I know it's getting a little rough for you in cyber space. The people on the LeDriot Park List are trying to run you out of town on a metaphoric rail (tar and feathers optional). But it's not surprising because as we all know those people in LeDroit are just a bunch of Volvo driving, NPR tote bag carrying gentrifying newcomers. Yup,Im with you, I yearn for the good old days. I mean after all....you as a life long resident of Bloomingdale know what I talking about.....oops. .. sorry, I forgot your from NYC and have only lived in Bloomingdale for a few years, well anyway's.... what was I saying? Oh yeah gentrification. .....I remember back....way before you moved here...... when I could go down to the Big Bear Market (now the BBC) and get me a tall boy, stroll across R st NW into that little park and buy some smack, crack or weed any day of the week any time of day. After getting my buzz on I could pick up a hooker over on Lincoln Rd and get my swerve on.
Yup, I miss the sound of guns going off every night. Or wondering if my car will still be where are parked it the night before. Since I moved into my house on the unit block of R st NE 20 years ago nine brothers have been shoot dead on my block. And I'm not going to count the guy shoot recently in that van at N Cap and R cuz that really isn't on my block. After all no one really cared cuz they were just killing each other right?
But that way life is slipping through our fingers and gentrification is all to blame. Well at least part of the blame because thinking back the people that had lived here pretty much forever were pretty sick and tired of the crime and wasted lives too.
So how does it all start......a innocent tree box planted with flowers, followed by a front yard all gussied up and the next thing you know the evil newcomer is fixing up the whole damn house. They join the civic associations, team up with long term resident and work together to get the city to provide services such as clean streets and alleys, greater policing efforts and focused social services for those most in need.
The next thing you know they are running for ANC, opening businesses without bullet proof glass like Timor Bodega, Windows Cafe and the Big Bear. They even opened a farmers market selling healty locally grown stuff that you can buy with WIC or Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons. I mean wasn't better when you could trade those in for drugs from the local dealers instead.
So Elizabeth I'm with you, come to think of it didn't I see you the other day at the Big Bear getting your Latte on? Don't worry I won't tell anyone, we all back slide now and then on our way to the revolution. By the way will there be valet parking for your rally, I hate to park my Volvo just anywhere.
-----Original Message-----
From: indigenousfirstpers ons
To: Eckington@yahoogrou ps.com
Sent: Fri, 23 May 2008 8:13 pm
Subject: [Eckington] Invitation to a rally on May 30th
On May 30th there will be a rally to protest gentrification put on my
the socialist movement in southeast near Potomac Station.
The event is called: Gentrification and Poverty in DC. It is Friday
May 30th 7:00 pm at 1247 E Street SE
Here are a few captions from the flayer I found:
1 in 3 District residents now lives in poverty (Washington Post)
DC is in the top 10 cities with the highest wealth disparity (Examiner)
By 2010, almost all of the affordable housing in the district will no
longer exist
Join us to hear about and discuss the process of gentrification in
D.C. While it has grossed massive profits for developers and allowed
the wealthy to turn D.C. into their playground, it has driven
thousands of district residents out of their homes and into poverty.
Promises of new housing, new jobs and better city services have
largely been illusions, despite promises from politicians.
www.PSLweb.org (202) 543-4900- dc@Socialismand Liberation.org
