Brouhaha over Oakland's Koreatown

[Sandpointian]

Originally Posted by 18Montclair

CBS 5 did a news report on Koreatown. Interesting vid.
Neighbors Complain About New Oakland Koreatown - cbs5.com (http://cbs5.com/local/oakland.koreatown.northgate.2.1040019.html - broken link)

That is pretty outrageous and un-American. Banners could have said "Oakland: Celebrating our XXXX Community" where XXX is the ethnicity of the month. Great way to get all to pitch in and increase revenues and increase of the self-awareness within the community.

Oakland had better take those banners town or see them taken down in some unauthorized but justified ugliness.

And before the PC crowd throws a hissy fit, just imagine if the flag of the rising sun was raised in Seoul proclaiming that the heart of Seoul is
Japanese...

That is is proud of Korea: good for him
That he want to get rid of blight and improve the image: good for him
That he wants to improve an area of growing Korean business: good for him
That he would buy his way out of the democratic process: pure stupidity, particularly given the memories of South Central, and un-American

that City Hall would willingly go along? The reason why Oakland's worst enemy has and always will be its elected "leaders," a case study in self-inflicted poverty.

Now watch crime against Korean businesses grow in the area, all because of one buffoon.

S.

[18Montclair]

Once again, I don't want to make a brand new Oakland Thread, so I'll put this here(is that okay mods?)

Midwestern Bid to takeover Oakland's Parkway

Midwestern bid to take over Oakland's Parkway

This is awesome. For those of you who don't know, The Parkway Theater was a neighborhood place at the base of Park Bl in the Merritt Neighborhood. They showed second run movies and had couches and tables and chairs instead of theater seats. You could order pizza and alcohol. Admission was $6 which is unheard of these days. They made money off of people ordering food and booze.

Anyway, I would love to see this place reopened-its sorely missed.

Here are some pics.

[City Boy]

Originally Posted by Sandpointian

That is pretty outrageous and un-American. Banners could have said "Oakland: Celebrating our XXXX Community" where XXX is the ethnicity of the month. Great way to get all to pitch in and increase revenues and increase of the self-awareness within the community.

Oakland had better take those banners town or see them taken down in some unauthorized but justified ugliness.

And before the PC crowd throws a hissy fit, just imagine if the flag of the rising sun was raised in Seoul proclaiming that the heart of Seoul is
Japanese...

That is is proud of Korea: good for him
That he want to get rid of blight and improve the image: good for him
That he wants to improve an area of growing Korean business: good for him
That he would buy his way out of the democratic process: pure stupidity, particularly given the memories of South Central, and un-American

that City Hall would willingly go along? The reason why Oakland's worst enemy has and always will be its elected "leaders," a case study in self-inflicted poverty.

Now watch crime against Korean businesses grow in the area, all because of one buffoon.

S.

It's really not that serious. Oakland has much larger issues and the people could have voted but chose not to. Now they want to cry AFTER the fact? All they had to do was vote but they didn't. They are also not claiming they are the heart of Oakland, the banners just say Oakland has "Seoul" big deal. I'm Black by the way and Live in the area. Where is this pro active "outrage" when young blacks are shot by stray gunfire?

[Sandpointian]

nice non-sequitur on violence.

Anyhow, gentrification and ethnic transition is never an easy process for a big city with a history like Oakland. End-arounds in one area can lead to circumvention in other decisions. It might not be a big deal now, but that does not excuse the unfortunate approach taken. Let's hope it remains an innocuous event.

S.

[ssmaster]

the parkway -hard cider really adds to the movie going experience.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by ssmaster

the parkway -hard cider really adds to the movie going experience.

LOL

I loved that place. Hope it reopens unchanged.

[skywalker400]

I'd prefer if city's avoided the whole naming process of neighborhoods with banners and signs. I think Los Angeles has numerous examples of how irrational this can get with different groups all claiming title to an area. Wasn't there controversy with the "New Chinatown" "International District" "San Antonio" area years ago too?

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by skywalker400

I'd prefer if city's avoided the whole naming process of neighborhoods with banners and signs. I think Los Angeles has numerous examples of how irrational this can get with different groups all claiming title to an area. Wasn't there controversy with the "New Chinatown" "International District" "San Antonio" area years ago too?

I think they do this renaming crap all the time, in order to revive an area. If we could rename where I lived to something snappy, maybe we'd bring back the home values and get some regentrification going on.

[Curmudgeon]

Korea-Town, China-Town, Japan-Town, African-American, Mexican American, Greek-American. When and where does it stop. It's all a grand excuse for isolation and non-assimilation. We do ourselves no favors.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Korea-Town, China-Town, Japan-Town, African-American, Mexican American, Greek-American. When and where does it stop. It's all a grand excuse for isolation and non-assimilation. We do ourselves no favors.

From a business standpoint, I see these communities as useful because they are a concentrated location of businesses that cater to a specific ethic group or nationality. I tend to think that enriches the overall breadth of cosmopolitanism of a city or metro area.

I, and many other businessowners and investors of my own ethnic group are currently scouting locations in the Bay Area to attempt something similar for our community.

On the other hand, these communities should be a springboard to bigger and better things, namely assimilation to America for our children and posterity. Its highly disheartening to see our parents come here with the expressed purpose of giving their children a better life, only to see many of their children not do better than their parents, but actually do worse.

We the leaders of our respective communities have the responsibility to push those that come after us to be American and embody all the positive conotations of being American. To become educated and contribute to this country, in ways our ancestors and predecessors never imagined.

Many do well and make us proud-but too many fall through the cracks and much of the blame for that can be laid at our own feet.