Some Philadelphia individuals really hate gentrification (Chester, West Chester: lease, high crime, homes)

[ionlyused59]

Arson suspected in Point Breeze as a fire destroyed new construction homes Monday am. What a shame. Now there's anti gentrification vandalism occurring in Northern Liberties. What are your viewpoints on gentrification?

[cpomp]

I'm sure I will get in trouble for this.


1) Its a losing battle.

2) Its based on racism toward white people.

3) Trying to "save" the neighborhood... do they prefer abandoned buildings and high crime instead of the white man?

4) Did they ever ponder on what the neighborhood was like before they moved in?

[RightonWalnut]

...the occurrence in "Northern Liberties" was not in Northern Liberties at all, but rather in Olde Kensington (or South Kensington) north of Girard. The suspects were two white individuals, one was a 45 year old man from Doylestown.... Doylestown

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by ionlyused59

Arson suspected in Point Breeze as a fire destroyed new construction homes Monday am. What a shame. Now there's anti gentrification vandalism occurring in Northern Liberties. What are your viewpoints on gentrification?

I'm 100% for it. Always have been, always will be.

The gang in N. Liberties are part of some anarchist group. I assume most here know that the two who were caught looked like drug-addicted scumbags. Well, they do to me.

[NYtoNJtoPA]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I'm sure I will get in trouble for this, but...

1) Its a losing battle.

2) Its based on racism toward white people.

3) Trying to "save" their neighborhood... do they prefer abandoned buildings and high crime instead of the evil white man.

4) Did they ever ponder on what the neighborhood was like before they moved in?

This is a view that is barely allowed to be spoken these days, but it is 100% correct. The issues of racism and sexism in America today are extremely one-sided. Speak the truth and you're called "racist". Don't be afraid of the word. I know what I am and don't need anybody else to tell me whether or not I'm racist.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I'm sure I will get in trouble for this, but...

1) Its a losing battle.

2) Its based on racism toward white people.

3) Trying to "save" their neighborhood... do they prefer abandoned buildings and high crime instead of the evil white man.

4) Did they ever ponder on what the neighborhood was like before they moved in?

Ahhh, two of the people arrested for the NoLib "caper" were white. One of them a 45 year old man from Doylestown. The other was a woman from the Rhawnhurt section of the city. I have no info, yet, about the rest of this gang.

Gotten wonder why these two even care about gentrification.

So the truth is it's much more complicated than what you think it is.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I'm sure I will get in trouble for this.


1) Its a losing battle.

2) Its based on racism toward white people.

3) Trying to "save" the neighborhood... do they prefer abandoned buildings and high crime instead of the white man?

4) Did they ever ponder on what the neighborhood was like before they moved in?

You are not even thinking about the possibility that some gentrifying developers are black, are you? There's such a black person who is partially responsible for some of the new non-PHA housing in Hawthorne. And there are black people who are living in and buying in gentrified areas. There are black people in Spring Garden, Fairmount and, of course Francisville.

[BK_PHL_DEL]

Originally Posted by kyb01

You are not even thinking about the possibility that some gentrifying developers are black, are you? There's such a black person who is partially responsible for some of the new non-PHA housing in Hawthorne. And there are black people who are living in and buying in gentrified areas. There are black people in Spring Garden, Fairmount and, of course Francisville.

To everyone else - don't forget Asians!

I have seen some Black folks move in to some new construction units around Fishtown, so they are indeed in gentrifying areas. And none of those neighborhoods are going downhill (at least anytime soon).

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by kyb01

You are not even thinking about the possibility that some gentrifying developers are black, are you? There's such a black person who is partially responsible for some of the new non-PHA housing in Hawthorne. And there are black people who are living in and buying in gentrified areas. There are black people in Spring Garden, Fairmount and, of course Francisville.

I have a black friend from Delaware who, ironically enough, signed a lease at 20th and Wharton last weekend. I haven't talked to him and pray his new place was alright. I don't really want to tell him about the arson.

[ElijahAstin]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Ahhh, two of the people arrested for the NoLib "caper" were white. One of them a 45 year old man from Doylestown. The other was a woman from the Rhawnhurt section of the city. I have no info, yet, about the rest of this gang.

Gotten wonder why these two even care about gentrification.

So the truth is it's much more complicated than what you think it is.

This doesn't detract from your observation, but I'd add that places like Doylestown (the Borough, not the Township) are experiencing a sort of petit gentrification, by which working and lower middle class whites are gradually being replaced by upper middle to lower upper class whites. Ditto places like Narberth and Jenkintown. The effect is somewhat more pronounced in places like Ambler and Media (and more so in Conshohocken, West Chester, and Phoenixville), which had more commerce, industry, and diversity (and therefore, minority populations to be thrown into the "gentle" replacement/displacement mix).

Of course, I doubt the Doylestowner thought about that during his vandalism spree.

I don't see gentrification as an unquestionable good or evil. It's a force of change that has pros and cons and comes in shades and degrees.