Open Letter To West Philly

This is the situation the city is in, FarMcKon, and obviously it's not your fault. Philadelphia city govt. and business leaders are determined to put Philly on a path to being a 'world class city' - but usually that doesn't include the working class. Ultimately you have to do what's best for you, but being aware of the dynamics that are going on is important, and getting involved with a movement to make sure that poor people don't get displaced out of their neighborhoods is even better.

I see the fascist owners of this blog have chosen to censor my reply. Congrats! The right to free speech only applies when you are in total agreement with those in charge. I shouldn’t be surprised. The tactics used (propaganda, lies, smears, bigotry) here are very underhanded on every level, why shouldn’t I expect censorhip too.

Remember, a fascist is what a fascist does. Go on with your hateful delusions.

Super Chief,

Thanks for pointing out the 'about section' of this blog. It's really great. It seems like this is one of the only places online that is really talking about what's happening in this city.

Thanks again.

im just finding out about this site and im so glad i did. there is a war on the poor i know how hard it is to exist on not enough money and try to pay for all the things you need for yourself and your family when you are under the gun and everybody is expecting you to do wrong, or calling you a 'loser' and 'immoral' and im glad to know that not everybody is as ignorant and hateful as some of the people leaving comments here. we are always the ones who get talked about, reported about, blogged about, now the tables have turned but we cant lose sight of the big picture people arguing doesnt help if you read the newsletter you will understand that its not about individuals these are plans that are in the works at the highest levels we just play different roles in them some of us are aware of our role some are not the way we choose to play is the most important

nope, there are real scary people out there who like to act like they are on the right side of the law and every one else in the world is secretely planning a takeover.

go through and replace white with black. when apropriate replace things like hipster with gangsta.

"So, now that the brew pub is open at 50th and baltimore it had occured to me that maybe now was the right time to write this letter. When you go and sit around all day outside the satellite coffee shop, do you ever think about your role in gentrification? I cannot help but ask this question because sometimes I pass by and I see what to my eye looks like a black settler occupation beachhead down there across from cedar park, with an increasing number of black homeowners within a one block radius and perhaps more disturbingly, Penn students/employees buying houses up to 52nd street with school subsidies."

"Now I am not one to argue that everything is black and white and that those things plus a bunch of black folks moving into a neighborhood simply equals gentrification, but in this case its really hard to see it as anything else. I suppose partly because nobody seems to give a shit and ya’ll are going on with your gangsta lifestyles. I mean christ, the brew pub is open and nobody broke the fucking windows yet."

hmmm...

i would like to add that the developers are mot the ones raising rents and selling there houses for more money. people cant pin the tail on this donkey so they have to say "white" and gentrification". the displacement is caused by those in the neighborhood. they are the ones selling the houses and they are the ones raising the rents. some are new and some are old. some are investers and some are not. some are white and some are black. as much as it might be hard for you to believe Concerned Relation, there are black gentrifiers too. see, when you are ignorant you only see with narrow eyes. your deep hatred for whites shines when you start to see them moving into your neighborhood. its the same thing that happened when blacks moved into white neighborhoods. the ignorant at the time fled and those who feelt peacefull with there new black residents stayed and enjoyed there new neighbors. you my friend will most definately leave. for good riddens, who want s to live next to someone who does not like the color of your skin.

check out www.blackbottom.org, for some of the history surrounding what has happened to certain communities in W. Philly

by the way, black bottom is a real neutral website that is completely unbiased.

see, what i keep hearing from those opposed to gentrification does not stand up to what people say on the street. i just had a discussion on 29th street with a couple that have been there 35-years. they where saying that 10 years ago they would have never sat on their steps and sip. ever sense 4 years ago it has been getting better. she pointed out the bullet hole in her front window from a shootout last year. she says that she likes the change and hopes that it continues.

know your history, why dont you humble me with your all knowing intelligence. before i moved to philly i knew nothing of this issue. i have been learning this from the people around me. i myself have been thrown into this issue by the color of my skin.

it is unfair and manipulative to say that in 40 years nothing has changed. btw. i would never have had a problem with al if he didnt personally attack me and others. instead of drawing a line in the dirt, try to make things happen. this goes for al too. this is not a war. there are issues that occurring in our neighborhood. pissing on everything will only arouse hate. i have been reading around here and looking up other associated websites. i have found that the issues that are brought up are very one sided. they very rarely give the whole story. i tried to follow some of the stories and i cant do my own research to give my own opinion. al is really good at feeding people things. the story about what looked like the 1600 blk of 30th st was based on al and the neighbors

"the neighbors have told us that these homes where in good enough condition to renovate. and when we came by when the city had already started demolishing, you could see the structures where basically sound and the city could have renovated these homes. "

al is not a structural engineer. his wording is manipulative and to the right people he would sound like he knows what he is talking about. a building falling down is a building falling down. the city has engineers to asses this. it would be nice to see if what the address of the properties was to see what the city had said about them. it all sounds great and in the favor of this website when you look at it this way but there is always another side of the coin. i personally cant make a judgment on most of the issues cause i dont know both sides. i feel bad for those where their properties have been taken away.

http://www.nhi.org/online/issues/142/gentrification.html