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See, I dont think you get what Im trying to say at all. I infact shop at dollar stores, all I was saying is it would be nice to see a little variety in my neighborhood. Hate to tell you this, but Im one of those people that cant aford pricey store either. Just because I said it would be nice to see other stores in the area, doesnt mean I want to completly change the area, or get rid of mom and pop shops. And one other thing, maybe it would be nice for everyone to have a coffee shop in the area. Not a Starbucks, but just a nice coffee shop. My intent of writing this was to say I wish every area was treated more or less the same. Like a decent grocery store. Im just like everybody else in life, trying to make a living. Just because Im white, living in a poor area, dosent mean Im trying to change it so that only rich people could live here. Believe me, thats the last thing I want!
No, im toatlly for people wanting to live where they live. Im just saying, I thought NYC of all places was more mixed. Not a black commnity, asian , white and so forth, more just a community thats all.
Well it is mixed, at least on a macro scale. A walk down most streets in any of the boroughs will yield a lot of different people conducting business, dating, conversing or otherwise living. Even where one group concentrates there is invariably some people from another group residing blissfully. I dare say that New York is the most integrated city in the world. Kirkuk or Sarajevo it is not. Perfect? Of course not, but what or where is?
A personal note: I lived for a year in Astoria, Queens in the early 90s. It was, and I assume is still, a very Greek area. Now, Greeks are white Europeans so they are somewhat in my "genre", so to speak. They are hardworking, good people. Obviously cultured and so forth. Yet, I was not at home there. Did I hate them? No. Was I threatened? No, nothing of the sort. I simply felt left out. It was as if there was a party going on and I was not directly invited, although nobody would mind my being there. I moved to Park Slope and felt more at home.
I have a lot of Irish blood and I always enjoyed an excursion to Woodlawn. But I would never want to live there. Its simply not a place I would feel at home. But for the Irish that do live in Woodlawn, they feel comfortable clustering there. Nothing wrong with theirs or my perspective.
The more cultures, the more potential for culture clashes. People who move to an ethnic enclave may feel that the area is not assimilated enough, or new immigrants moving to their hood may feel entitled to practice their cultural heritage full force without regard for the majority of those who live there. Similarly, as someone posted on another thread, apparently a group of white newcomers tried to shut down the local park in Harlem which was used by the community for ballgames, family activities, cookouts, and local musicians. It backfired when the parks became deserted and the drug dealers began to hang there and break into the new resident's rich fancy buildings.
I think it only works if one respects others' cultures--mutually. An area can improve without necessarily going totally yuppie, esp if current residents make their voices heard and the city continues to upgrade essential services--more libraries, regular trash pickup, cultural venues, renovated parks (which are still accessible to residents and families), deveopment of the waterfront, etc etc. Things that will be of clear benefit to all residents.
I guess its just me then. Maybe because Im new to New York, or the fact that Im young. I just want to learn about all the different cultures. I see enough of people just like me, I want to see other people.
We could go on and on to cite the reasons for the divisions, mostly due to race/ethnicity/ and above all socio/economic class. The US census bureau in 2000, the last decennial census, classified NYC as the "most segregated city in the US".
It is of course "de facto" segregation, people choose to live with their own and that's due largely to nonassimilation, retaining former language with no pressure to learn English these days. That is in contrast to immigrant groups from Europe in the late 19 and early 20 C's. They wanted to learn English, move up and out, they made their kids learn it, it's totally different now with different bilingual educational systems.
Sorry I have to say this, but it appears NYC residents just do not go by or conduct themselves, nor are afforded by the establishment the same Constitutional rights most Americans are. There are one set of rules for the US, and a separate set for NYC.
tamcat, see my post on the other related thread...I do think the area will most likely get some of the urban essentials like Duane Reade, good grocery stores, coffee shops, etc. I can definitely understand your point of view.
Thanks Elvira! I can see yours too. And I can understand where your comming from. Its so funny because I never really considered myself poor poor, just middle class, but comming to New York, I feel so much poorer then I ever did. Geez, how can paying 1200 for an apartment make me poor? I just sometimes feel like the people in my area now, including myself are not good enough for a decent grocery, etc . Thats awful! Just because Im poor dosent mean I dont deserve some of the amenties that other communities have. I just wish there wasnt such a class division, thats all.
I guess its just me then. Maybe because Im new to New York, or the fact that Im young. I just want to learn about all the different cultures. I see enough of people just like me, I want to see other people
I honestly do not know anyone could not see loads of different people during any given minute of life in NYC.
Businesses by sheer economic necessity tend to cater to the current residents to a large degree, but it is a little surprising that your area has no decent grocery or drug stores. Doesn't everyone need these, rich or poor? In the meantime, you may have to go to neighboring areas to get what you need, unfortunately.
You may be "poor' here, but you are likely world's apart from the truly poor of the area. You come from a middle class background, likely have or are going for a college degree, and have been more exposed to opportunities and benefits that others have not. You may consider yourself poor by NYC standards, but you are not really--just a transplanted middle class person trying to afford NYC. There are many others like you here!
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