So it's just not true that "lifestyle lefties" would flee from a place like the South Bronx. In fact, by gentrifying neighborhoods, it's the poor people who are more likely to flee these days.
>Doug
no, what i said was that they wouldn't _publicly admit_ that they are fleeing from urban blight--from urban spaces where the culture you get comes in the form of dollar generals, pawn shops, liquor stores, and churches. i used the south bronx because, at one time, it was the quintessential example of urban blight. furthermore, i said that they wouldn't blame the people who live there for the urban blight if they did flee. they were recognize that there are structural reasons for high crime rates, lack of culture, lack of swank bookshops, etc.
i'm accutely aware of this. i'm moving from my ghetto neighborhood so i can be closer to things that i enjoy and to get away from the cops, not to mention get away from listening to various people say, "you live there? eeeeuuuuuuuu." do i blame the people who live here as to why there are no good bookstores, no neato restuarants with she-she healthy diets, way too many pawnshops and XXXXshops? no. however, i do feel a bit guilty that i'm moving because i don't want to deal with the stereotypes of people like me: in the south, you get the white trash stereotype.
i also worry about my son. although there will still be plenty of people of color where we move, i have to say that i'm glad that we live here where we are a minority. (this is also called exoticizing the other, i know). this is something that happened last weeK, below. i wonder if it would have happened had we lived in (mostly) white surbubia. probably not. what to do?
last week, my kid mouthed off to the security dude at Best Buy. the sonshine says that, when he goes with his one white friend, no one bugs them. but, every time he goes with his black friends, they bug them. today, sonshine had enough. when the security dude got in their faces, sonshine said, "what's your problem man. ya racist? you guys don't bug me with my white friend, but with my black friends you do. whaddup?"
security dude said, "never mind man." and walked away.
a store customer overhears and says, "we can't help it if we think black people steal. they do."
at this point, sonshine's friend got very upset, on the brink of tears, and said, "what you sayin'. man, if my daddy was here. you just can't be sayin' that. it's just wrong."
fortunately, menacing white bully of a customer walked away. the sonshine's friend was looking for a fight with a guy much bigger than him. i'm sure sonshine woulda kicked ass, but inside a store it would have gotten them all in juvie for a few hours, no doubt.
to my sonshine, i just gave you one huge hug for doing something so good, and so right. you asked why, and I told you that i was proud of you for standing up for your friends and telling someone more powerful than you that they were wrong. every little act like this matters.
someday, you might read this, sonshine, if it's still archived, along with all the other crazy things your wacky mom has said here. keep up the good fight. i used to worry that all my protesting and political ranting at home would make you reject my politics. but today, again, you told me how well you're doing in your government class. you've found something you like and you do well. so, maybe i trod lightly enough to allow you to grow into a beautiful young man.
k