#73 Gentrification
February 22, 2008 by clander
In general, white people love situations where they can’t lose. While this does account for the majority of their situations, perhaps the safest bet a white person can make is to buy a house in an up-and-coming neighborhood.
White people like to live in these neighborhoods because they get credibility and respect from other white people for living in a more “authentic” neighborhood where they are exposed to “true culture” every day. So whenever their friends mention their home in the suburbs or richer urban area, these people can say “oh, it’s so boring out there, so fake. In our neighborhood, things are just more real.” This superiority is important as white people jockey for position in their circle of friends.
They are like a modern day Lewis and Clark, except instead of searching for the ocean, they are searching for old properties to renovate.
In a few years, if more white people start moving in, these initial trailblazers will sell their property for triple what they paid and move into an ultramodern home.
Credibility or money, they can’t lose!
When one of these white people tell you where they live, you should say “whoa, it’s pretty rough down there. I don’t think I could live there.” This will make them feel even better about their credibility and status as neighborhood pioneers.
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The city I live in, the black neighborhood stayed black (and mostly rental) because the banks ‘red-lined’ the area, up until the 80′s- they would not make housing loans in the area of town that was (and is) predominantly black. We bought a house in this neighborhood just recently, through a land trust program, because it is close to where my wife’s mother lives, we like the layout better, and it is closer to work for me. And because we are poor and can’t afford the prices in most of this city. There is crime where we live, and stupid stuff, but pretty much the same as where we used to live, which was predominantly white. The other mostly white neighborhoods that we could afford to live in just means trading gang members here for meth addicts there. At least gang members here get some sleep.
Community is a weird thing and there are plenty of people who don’t get it. I mind my own business and don’t press my values, and just do my thing, and be friendly. There are jerky kids and teen and twenty-something knuckleheads around here but again, same anywhere else we could afford to live. There are also lots of friendly people. We came here to live, we aren’t flipping houses or taking things over. Sometimes I hear folk around here talking about the influx of white people and how back in the day white people wouldn’t come down here or to this park… I think a lot of that is just romanticizing the old days, especially since my wife who is also white rented in this neighborhood during the times they are talking about. Seems like plenty of people here, including me, like a neighbor of any persuasion that just does their thing and doesn’t raise a lot of drama or infringe on others.
This site interests me because a lot of white people don’t know what their culture looks like to other people and don’t think they have any sort of distinct culture (not to be particularly proud of, just to note trends and perceptions.). It is making me think and laugh.
Great blog, yes let’s again blame the white folk for the blacks downfall. How about the Asian and Hispanics that have moved here and had to overcome language barriers? I’d say they’ve been pretty successful here and aren’t constantly looking around for someone to blame for their failures. If blacks got rid of the weak victim prone leader ship like Jackson/Sharpton and actually took accountablility for their actions, they could actually get move on and succeed here.
How about the Asian and Hispanics that have moved here and had to overcome language barriers?
Ummmmmm sorry to break it to ya toots but…….thats just a wee bit different.
That is just the thing! Not all of them are successful despite hard work and perseverance even with their situation being a wee bit different.(And I applaud them in the areas they are successful in DESPITE this observation! Many are-but NOT ALL!This is the case for Asians,Latinos,or Whites. Anyway, many black people are doing ok despite barriers although some are not. Either way, most blacks are not blaming others for their problems, they are just bringing up things that happen to be the unfiltered truth that other people have a problem accepting. Other people don’t want to hear anything about hardship unless they are talking about their own. When they do it-it is talking about their struggle. But when blacks do it, it is complaining. WHATever! Anyway,I recommend others heed their own advice.
Gentrification can get you killed….check it out! Seattle black-on-white crime….beware people who like to garden!
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008051777_trafficcircle15m.html
Seattle police are looking for a 28-year-old Renton man in connection with the fatal beating of James Paroline during a confrontation Wednesday at a Rainier Beach traffic circle.
A video of the assault filmed by a neighbor shows Paroline getting “sucker-punched” by the suspect, identified by police as Brian Keith Brown, according to charging papers released Monday. Paroline, 60, who suffered a fractured skull when his head struck the pavement, died a day later, the papers said.
The attack came after Paroline was confronted by three teenage girls who were angry that he had set up traffic cones in the street as he gardened in the traffic circle in front of his home at 61st Avenue South and South Cooper Street. The girls threw a jug of water at Paroline and they claim he responded by squirting water at them from a hose.
Police say Brown intervened a few minutes later.
When interviewed by police, the girls initially told investigators that they didn’t know the man who punched Paroline in the head. A day later the girls offered up Brown’s name and admitted he was a boyfriend of a friend, according to the charging papers.
Brown has been charged with second-degree murder and a warrant was issued for his arrest. The King County Prosecutor’s Office is requesting that Brown be held on $500,000 bail when he is arrested.
Brown has prior convictions for third-degree assault, drug possession, obstructing a law-enforcement officer, theft and criminal trespassing.
Brown pleaded guilty to assault in 2005 and was sentenced to four months in jail after he attacked a woman in her Renton apartment. The victim said Brown choked and head-butted her after Brown and his girlfriend showed up at the woman’s apartment, according to court charging papers
just in: driving cars, also can get you killed.
being white in a black hood can get you popped
hey RedCent, i hope someone breaks into your house and steals all of your Dave Matthews cd’s.
I hear all this stuff about white people being racists and all and yet about the only people in this whole country, and I’ve been everywhere…the ONE and only people which I’ve heard the most racist remarks, blatenly and out loud are from black people. Many of them, especially the women, are hateful and brassy and will not hesitate to yell out a racial slur about anyone, white, hispanic or asian. They hate everyone but don’t you dare say “black hole, angel food cake or devils food cake” or that’s your career. I’m not white, I’m not black. I’ve lived in both all black neigborhoods and I’ve lived in all white neighborhoods, and out of experience I can tell you that I’m glad I’ve been able to make enough money to afford the latter. My kids have never been beat up because of their race like I have…not by whites but by blacks….Blacks. And another thing, If you’re so hateful of other races and nationalities and such then stick to your own sistas and stop trying to fuck every other thing that moves. It’s an abomination.
Oliver…that’s simply because white people are closet racists.
Not really dude. It has to do with tribalism, who you grew up with, class etc. Black people are closet racists, everyone’s a goddamn closet racist if they never actually experience other people and only hear about stereotypes. Watch f-ing BET comicview- there is a lot of vitriol directed against white there that comes from the same place any subconscious “racist” feeling comes from in white people
Newsflash,buddy. Many white people and other non-blacks are just as racists towards blacks as blacks can be toward them. For this reason, I am glad that the non-blacks/whites “that don’t want to be there” move!I have heard non-black people both out loud and under their breath say negative things in reference to black people. This is in cases where blacks have not bothered them. I have heard an Asian say at a store that they work at that they did not like African Americans when the people/person they directed the comment to were contributing money to the store they worked at. This too when blacks were the customers that patronized their store.Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that every white/immigrant has had good encounters with blacks because some of us do do shady things. But non-blacks and whites have done shady things to blacks at times too and call them out there name in their many different languages. As for the comments about black men dating other women-other non-black women are often attracted to black men in these cases referenced. In other words non-blacks/whites often like to “fuck” the black men moving!With that said, African Americans have a high internal marriage rate that is probably as high as whites or other minorities.
I’m sooo tired of people whining about THEIR experience with (insert race) people and therefore most people of that race are exactly the same! GET OVER IT. I suggest you seek counseling to get over your issues with black people, especially black women. My experience has been the exact opposite, but I would never dare say that most blacks are wonderful! They are people just like you. I’m sure you have been a jackass from time to time, but that wouldn’t make me think that everyone who looks like you is a jackass. Grow a brain.
I’m in love with you
Don’t drink the water.
Oh, yeah, it’s ssssoooo boring here in the burbs. Let’s see, my house has been broken into, um, never! That would be ZERO times. The guy sleeping on my doorstep would be a friend of mine who was a recent party guest. Oh, I’m suffering.
I feel the same way!
LOL- Im going to be a bit direct here …The image that the rest of the world get of White Americans is that you are so stuck up and scared shitless of blacks that you let them abuse you.I know most probably that the law in america prevents that you as a white person can retaliate against a racist black dick head. Black people are all racicst bro.They feed on the past, without the struggle from the past they are in fact …NOTHING in live .They are the biggest racist of the world ,they hate white people not for what they have done to in the past but for what they can do even now…i can go on and on but every white guy out there knows even if he doesnt want to , that in the face of a black ,protected buy law, you have to kneel down in the black mans racism …WHITE PEOPLE WAKE UP DO YOU REALLY WANT TO SERVE UNDER THE DEVILS SPAWN?!!!
do you need a hug?Give mama a kiss.I still love ya,white boy.(you are funny.)
Look baby,it’s not that we don’t want you guys in our neighborhoods,we can care less.Cool.Just stop trying to change the whole culture/traditions of the neighborhood.you guys move in,then flip the whole agenda to YOUR liking.Stop complaining stuff that aren’t neccessarily bothersome to everyone else there never complained about.i.e.:vendors,drum circles,the group of old men sitting on the corner talking,music,etc.Stop putting up more Barnes & Nobles,Starbucks and Japanese fusion resturants in our hood.And further more…Stop moving us OUT of our own hood.I feel if you move into an area that things been goin on forever.leave it alone,that’s the beauty of moving to a neighborhood you’re not too familiar with.You soak up the vibe of that hood,chill and roll with it.We wouldn’t try to move to your neighborhood putting up Rib Shacks,Roti Shops and Rasta stores.So,chill,brother…it’s not that serious.We actuall give more respect to white folks that live in our hoods.Shows humility,acceptance and some empathy for their neighbors.Remember,this is beyond race…This is about keeping the integrity of a community,whether it’s a black community,an Italian community,Eastern European,Caribbean,etc.Gentrification affects the ones who DON’T have.It’s about only one color…GREEN.
sorry – but that’s the way things work….no one ‘forces’ you out of the hood…pay your bills and dont sell out…or buy a house somewhere….
stop complaining and start working
You sure you know black people. That statement is what is wrong with the perception of black Americans among whites. I really think you ought to get out more and stop watching VH-1. Just because the media focuses on Blacks with issues does not mean that all of us have those issues. Think about it! Do all white people blame the black man for the deterioration of the fabric of this country. I would hope not. WHo controls te majority of this country? SO, think about the things you say. I hope this is not how all “white” people think. Though I am a man of African descent, I can say that I for one don’tholld a grudge over something I did not experience, however my grandfather had a right to complain living in the south being the youngest of nine brothers and the only one not to experience life as a slave. Did your grandfather experience that? Probably not…….bottom line. If you look at the history nearly every race in this country, they all have had some kind of struggle (white, black, asian, jew, native american). The most important thing that so many of us forget to realize is that we are all Americans. Some born with more privilege than others some born in poverty. As you rad this think about this one thing…. When the terrorist hit in Hew York, did they stop to ask who was who or did they just try to kill everyone in those flights and buildings? That’s right, they didn’t stop to check ID, they were intent on killing Americans, black, white, latino, it didn’t matter. We need to get over these petty differences( which in the grand scheme of things mean nothing) and think about making this country the best place for our children to live regardless of any of those stereotypes.
you know, i learned in anthropology that there’s actually no such thing as different races
whatever that means. Certainly there are genes that underpin the amount of melanin in your skin and the way your face looks- uhh, that’s why we tend to look like our parents. Humans are very closely related in general- but hey, that doesn’t mean there isn’t genetic variability or genetic traits more common in certain races.
Comments with bad grammar and excessive racism are going to change the world. Good for you for making a difference. The power of your opinion has sent shock waves through the nation. The Devil’s Spawn should be under control in no time.
You are the funniest person in the world . . . LOL. Oh my God . . . too funnny.
This I had not heard of. Living in depressed areas never really appealed to me. Though I do like shows and documentaries about such places (e.g. Sanford and Son, Good Times, Hoop Dreams). I guess maybe that counts.
Why not call it what it was called in the 60s and 70s — blockbusting.
It was “social justice” when a “new” family paid above market value for a house, screaming racism if they were not allowed to buy it. Then they painted the house a horrible color, stopped maintaining the yard, and left trash all over the place to rot. Some neighbors complained, and of course were yelled at for being racist. Other neighbors sold for whatever they could, and moved to the suburbs (white flight). Once a block had been busted, it was time to move on to the next block. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Ghetto.
They had “their” neighborhood and “kept it real.” Working sucks, dealing drugs is where the money is at… turf wars followed, leaving a once thriving neighborhood a hollowed-out war zone. And they cried racism again.
White people started realizing the value in the construction of the older homes, and value of being able to walk vs. drive everywhere suburbs. The “current” residents would never sell out to “those people”, but not because they’re racist, but because they are “preserving community”. Eventually a few houses are bought and fixed up, and make the indigenous population look really bad and lazy. Do they pick up their game? Nah, they break in and steal whatever they can, and take other actions to make the neighborhood even less appealling. Dollar dollar bill wins out in the end, and while it isn’t illegal to refinish hardwood floors, it is illegal to sell drugs and shoot people.
So the lazy have to find somewhere else to be lazy and the bad people go to jail. The end.
Perfectly said, thank you.
Ignorance at its best. I’m sorry some black people moved into your neighborhood when you were growing up and your family moved away. I am also sorry that this scenario did not actually take place across the country like you seem to think it did.
You know what, I believe you are right. Those people should not be allowed to live in your neighborhood. Since all of them, every last one of them all over the country, in the burbs, the city and the outskirts, do all of those things you say. Are you serious??? You’ve got to get out more. My neighborhood is emaculate. And guess what, all of “those people keep thier yards cut and their isn’t any trash piled up in their yards. You know something else, they don’t live in the ghetto. Are you amazed that some of them can be clean???
I’m a little confused by your vague references. Exactly who are these “new” families? Who is “keeping it real”, “selling drugs”, and leaving a once thriving community in what? Hold on ….. sorry a neighborhood “a hollowed out war zone.” That in and of itself sounds pretty racist my man. I’m going to assume that you are speaking from some kind of personal experience, and not making this shit up as you go along and say this; It is wrong ; and by wrong I mean immoral, inaccurate, and just plain ignorant, (and I’m not one for alliteration) to try to paint a people or peoples with the broad brush of laziness, indecency, or what have you, based on your own personal experiences however valid or invalid.
And if you are going to try at least have the balls to be specific about whom you are speaking
one more thing: this ain’t the 60′s or 70′s this is 2008
“GET ON BOARD OR GET LEFT BEHIND”
IAN
Wow. It’s wrong to paint people with a broad brush. Um, then this whole blog is offensive.
And by the way, it seems pretty clear to me he’s talking about black people.
oh how white people love getting offended as you’ve probably read. but most people from every race pretty much piss themselves whenever someone makes a “racist” comment. get over it, shit happens.
Detroit?
The more you read about this sort of thing, the more you understand why the whole Ron Artest thing happened to happen at the Palace in Detroit.
That was beautiful ncwebguy, and true.
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