hopefully uptown can hold on to more.
harlem is probably the most diverse neighborhood in manhattan. just because there arn’t enough white college grads from Iowa willing to pay $2,000 for a studio that long-time residents pay $400 for, doesn’t mean there needs to be “more diversity”
anonymous
December 18, 2007
You people are ridiculous. Nellie Bailey is not calling anyone to commit violence. She’s just stating a fact that people are angry, scared and frustrated by the lack of respect from government and the city at large-something that has been going on for decades. And don’t delude yourselves that it’s just the “underclass” who feel threatened. As for whether or not she would shed a tear over a white person being shot you should brush up on your history. Her husband, Bruce Bailey (who was white), was a tenant’s right advocate, fighting against landlords who harassed tenants and used drug dealers to terrorize people out of their homes. The night after he was in court defending a tenant, he was murdered, his body cut up and his head gone. To suggest that she wouldn’t have a problem with someone being killed is insulting and inflammatory. Just because she defends people and is honest about the feelings a lot of Harlemites have, doesn’t mean she condones violence. As a person who grew up in Harlem doing those times, and as someone who knew Mr. Bailey and whose mother was also involved in tenants rights, I can understand how sad it is to see that the people who fought the good fight against the dealers and the landlords being pushed out while being maligned as “underclass” because they can’t afford the “New Harlem”, while a lot of those same landlords are now reaping the benefits of people with more income. What’s almost as bad, is that those moving in look around and think they know what’s what. They have no idea of the people who fought against everything to try and make Harlem better against all odds-government, cops, drug dealers, landlords. No one gave a damn about Harlem in the 80′s and 90′s. No one.
As for the whole us versus them mentality-all you need to do is read some of the posts on this site as well as others, to see that it’s not just black people who have that notion. I’m so tired of talk about “underclass”, “undeserving”, “uneducated”, etc. Those who make statements like that should think about how those repugnant comments sound, and where those ideas are coming from. Really you people are so gullible. All it takes is one person like #7 to make a stupid comment about how someone is promoting violence to bring out seriously insulting and reactionary views out and open. Next thing you know, people are writing about white people getting killed, black people didn’t care about 9/11, and all the underserving need to get out.
Stop believing all the hype from both sides, and open your eyes. Not everything in Harlem needs to be fixed with more money and less respect. Not every person who makes less money or wasn’t able to buy a home is without merit. Try and learn something before you go judging everyone around you. Really, you’re ridiculous.
alice
December 17, 2007
Yes, HUNDREDS…286 to be exact.
“According to reports, the number of victims from the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the Pennsylvania crash site totaled 3,047. The gender of 5 victims and the race of 139 victims were unknown. Males constituted 2,303 victims (75.6 percent) and females made up the remaining 739 (24.3 percent). (See Table 5.1.) Of the total victims, 2,435 (79.9 percent) were white, 286 (9.4 percent) were black, and 187 (6.1 percent) were of other races. (See Table 5.1.)”
.
AroundHarlem.com
December 17, 2007
I don’t think everyone agrees with #15.
It’s way too complicated and I don’t think people have the time to write essays on Uptown Flavor.
Anon
December 17, 2007
17, ‘Hundreds’? 12 Black Firefighters died at WTC. Even if you combine DC, PA, & WTC it is inaccurate to say ‘Hundreds’ of Blacks died @ 911.
Does anyone think Nelly Bailey would shed a tear if a couple of White Harlem dwellers were shot dead on their way home? She just may be the vocal majority, that’s all.
There are a lot of educated Black Harlemites that deplore this line of thought, however they are out numbered 20 – 1 by the underclass who I suspect would embrace Nelly Bailey.
alice
December 17, 2007
I would have thought that more people would have been standing up against #15 and correcting this horrible thought process. But i guess the good people of harlem agree with #15, and were not upset on 9/11. I’m amazed and saddened. No one will speak up to disagree and say “I’m black, and i disagree, and i too was hurting on 9/11?”?????
AroundHarlem.com
December 17, 2007
#19:
I tell people that NYC is more like a Salad Bowl with a little bit of everything.
The Melting Pot is a myth.
anon
December 17, 2007
#18, What you describe, indifference to 911 and sympathy with Katrina is a symptom of a greater problem, that being a sense of ‘them’ (rest of America) and ‘us’ (black America). This ‘them and us’ mentality manifests itself in many black Americans not participating in this land of opportunity, preferring to be victims of America, while many other ethnic groups arrive here with nothing and fulfill the America Dream. Part of the blame lies with the likes of Jesse Jackson and Al Shartpon who’s livelihood is based on perpetuating a sense of ‘them and us’.
zinho
December 16, 2007
I can’t believe comments like this come out of NYC. man do we have the country fooled. A melting pot please…….
Anonymous
December 16, 2007
I believe it’s agreed that in general, a great many if not most Blacks across the country did not feel affected by 911, despite the fact that Blacks too were victims. Bin Laden attacked a symbol, not many Blacks felt connected to that symbol (capitalism).
Blacks felt far more connected to Katrina, even though there were less than half as many deaths. Black Harlemites would not feel connected to an event wherein White Harlemites were targeted and victimized based on race, no different than White Suburbanites don’t get too up in arms when a cross is burned on the lawn of a Black or Jewish home.
anon
December 15, 2007
hundreds of black people, some even from harlem, were killed on 9/11. maybe it makes you feel better to think that it “happened” to white new yorkers only, but you are living in a fantasy land if you really believe that.
krik
December 15, 2007
“This may shock you but a lot of Black Harlemites and Americans were not too upset with 911.”
And your source for this is what? You’re a troll.
Anon
December 14, 2007
No one said ‘Colin Ferguson Supporters’ or sympathizers. If a mentally challenged Black person listens to Nellie Baily and goes Postal on a gathering of Whites, I just don’t think many Black Harlemites would be upset.
That is not saying any Black Harlemites support such an action, it just would not bother a lot of Black Harlemites. This may shock you but a lot of Black Harlemites and Americans were not too upset with 911.
Not feeling too affected by an event is separate and distinct from supporting it.
krik
December 14, 2007
Are you kidding? Do you only know about Black people from TV? Colin Ferguson was insane and the “Black rage” defense was invented by his white lawyers.
anon
December 14, 2007
@12, What a horrid thing to say about the good people of Harlem, they are mostly ‘Colin Furgason’ supporters. I don’t doubt there are a few sick ‘Colin Furgason’ supporters in this world but to say that about most Harlemites is a real insult to the good people of Harlem.
My guess is that if there are any sick ‘Colin Furgason’ supporters in Harlem then these are the typical low educated, low self esteem, low achieving individuals that will be the first to be priced out, leaving hard working responsible Harlemites to enjoy the new Harlem.
Anon
December 14, 2007
If a couple of Harlem dwelling Whites were blasted via sawed off in a drive by on their evening walk home from work, I don’t think many Black Harlemites would be disturbed or upset.
I’m actually surprised an angry pissed off Black Harlemite has yet to go postal on a gathering of Whites, dwellers or tourist, in Harlem, Colin Ferguson style.
Of course I am not supporting or advoating for this and would hope it never happens, however I am pointing out I am surprised something like this has yet to happen.
For the White people, this a reverse observation of if you lived in a neighborhood and the first Black family moved in, and after some time you noticing no one had yet to burn a cross on their lawn or shoot at their front windows.
anon
December 14, 2007
“There is a potentially volatile nature to what’s on the street,” warns Bailey of the Harlem Tenants Council. Huge numbers of low- and middle-income black residents will be priced out of the area forever, she adds, “unless there is militant resistance by Harlem’s people.”
Is she suggesting violence?
I have heard these and similar disturbing comments, this is the thug mentality. Thugs cannot make it in today’s world by hard work, education and creating something, their only means of achievement is through violence, intimidation and destruction. Is Bailey stooping to the level of thuggary? if that is her only card left to play, then she is really on a lost cause.
anon
December 14, 2007
Wake up, please, racism is just plain wrong
krik
December 14, 2007
Heh. Very clever.
wake up
December 13, 2007
Out with all the whites
anon
December 13, 2007
in the article:
“There is a potentially volatile nature to what’s on the street,” warns Bailey of the Harlem Tenants Council. Huge numbers of low- and middle-income black residents will be priced out of the area forever, she adds, “unless there is militant resistance by Harlem’s people.”
Is she suggesting violence?
This is irresponsible. This fuels people to harm others physically. Unbelievable. She should be reprimanded for such talk.
Deal with it. You know how many communities that have been wreaked over the years in NYC. Remember the Lower East Side Jewish Neighborhoods? Gone. Irish hoods? Gone. Italian hoods in Harlem? Gone.
Change comes and you don’t get special treatment. Goodbye!
HamiltonHeights
December 13, 2007
The real matter here is the abuse of this word. Give me a break. Ethnic Cleansing is a serious issue in parts of the world – do not use it to describe an area of the city where one race happens to be moving into.
That said, the blacks in harlem who are complaining about lack of affordable housing should look to their own people who are to blame for some of the housing squeeze here. Why? Well, more than a few lots and dilapidated homes sit in Harlem are owned by blacks who refuse to sell them or fix them up – not even to affordable housing programs – because their reasoning is that if it is fixed up more and more “whites” will come into Harlem. That my friends is just pure racism.
Some churches own plenty of lots that can house poorer folk but they aint moving on it. The lots remain empty and undeveloped.
So quit your complaining – tell your fellow neighbors and your churches to stop the ridiculous behaviors and sell their lot for affordable housing.
A diverse community is the best community. Diverse in race, income and class. hopefully Harlem continues on the track to have more diversity.
anon
December 12, 2007
This issue has been discussed at length before, do not forget there where programs to encourage ownership in Harlem when it was affordable, these programs where largely ignored. Also black Harlem had a huge advantage over white New York for ownership, being most whites would not venture into Harlem let alone make it their home.
It saddens me when I see family generations growing up within blocks of each other (in Harlem) when the future generation cannot afford to continue to live close by. It is unrealistic for these communities to continue in such an expensive city.
These folks that stuck it out through the hard times should have taken ownership when they had the chance, it seems enduring the hard times was not enough. I am very happy for those who bought into Harlem decades back, only wish more had.
Anon
December 12, 2007
Be fair, you cannot discount the long term ramifications of warehousing & redlining, it’s not like Black Harlem had a fair shot decade after decade to own in Harlem through the decades. Though no excuse, do not act as this factor is negligible.
Having said that Harlemites should have not have been complacent through the decades either (in the face of an uneven playing field and a Government infrastructure that basically “ghetto-ized” my life. Regardless of family roots, if I lived in a place where I was locked out of the mortgage markets (redlining) and or unable to buy a property even with cash in hand (warehousing) I would not stay there.
Everything evolves, changes, and you cannot live in the past or expect anywhere to be locked in time. No one is entitled to live in Harlem. The vast majority of Black Harlem would be better off living pretty much anywhere except the most expensive city in the USA. I’d rather make $20K/year in Alabama than $32K/year in Harlem (the average income of central harlem is around $32K/year).
But they’ve become institutionalized on welfare, subsidized housing, etc. Getting priced out of Harlem will be the best thing that can happen for most of these Harlemites, they just lack the real world experience to understand their life options and prospect going forward are far brighter in the South or Mid West than in Manhattan.
anon
December 12, 2007
Too little too late, Harlemites should have taken ownership when Harlem was affordable, many did but many more sat on their hands. Now those crying ‘ethnic cleansing’, ‘Katrina-fication’ etc etc, should be crying ‘come on people’, ‘missed opportunity’.
alice
December 12, 2007
The thing about manna’s always pisses me off. They make it sound like that place will be going out of business, but in fact, there are THREE other Harlem locations. there’s no mention of that in the article. If you want to be credible and taken seriously, try painting the FULL picture.
Manna’s lawyer also refers to kimco’s disregard for “indigenous” business in Harlem. Well, sorry to tell you, the owners of manna’s are Korean and have only been in business for something like 10 years. It’s just not credible!
krik
December 12, 2007
Ethnic cleansing? Katrina-fication? Militant action? This kind of hyperbole is difficult to take seriously. If the people who are “defending” Harlem from development want to be taken seriously, they should address real issues, not run their mouths. Neighborhoods change, it’s a fact of life. What have these people done to improve Harlem other than take advantage of its cheap rents?