Blatant Racism: Maple Flatbush..wondering why.
Greetings.
Back again with a giant (?) above my head.
Was waiting for my partner to get some ice cream and I had the puppy with us, so I stepped off of Flatbush onto Maple where it was a bit quieter. Began working with the puppy on some obedience to keep her busy, when I was a approached by a nice man who engaged in simple conversation about our love of dogs, etc.
A little girl is playing nearby, screaming and yelling. Punching the air around the dog and generally being a, well, young child. She asked if she could say hello to the puppy-my response was, "yes of course. but be sure you come over quietly, dogs don't understand when we scream and act silly. but please, come say hi" (my normal response to children who ask to say hello..they need to learn how to properly approach dogs...no?) she starts to come over, excited and smiling when...
OUT OF NOWHERE a man comes by and tells the little girl to KICK my puppy, and to "not listen to a word that Cracker says" He continues to verbally harass me and my partner about me being white, with blonde hair and infesting his neighborhood like maggots. It continued, we ignored completely and didn't engage but what concerned me was how VIOLENT his threats became.
He followed us menacingly off the block, continuing the racial slurs and violent threats...discussing everything from physical violence towards me to a shotgun being used on my dog...
this is the 2nd time in as many months that I have been targeted directly for being blonde, white and living in the neighborhood.
Thoughts?
Comments
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He ... just sounds like a crazy person who happened to be spewing racist crazy? As opposed to an aggressively racist person out to ruin your day.
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yeah...i dunno. something was very...angry about it. and i guess just the way the race crap got more and more intertwined with all the violent acts he was committing in his head. so strange.
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All I can say is...what goes around comes around. This must be what it was like to be a minority in the south 150 years ago. As Chris Rock said..."no white man would change places with me and I'm RICH!!!" Unfortunately you got the brunt of this person's wrath. I personally have never experienced this and my office is in Crown Heights and I'm here five days a week.
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If I may be so bold: It's a combination of him being crazy and white folk gentrifying the area. And I want to add, I'm not judging. Just telling it the way it is. Change is hard for a lot some residents to accept. Whether it be old vs young, different ethnic or racial groups moving in, bike lanes vs cars, etc.
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i guess what baffles me so much, is I wasn't even speaking to him. nor was the little girl his child! He appeared out of nowhere. Had i said something wrong, or inappropriate maybe I could excuse him interjecting. And I get it, a white girl telling a young black child how to behave is bound to rub some people wrong. But if you ask for permission to approach my dog, adult or child, I am going to ask you to do so calmly-regardless of the color of mine or your skin.
I just walked away mostly sad for him...I did feel really threatened by him and wondered if I had been alone..? But again, having my partner with me probably didn't help. Once he figured that one out, the gay comments came too.
It is life i suppose, and who am i to tell you to 'let it go'..I just ask that you get to know me before you judge me, or if you don't want to know me, then why even judge me?
unfortunately at the end of the night, he 'won' by chasing me off the block, which was clearly his intention in the first place.
head up, mouth shut, eyes front, keep on walking...
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That sucks that some douche felt it was in his right to slam you cause you're white and prolly taking over his neighborhood with your whiteness. That said- don't let anyone, black or otherwise, give you shit just for being alive. He probably attacked you because he knew he could get away with it. He knew you didn't have a knife or a gun and just laid out all his frustrations on you, which is bullshit, totally. Don't take that shit. Train your puppy to bug out on people who bug out on you (my dog knows when someone sketchy approaches just 'to talk').
Most of the crazies in this town are all talk- they won't bite. But a few do, so you have to be able to tell, very quickly, who is who, and who you can talk back to. Get street smart.
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Yeah, I'm pretty sure that meeting irrational, possibly disturbed people on the street - whatever their skin hue - is not cosmic karma for slavery.
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Not having some understanding of why there is racist backlash against gentrifiers is actually one of the reasons why there is such a backlash in the first place. I'm often dismayed at the ignorance of so many people in our country regarding racism. It's alive and unfortunately well.
I witness daily in many types of environments, people (gentrifiers included) simply not respecting their environments or vibe if you will of their surroundings. This leads to friction and draws unwanted attention.
It's not considered by most to act like a maniac, screaming, running, playing during a class field trip to The Met, nor is it advisable to behave as if someone is summering on Fire Island while in fact they live in the ghetto surrounded by people who's lived are being drastically altered by ever changing demographics.
Not only have I been the "victim" of racists comments, but I often hear people in my neighborhood complaining about all the white people moving into the area, and the hipsters. Even the people in my building complain TO me about gentrifiers and how they make no attempt to fit into the neighbor hood, or make investments personal or otherwise. I have a great relationship with the people on my block and that's why I believe they are so open with me.
That guy sounds like a piece of shit, and I'm sorry you had to endure that abuse.
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Not having some understanding of why there is racist backlash against gentrifiers is actually one of the reasons why there is such a backlash in the first place. I'm often dismayed at the ignorance of so many people in our country regarding racism. It's alive and unfortunately well.
Its not that I'm ignorant about racism, or don't believe it to be alive and well...or that I don't understand about how gentrification changes neighborhoods and creates conflict. I am white and my lesbian partner is Hispanic, we have witnessed plenty of racism in many contexts. The context of racism doesn't change that it isn't acceptable to treat other humans in this way. Ever.
I'm amazed that we continually use these types of instances of "well, its the gentrification that makes him act this way" as some kind of acceptable excuse. What happened to RESPECT. The simple act of me standing on the corner with my dog is NO EXCUSE for you to lash out at me because you're pissed that the neighborhood is changing.
If by chance maybe, I was acting like I was summering on FI then perhaps I could accept this behavior but even then it would be hard.
I am living MY LIFE in the neighborhood that I PAY RENT IN, SHOP IN AND SUPPORT and that should be of no consequence to this man. I was not in his space, speaking to him nor his family. Existing is no excuse for you to be an asshole to me and threaten my LIFE.
That's fantastic you have a great relationship with the people on your block. I do too. Unfortunately, I wasn't on my block when this happened. So because I don't live there, I can't walk there....?
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and thank you. i think he is a piece of shit for treating another person (he didn't know) that way...
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I totally agree with everything you've just posted, and I believe that this particular person was not just venting frustration but sounds very unstable. I've put a lot of thought into gentrification and I do believe that people have a right to be opinionated about what goes on in their neighborhoods. This is not what that man did however.
You're second post was much more informative and let me get to know you a bit more, my initial response was directed at the "wondering why," and "thoughts" included in your first post.
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This guy was a head-case and has more mental issues than any one can ever understand. Move on. Be an example of what a good human (of any color) and member of society should act. Be the change you want to see, and know you are the better and ACTUALLY SANE person in this situation.
I'm sorry anyone had to deal with that, I'm also sorry for the little child that should not have been placed in that situation by a crazy neighbor.
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I'm sorry anyone had to deal with that, I'm also sorry for the little child that should not have been placed in that situation by a crazy neighbor.
She was so sweet..then terrified...too!
You're second post was much more informative and let me get to know you a bit more, my initial response was directed at the "wondering why," and "thoughts" included in your first post.
and i was just responding right back..to the universe mainly i suppose.
thanks for the support, glad to know im not the only one to shake my head at this.
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I can remember when that Street was all white.My Aunt lived in a beautiful home at 50 Maple Street and Flatbush.In fact my Uncle who was a Dr. Had his office in the house.I have many wonderful memories of the area.It is sad that there are so many hateful people.
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Did anyone on this thread ever have a 8 ball toy as a kid?
Basically, one would ask a it question, shake the ball and it would give you one of eight answers.
When you didn't like the answer you could always just ask the question again.
This thread makes me think of that game; there is no way to know why the guy was a jerk.
Depending on who answers the question, Someone might not even think he was a jerk.
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PragmaticGuy said:
All I can say is...what goes around comes around.I literally laughed for a good minute at this
With this kind of STUPIDITY still prevalent, progress is IMPOSSIBLE.
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new2nyc sorry for that experience. Odds are that dude was just crazy.
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so, is it ok to yell and disparage those that are de-gentrifying a neighborhood? if so, i'll be sure to yell at the next person i feel is harming the status of my nabe.
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This is a very unusual event in this neighborhood and I suspect that the man who harassed you is mentally deranged. There have always been significant numbers of white people in PLG, which is one of the few neighorhoods that remained integrated despite an onslaught of block busting in the '50s and early '60s. Granted, whites have been a minority here for fifty years, but a sizable one.
When I bought my Midwood street house in 1974 there were many white "old timers" and the neighborhood has continued to attract people of all races. Prospect Leferts Gardens has never "needed" to be "gentrified" and has mostly avoided the racial tension often associated with that phenominon.
Please don't allow the misdeeds of one disturbed individual change your perception of this wonderful and unique neighborhood.
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new2nyc, sorry you had to experience that. NO ONE deserves to be verbally harassed and threatened.
When I'm out walking my dog, I've noticed that a lot of people are just plain ANGRY (and not necessarily crazy). I've seen/heard people (mostly black men, just stating a fact) just YELLING into their phones, it sounds like they are ready to kill the person on the other line.
I would say don't take it personally. That guy would have lashed out at anyone given the chance. You just happened to be standing there. You did the best thing - just hold your head up high, and walk away.
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marcrogers said:
so, is it ok to yell and disparage those that are de-gentrifying a neighborhood? if so, i'll be sure to yell at the next person i feel is harming the status of my nabe.I love you so much! Come, do some yelling in my nab,where I am forced to go without a beloved window garden due to the antics of my "subhuman" neighbors (Ok I am really angry and bitter at their gall, therefore I am using that term, even if I know its harsh)who like to sit around and deface/destroy other people's stuff, without even a "Sorry" or an attempt to rectify or clean up their loud obnoxious destructive acts.
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Dude is nuts. Move on.
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WhyFi said:
Dude is nuts. Move on.No, we must metaphysically deconstruct.
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I wouldn't say the guy is nuts, happens to me alot when i go to low income areas, get called chinaman, pork fried rice etc.... out of no where and usually from across the street or up from some building some where.
just old fashion racist with nothing better to do. white folks use to do it alot in nyc, but alot of those old time white folks who did do it moved out already. now days usually it happens to be other minorities.
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Cool The Kid said:
No, we must metaphysically deconstruct.haha. so true
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Ahhhhhhhhhh.
What a forum...... I'm licking my chops, rubbing my hands together wondering if I should join the fray..... Good to see the old gang here: Cool The Kid -- Whaddup son? Whynot31 -- good to see ya!
Hmmmmmmmm, where shall I begin? Or should I begin? I dunno... What hasn't been said already (by me)? How about this: Tippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpoint -- da point be tippin, mothafukkkas'!
And: While you go about moralizing, the force of HISTORY and the inability to forget it drives Blackfolks karayzie enough to blabber their inside thoughts away... I predict a 'Blacklash' so irrational, so horrible, and so unjust that those amongst us who limit our thoughts through moral paradigms and drown out the truth's of others with the clucking of their judgmental tongues just won't understand; they just won't get it....CTK and his white woman who moved all the way to the upper east (or west?) side to escape such irrational behavior as dude here went through will understand though; believe me, he gets it. she gets it. Heck, why do you think they moved back into Whitedom?Remember the good ol' daze, CTK? Remember the '..Spitting...' thread? Man those were good times, no? Right Whynot31?
History is a strong, unpredictable motherfucker with a big dick, and without the good graces to use Vaseline... If you forget your history your doomed to repeat it, some wise person said. Well, I ain't wise: You forget your history and it fu%$s you in the arse.
Crazy Man who said all of those things to you ain't no different than all the smiling dark faces that you see. And believe me, we loathe the hipsters, we loathe their their goddamn'd dogs, and their smiling faces. Seriously WE do. WE work, for the most part for White faces, and then WE come home, and because of the pressures of economics WE now are forced to struggle to pay rents that the Hipsters pay. WE make our homes only to be pushed out of them... I feel sorry for Crazy Dude who couldn't hold his tongue. He forgot rule Number One: Never let the Whiteman drive you crazy.
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Ahhhhhhhhhh.
What a forum...... I'm licking my chops, rubbing my hands together wondering if I should join the fray..... Good to see the old gang here: Cool The Kid -- Whaddup son? Whynot31 -- good to see ya!
Hmmmmmmmm, where shall I begin? Or should I begin? I dunno... What hasn't been said already (by me)? How about this: Tippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpointtippingpoint -- da point be tippin, mothafukkkas'!
And: While you go about moralizing, the force of HISTORY and the inability to forget it drives Blackfolks karayzie enough to blabber their inside thoughts away... I predict a 'Blacklash' so irrational, so horrible, and so unjust that those amongst us who limit our thoughts through moral paradigms and drown out the truth's of others with the clucking of their judgmental tongues just won't understand; they just won't get it....CTK and his white woman who moved all the way to the upper east (or west?) side to escape such irrational behavior as dude here went through will understand though; believe me, he gets it. she gets it. Heck, why do you think they moved back into Whitedom?Remember the good ol' daze, CTK? Remember the '..Spitting...' thread? Man those were good times, no? Right Whynot31?
History is a strong, unpredictable motherfucker with a big dick, and without the good graces to use Vaseline... If you forget your history your doomed to repeat it, some wise person said. Well, I ain't wise: You forget your history and it fu%$s you in the arse.
Crazy Man who said all of those things to you ain't no different than all the smiling dark faces that you see. And believe me, we loathe the hipsters, we loathe their their goddamn'd dogs, and their smiling faces. Seriously WE do. WE work, for the most part for White faces, and then WE come home, and because of the pressures of economics WE now are forced to struggle to pay rents that the Hipsters pay. WE make our homes only to be pushed out of them... I feel sorry for Crazy Dude who couldn't hold his tongue. He forgot rule Number One: Never let the Whiteman drive you crazy.
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Do you know much about PLG? It's VERY different from Crown Heights, even though it's just across Empire Blvd.
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Do you know much about PLG? It's VERY different from Crown Heights, even though it's just across Empire Blvd.
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PLG?
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