On My Own Block
I want to thank you for sharing your story. It is always hard to be the first one. I also want to thank Darrell for starting the discussion. I too live in the neighborhood - however I am a more recent 'transplant'. My husband and I moved here because of the location to downtown and the affordability (or lack of affordability in other neighborhoods!!). I have met some really special people in the area but also have felt like a stranger walking down my very own block. WHY? Because I have people make comments and give me nasty stares. I am uncomfortable in my own neighborhood - on my very own block! I am not someone who is not used to Urban Living and diversity - I grew up in one of the largest and most diverse cities in the world, I have lived in foreign countries and gone to school with both physically and learning disabled people. I feel uncomfortable on my block because the people who are making comments and staring at me are up to no good - selling drug, screaming and yelling, drinking all day long. They scare me regardless of their color, sex or nationality. SO - why am I telling all this - because somehow when I hear or am part of a 'gentrification' discussions the 'color' issue always seems to come up. Why??? Why is this is not a ''crime'' issue? Why is it not a ''behavior'' issue. I do not care what sex, or color or nationality anyone is you do NOT yell, ''YOU F---ing XYZ'' at a child let alone an adult. I hear this type of yelling from the people who then stare and make me feel like a stranger on my own block. I hear it EVERY DAY.
If there is a problem with 'gentrification' because it means that people verbalize their uneasiness with this type of behavior - the yelling, drinking, loitering and selling drugs - then I think it is good to talk - otherwise let's NOT make it a color / racial / nationality thing?…..
By Thwarted Neighbor
I want to thank you for sharing your story. It is always hard to be the first one. I also want to thank Darrell for starting the discussion. I too live in the neighborhood - however I am a more recent 'transplant'. My husband and I moved here because of the location to downtown and the affordability (or lack of affordability in other neighborhoods!!). I have met some really special people in the area but also have felt like a stranger walking down my very own block. WHY? Because I have people make comments and give me nasty stares. I am uncomfortable in my own neighborhood - on my very own block! I am not someone who is not used to Urban Living and diversity - I grew up in one of the largest and most diverse cities in the world, I have lived in foreign countries and gone to school with both physically and learning disabled people. I feel uncomfortable on my block because the people who are making comments and staring at me are up to no good - selling drug, screaming and yelling, drinking all day long. They scare me regardless of their color, sex or nationality. SO - why am I telling all this - because somehow when I hear or am part of a 'gentrification' discussions the 'color' issue always seems to come up. Why??? Why is this is not a ''crime'' issue? Why is it not a ''behavior'' issue. I do not care what sex, or color or nationality anyone is you do NOT yell, ''YOU F---ing XYZ'' at a child let alone an adult. I hear this type of yelling from the people who then stare and make me feel like a stranger on my own block. I hear it EVERY DAY.
If there is a problem with 'gentrification' because it means that people verbalize their uneasiness with this type of behavior - the yelling, drinking, loitering and selling drugs - then I think it is good to talk - otherwise let's NOT make it a color / racial / nationality thing?…..
By Thwarted Neighbor