To those who also live in the Bronx (New York, Pelham: middle-class, homes)

[Goldwing]

Originally Posted by BXGEAR

I am a Korean male born and raised in Queens, NY. I grew up thinking Koreans ruled the world. I recently moved to Yonkers and travel to the Bronx daily for work. Koreans are a very small percentage of the Bronx population. Around Allerton, people tend to know me so it's ok. But, around Wakefield and the South Bronx, I can hear "Hey Chino!" or "I got that piff!" lol. Sometimes the young ones or random crack heads try to start **** but I dont pay attention. It's stupid to acknowledge stupid people. But if they get physical, out comes the muy thai.

Bronxchick, I tell my little sister who goes to school in Brooklyn: Ignore the name calling, but never let them touch you. NYC is dangerous but nothings impossible. Just keep your head up and walk with pride. Stay alert. I never look down, especially in shady neighborhoods.

This is such an eye opener because New York considers themselves the most liberal and accepting, but this shows me racism is alive and well in NY
no matter how the sugar coat it

[Guywithacause]

Play policeman? Property value to go up....not only is that a cheap shot..but grossly inaccurate. I care so much about my community that I chose to stay. I care so much about my community that I put my money where my mouth is and invested..nothing was handed to me.

The reality is I do not want to white wash my community or this city..but I do want it to be a place where children can go to school and get a good education, and a place where a white face is not something that should be feared/hated just because they are white, a place where people can live together but not ONLY by living apart, a place where people have incentives to care about themselves, their families, and communities, a place where people can live, grow and change.

We do not achieve these American ideals by excluding, segregating, discriminating, or otherwise playing into ignorant sterotypes. We achieve these goals by welcoming people into our lives and communities, not shunning them, calling them outsiders, or demonizing them because they are different...we all know how that feels. We do not achieve these goals by isolating communities, and fighting growth and change, but moving forward and adapting to change. We do not achieve these goals by dividing and conquering, or you vs me, or mine vs yours..but by working together to make things better for everyone.

I agree the US is a mix of all colors, the reality is though it is 80% white or thereabouts, so the white face IS the American reality. The point remains DITC, that seeing as you are a person of color, you of all people should be extremely intolerant of the unabashed and accepted hostility towards Hipsters/Yuppies just for being themselves and different. These people are human beings, and they may have different motivations in life, different experiences, different views, different mannerisms and beliefs, but that's what this city is all about and there is room for everyone.

It is so much easier and more valid to talk about the people of color "outsiders" who detsroyed these formerly idyllic white communities through the city and turned much of the city into a high crime ghetto for decades...but that would be wrong and inaccurate right?

[SuperMario]

Originally Posted by DITC

Agreed. It seems like someone's cause is to have it this way.

Guywithacause works for real estate. He also owns property in Mott Haven. So I want all those who read his posts to realize that. He may portray the pro-integration, revitalization, pro-yuppie guy but I cant help but think he has a hidden agenda. To us, we know that if these people move in that they are going to raise our rents. As a result, we may be forced to move. Guy feels the opposite effect. More well-off people come to Mott Haven and his property value increases. He fails to see the other point of view. That is why he continuously insults those who feel they have a right to live. He has improved some since I first got here. Before he would hype Mott Haven up to cloud 9 and 10. Mentioning how great a community it is despite the obvious problems with poverty and crime. At least he has not hyped it up as much. But he has a very biased point of view. Since he is one of the better off residents of his community, he does not really deal with the everyday struggle others face in Mott Haven. To him, Mott Haven is all find and dandy and he expects everybody to share the same experience. While I may be a little harsh at times, I feel that my view is a more realistic one than guys. At times it feels like he is talking about the UES and forget we are talking about the south Bronx. I never fail to recommend nice neighborhoods and have not neglected acknowledging the potential of my neighborhood. But at the same time, I know that most of the south Bronx is a very dangerous place to live. NooYowkur lucked out in his Fordham apartment, but thats not to say anybody else will. Even he will tell you that a couple of buildings down have strong drug trade. But Guy sees it through rose colored glasses.

What is happening to the Bronx now is not a revitalization. If it were that, I would not complain so much. What is occurring is gentrification and it is very real. When the first few pioneers move into the south Bronx and live to tell about it, more of their kind will follow. This cycle continues and every time displaces the residents. The city will cater to the new residents needs and the only poor left will be living in the projects. This is a form of isolation that must not occur. Guy expects revitalization but in most likelyhood the Bronx will become the LES. Void of any character or grit with a bunch of froot loops roaming the streets. The poor will be left to fend for themselves in an island of projects. Where in there lies the revitalization? I would like to know. That is exactly what is going to occur and it's a damn shame if it does.

[Guywithacause]

You could not be more wrong SuperWario about me, my experiences, or motivations. It is far easier to just leave the South Bronx, as most people have/do...than it is to stay and work to make things better for everyone. And I stay precisely for that reason, for those kids that need to see something other than the drug dealers and criminals as role models, for the families/friends that come to me for advise on garbage collection problems, teaching them to use programmable thermostats, assisting them with a whole host of issues b/c there is nobody left to turn to or rely on. I am certainly not painting myself as an angle or savior..but just someone who CHOSE to stay, not because he had to, but because he wanted to.

That being said, I live the everyday struggles, I understand the challenges these communities face..which is why I AM STILL HERE. I don't agree that demonizing a group of people, the Hipsters in this case, based on sterotypes and biggotry, is the solution to the community's problems, or helps anyone achieve anything besides continuing the cycle of hate. Hipsters are just the latest esay target for people's hostilty...yesterday it was the Dominicans, before that the Mexicans, before that the PR, the Blacks...the Italians....see a trend here? What has all the cyclical hate on new/different people accomplished? Nothing but more hate, and has kept people divided, and in communities like the South Bronx, such ignorance and hate has maintained the area segregated, excluded from mainstream society, and suffering from the ills of high crime and the ghetto subculture.

Demonizing whole groups of people is not the answer, it never was.

[Sha83]

Originally Posted by bronxchick

I appreciate everyone's concern, and I hope I didn't come off as being naive- I'm well aware that this area isn't getting any better, and I'm planning on moving, but my lease isn't up yet. It's not like I heard the South Bronx was the place to go- as a matter of fact, I knew it was gonna be pretty trashy, but you live where you can afford to live.

On bad days, I talk back to the *******s, while moving quickly, though I know I shouldn't. I've been here nearly a year and haven't had anyone lay a finger on me yet, thankfully, even when carrying my laptop. So in that respect, the area has gotten better- I believe there's something like 120 homicides this year, as opposed to over a 700 in the late nineties by this time of year.

There is some small part of me, however, that hates the fact that I have to leave. I like my apartment, and my landlord is great. I wish I could do something to help, having seen some of the poverty in the area. But it's gonna take a lot more than a little white girl to help.

For those who asked- I'm just South of Yankee Stadium, in the Melrose section of the South Bronx, near what they call "The Hub" (a laughable moniker for what was probably once a nice shopping area, but is now mostly cellphone stores, pawn shops, and dirty restaurants).

Ok, having known all this before you decided to come, why exactly are you complaining? I don't agree with the namecalling and harassment on the street, but you have to be pretty naive to think you could just walk around in an area like this (I live in the South BRonx too) and not get a little of that. What exactly were you expecting? Welcome to the ghetto.

[Guywithacause]

Yes it is true that she should expect some of that...but it still does not make it okay or should be tolerated...so I understand her situation. I think of course she is being very sarcastic...as it does not happen everyday...and I also think she reads too much into it...as I suspect anyone that looks in her direction is viewed as "hostile" or "not wanting her there"..when in most cases its just seeing a new face!

The fact also remains that she is not the only white face within a 20 block radius...which further supports my assertion that she is being overly dramatic and sarcastic...so I would take her post and her views with a big grain of salt. She may just need to grow up or move on at this point...the area is not for everyone..and she should have had an inkling of that before she came here.

[Sha83]

Originally Posted by mead

Yeah for $1,000 you can still find at least a studio or a 1br in one of the nice areas of the Bronx. You don't have to live in the ghetto for that ammount of money. Sure the commute isn't going to be nearly as quick, but you'll have better services and you won't have to put up with random ghetto B.S.

Hell I think 1brs in Parkchester are going for around $900 a month. While Parkchester certainly isn't paradise, its a decent neighborhood and I don't think anyone would b*tch you out for being white in that neighborhood.

$1,000 is too much for the South Bronx in my opinion. If the rent were below $800 a month maybe somehow you could justify it, but not for $1,000.

My rent is $750 for a decent-sized studio and I don't have all the problems she's talking about. That's because I actually knew what I was getting myself into. For $1,000 or less you can get a place in nicer parts of Queens & Brooklyn in areas that are safe.

[Guywithacause]

And for the record....rents in the South Bronx for 2 bedrooms average about $1,300 for anything remotely decent, and 1 bedrooms are about $1,000....and the reality is...that is dirt cheap for the city.

[Sha83]

Originally Posted by khmh1230

yc


Yes, I am knew to nyc and this city does scare me. I do not like the neighborhood I am in and yes, I am looking for another place to live. I was mis-lead on where to live when I was looking for apartments. There are no "trade offs" in my oppion to living near crime.

I was giving her advice female to female, not as a " native new yorker".

Mislead? Does one not see what goes on around him or her when searching for a place to live? I'm sorry, but that is called naivete. Look on a map, ask people what the area is called and how it is (the South Bronx???). This sounds almost incredible.

[BXGEAR]

Originally Posted by Goldwing

This is such an eye opener because New York considers themselves the most liberal and accepting, but this shows me racism is alive and well in NY
no matter how the sugar coat it

I can tell you're not from NY