This site is closed to new comments and posts.

Notice: This site uses cookies to function.
If you are not comfortable with cookies then please don't browse this website.

Dan Goldstein pisses off Sharpton, it's on now — Brooklynian

Dan Goldstein pisses off Sharpton, it's on now

ben
ben
edited November -1 in Prospect Heights

Subject: Dan Goldstein pisses off Sharpton, it's on now

Looks like the AY debate just got even more interesting:

Brooklyn -- A group of African-American elected officials and community leaders who support the proposed Atlantic Yards project in Brooklyn today demanded an apology from Develop Don’t Destroy, the group opposing the project, after the Daily News reported that the group’s spokesperson, Daniel Goldstein, described African-American supporters of the project as tools of "their wealthy white masters."

http://blogs.nydailynews.com/dailypolitics/archives/2006/06/whose_white_mas.php

Comments

  • chris
    chris
    I think Mr. Goldstein has made a mistake. Not only is the language loaded and dangerous, but Ratner's paid-for crew of 'community' supporters is multi-hued.

    But Ben, he raises an interesting point about your coverage in his email to you (below):

    "Ben, when are you going to start outting all the bull s*** on the other side of the Atlantic Yards issue? or is their power too scary for you that you have to smack tireless activists while plundering astroturf groups and their wealthy white masters avoid your wicked barbs?"
  • jack krohn
    jack krohn
    The only shocking thing about this incident is that Dan Goldstein apologized. Still, I have faith that he only did so out of prudence and does not really believe that he did anything wrong. I mean, African-Americans who support the project must be paid stooges, right? After all, they couldn’t possibly arrive at such a conclusion on their own, right?

    This underscores my past statements about Dan being a poor choice for a spokesperson. A true leader would have had the wherewithal to understand (1) that such bigoted thoughts should not be shared with a columnist for the most widely read newspaper in NYC, (2) that the term “private conversation” is an oxymoron to a journalist, and (3) that temper control is important when you are in the public eye. This incident certainly highlights his lack of experience. As one poster in the Daily News blog said, the anti-AY crowd needs a professional fighting for them.

    I also find interesting the implication that the e-mail exhange being a private somehow qualifies it. When Fans for Fair Play went public with a private e-mail exchange from Brooklyn Brewery’s brewmaster, Dan or other arena opponents didn’t seem to mind.

    Not surprisingly, the web sites of No Land Grab and Develop Don’t Destroy, normally thorough to the point of obsession, make no mention of this.
  • ben
    ben
    Chris wrote:
    But Ben, he raises an interesting point about your coverage in his email to you (below):

    "Ben, when are you going to start outting all the bull s*** on the other side of the Atlantic Yards issue? or is their power too scary for you that you have to smack tireless activists while plundering astroturf groups and their wealthy white masters avoid your wicked barbs?"
    Different Ben, Ben is the name of the reporter whose blog I linked to. I, thankfully, don't have any direct exchanges with Dan Goldstein, at least not knowingly.
  • shabmerch
    shabmerch
    Jack Krohn wrote: The only shocking thing about this incident is that Dan Goldstein apologized. Still, I have faith that he only did so out of prudence and does not really believe that he did anything wrong. I mean, African-Americans who support the project must be paid stooges, right? After all, they couldn’t possibly arrive at such a conclusion on their own, right?
    Jack, you would be right if Dan had painted African-American's with that broad brush. but he didn't. he was talking to Ben about ACORN and BUILD both of whom have admitted to taking large sums of money from Ratner and are contractually obliged to promote and support Ratner's project. And BUILD has paid itself handsome salaries. But Ben decided to twist Dan's words and misrepresented what he said by suggesting he was talking about all African-American supporters of the project. Dan has admitted that wording was wrong and did clarify in his statment what Ben Smith didn't–that he was talking about only two groups and used a very poor choice of words to do so.
  • rogersma
    rogersma
    In a June 9, 2005, edition of the Brooklyn Eagle, Bertha Lewis of ACORN was quoted as saying about project foes:

    “It is because of race and class that whenever you have a small group of white liberals running around and screaming about something, people think it’s important. They don’t have to worry about affordable housing. They don’t give a damn about people of color. All they care about is preserving their little Prospect Heights community.”

    Sounds like the current furor is a bit like the pot calling the kettle.... oh, never mind.
  • chris
    chris
    Goldstein invoked the language of slavery. That, to me, is different than complaining about "white liberals" -- and I do NOT support Acorn.

    (Sorry Ben, I confused you with another PHer who is a reporter)
  • jack krohn
    jack krohn
    While reading the web site of Develop Don't Destroy, I noticed that the June 6, 2006 press release that apologized for Dan Goldstein's racial comment is conspicuously absent from the archives. An oversight, perhaps?
Sign In or Register to comment.

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In

Categories