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Let me start of by saying that I'm a native New Yorker. Born and raised in Manhattan's lower east side. I have been to pretty much every neighborhood both good and bad within the 5 boroughs but last week for the first time while taking a detour due to heavy traffic I passed through what I was told at the time was Brownsville Brooklyn. I recall being at the intersection of Rockaway and Sutter and looking around while saying to myself...."where the hell am I?" It was as if every single person in the neighborhood was outside doing nothing but watching everyone who passed by. Every single store front had at least 6-7 guys just standing in front. While driving down Sutter I come to a stop at a red light and see some guy being carried out on a stretcher from a chicken place on the corner with blood running down his face as if he was cut or stabbed. Continued down Sutter and saw more of the same block after block. It was as if everyone was up to no good! Sorry if I offend anyone who's from there but this neighborhood was pretty horrific looking! Even the cops looked scared while patrolling on foot 5 deep all walking very close together. It was as if the people (mainly black males) were like wolves just waiting around to attack thier prey! Now I've been to some rough looking neighborhoods but this one definitely takes the cake! Sad part is, there's people from there that are actually proud of having that title!
your not lying though because my best friend works at the jimmy jazz clothing shop on pitkin close to thomas s boyland. WOw you go inside the mcdonalds and seriously it looks like everyone inside of it(even the workers) are hood rats. Its really disgusting. Ive always considered brownsville a area where it makes the stereotypes look very true about hispanics and blacks. Thats how messed up it looks.
im black btw just saying how i feel about brownsville.
What time were you there? I drive by Brownsville every so often through Atlantic Ave and Rockaway on my way to Court St (downtown Bklyn). During the day (between 9-5), it isn't that horrible. If you're walking around at 1 am on a Fri night though, I think you should just exercise caution and common sense.
atlantic and rockaway looks like a pure slum. Those tall skyscraper apartments dont make it look better neither. The neighborhood you drove by which is known as the ocean hill section shows poverty and ghetto all over it.
Dude, you were and are letting your imagination get the better of you and falling into prejudicial stereotyping.
It is a tough area? Yes, it is, but "black...standing around like wolves" is simply a stereotyped prejudiced mind running amuck!
You were in strange unfamilar suurroundings. What might occur was unknown and of course you were and are imagining the worst.
NOTHING happened to YOU!
YOU were not threatened nor faced any actual danger.
Yet, your mind starts bugging out with imaginings.
You see some cops and immediiatel begin interpreting their behavior (what experience you have at this one can only wonder) and imposing your prejudicial fear upon them and their behavior. No corroboration whatsoever, except your imaginings.
If "wolves" were about, then why didn't they attack YOU!
Apparently, YOU were the most vulnerable prey about; or, were you riding in a tank??!!
So, obviuously, your imagings were unfounded and an over reaction!
****
You say you're from the lower east side, correct? What is that the land of luxiry and safety??? Nop!
It is Loisada! Land of housing projects, tenaments, drugs and New Yoricans, and working class old jews in old Union sponsored coops. Drugs, crime, and shootings! Wholly unattractive, parts of which have and is going thru gentrification. Gentrification is attracted by low rents. The LES had/has low rents because it is unattractive!! There is crime and drugs. It was once a drug heaven.
So, please, you grew up in a version of hell! A ghetto. The older you are the worse it was. Drugs, abandoned buildings and all. The only difference for you Mr. Grew Up on the LES is that Brownsville is dominated by blacks.
The first Heroin needle I ever saw, LES. The first drug line, hal way done the block, I ever saw, the LES. The first abandoned buildings in Manhattan I ever saw, the LES. Anyone who grew up there would know this history.
Unless you locked up in one of the Jewish Union coops, and your parents never let you out, otherwise you grew up in the midst of all that! Even if you happen to be the prodigy of urban pioneers.
So, please stop with the over exageration.
Btw, you should take a ride over to New Jersey, East Orange, and report back, if you get back!
Oh, and if you think Far Rock to be tough, from an outsiders point of view, you need to get around more!
Even the areas without projects are pretty bad.. the 90s (not sure if they're Brownsville or East Flatbush) are very bad but are mostly homes and apartments.
the 90z probably has the most cops on a corner per capa in this country. im making that up but in the 90z they have at least 2 - 3 cops on every single corner. I see why the 90z was cool this year because of the rampage of cops, and they even have a checkpoint on remsen ave between utica and clarkson.
some parts of brownsville looks like a big giant insane asylum. if you're
raised like that, it's hard not to act accordingly, unless you just don't
come outside ever. you can't blame some people for winding up so jaded.
it's like a very lowlife (hoodrat) area, so you basically can't help seeing
things from that angle, because you don't have a choice.
Wow that video is no joke, Brownsville is not a lively place, no one outside walking about just them.
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