[King without a crown]

I actually found this topic quite interesting, if someone violated the rules of this board, the offending statements should be redacted.

[King without a crown]

Sun Sep 20, 2009 10:34 am EST

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I would like some of the Brooklynian readers to STOP DELUDING THEMSELVES that violent "crime can happen to you anywhere", and pushing the relativistic attitude that all neighborhoods are somehow equally safe or unsafe, particularly for whites. CRIME STATS., HOWEVER UNDER-REPORTED CERTAIN CRIMES MAY GO, ARE AVAILABLE ON THE NYPD WEBSITE. All you have to do is type in a zipcode.
I've lived in NYC for 10 years and am a New Yorker by birth.

I lived for two years in a Puerto Rican section of Williamsburg and never had one (NOT ONE!) issue of attitude or crime directed at me (and there was “crime” there, and it had a sketchy appearance). I walked around late at night all the time (past midnight). Actually there was one time someone said something nasty to me, instigating it- it was a black woman (just think about that... in a Puerto Rican neighborhood). It was a nasty racial remark, combined with an eye roll. I yelled at her, of course.

I currently live in the predominantly white, Russian/Jewish immigrant area of Midwood. I'VE LIVED HERE FOR 6 YEARS. While there is drug-dealing or criminal activity, I HAVE NEVER WITNESSED 1 SHOOTING OR VIOLENT CRIME. LAST TIME I CHECKED, THERE WERE 0 MURDERS AND 0 RAPES IN ANY GIVEN YEAR HERE, and only a smattering of muggings, presumably by all of the little ghetto black kids that hang out by the train station, horsing around. They don't actually live in this neighborhood, technically… they get on buses after school and head north. All races feel welcome enough to come and shop here, though.

I once witnessed about 15 of these little ghetto black kids, boys, “jump” a white kid (1 KID…VERSUS 15) on a bike who didn’t even know them. They did attempt to steal something from him, but mostly just punched him and pummeled him for no real reason. A black girl who was standing next to me witnessing this commented “Sometimes, I’m just ashamed to be black”.

I walk around at 4 am, or 2 am. My roommates take the subway at 4 am to work, or coming home from parties. WE DON’T HAVE TO LIVE THE WAY YOU DO. SOMETIMES I EVEN LEAVE MY DOOR UNLOCKED, IF NEEDED.

I think I might later post this other post I found on craigslist about a Hispanic family that is willing to pay someone to use their zipcode so that they move their child out of the Harlem area school districts, where she is teased and threatened relentlessly for looking white, having "nice hair". How pathetic. How sad it is that people have to move around or pay money or make any effort at all to send their children to a SAFE SCHOOL to avoid the ghetto problem. Inexcusable.

So anyways, I find it annoying that certain POLITICALLY CORRECT, MORALLY SELF-RIGHTEOUS readers here attempt to “beat-down” any person who posts a safety question about given neighborhoods.

DON’T DELUDE YOURSELF THAT THERE IS AN EQUAL RISK OF VIOLENT CRIME IN ALL AREAS. Or even an equal risk of being at the receiving end of “ATTITUDES” or unwarranted, unjustified RACIAL HOSTILITY.

Like 90% of “whites”, I am not descended from slave-owners. Stop justifying that behavior.

Funny, my black ex-boyfriend was the first to remind me to lock my car doors when we were driving through Flatbush, years ago. And he grew up around there…

[BoogieKnight]

Because it was just a weird screed about...???...well I don't know?

The OP was yelling at us about living in Black neighborhhods because they're crime ridden and Blacks are poor and violent but she's not a racist because she had a Black boyfriend so she's cool w/ Black people but this really racist PR landlady she knew would get harrassed by Blacks all the time and Midwood is crime free but there is some crime in Midwood but it's mostly the Black kids who get shipped in to go to school and THEN random CAPItaliZATION and she pays so MUCH less than we do TO live next to SECTION 8 Blacks and we're BLOOD soaked hypocrites and...etc.

In short, OP was kind of crazy, incoherent and rude (although its rude of me to speak for the mods).

To address what may have been one of the OP's points and what you believe to be a legit question - I live in this neighborhood despite its higher crime rates and relatively higher rents because I love the looks of the buildings and the blocks and the proximity to my job in Manhattan and to the types of bars and restaurants that I like to frequent. I've always wanted a brownstone and I"ve always loved a big wide front stoop - I'm lucky enough to have found one. My wife and I could only have afforded one here.

I grew up in similar neighborhhoods that were far rougher (in tenements not my beloved brownstones), so what we deal with now, although at times annoying, disheartening and scary is still a complete 180 from the crap I dealt with in Bushwick and East New York of the 70s and 80s. Some older folk may agree with me.

Most of us on this board are adults and not completely stupid - we know that we can probably find a peaceful, crime-drama free hood somewhere in the middle of nowhere Brooklyn or Queens or the Bronx and pay much less in rent - but such places are not for us.

I don't think that people that live in other areas are lame or stupid or animals or what have you - - but I don't appreciate that people that live outside of my area either think me a naive Pollyanna who knows nothing about crime or life in the big city or some grasping evil agent of gentrification or some drug-addled criminal.

These posts that pose as "real questions" about race or crime are just an oppty for the writer to rant or air their personal opinions - usually breaking down to 1)"God you people are so stupid as to live there..." or 2) "Why don't you all just admit you hate/fear X people or Y people..."

There's no real attempt at seeking discourse or clarification, it's just a screed.

Fine by me if someone wants to bitch or rant, but be honest about it, and when doing so you still have to follow the rules of the Board.

[Mamacita]

Well shit, Boogie Knight pretty much took the words out my mouth. She can speak for this Mod

Edit to add: The original poster was also hiding behind a new user name in order to rant. Plus she posted the same racist rant on every board, same title and everything, just in case we missed it the first 2 times.
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[xlizellx]

I agree that it was an interesting question, maybe, but worded in a very argumentative way and resulted in name-calling.

I moved to Crown Heights for many reasons:
1-close to where i work
2-good subway lines
3-near to other parks of brooklyn i like (museum, prospect park, etc)
4-good food (now bars too!) nearby
5-nice buildings
6-affordable rent
7-safer than other areas (for example, i would not live near where i teach - i would not feel comfortable there at night)

[travelriter]

I'm fairly new here, so I don't know the rules of posting yet (sheer laziness but will read them, I promise!) but I thought that the Brooklynian was a forum to share info and ask questions about our neighborhoods, businesses, groups, etc. I did NOT think it was a place for people like the anonymous newbie poster making ridiculous and racist comments. She said she "assumes" that crimes were committed by "little black ghetto kids;" so because they are black and based on her assumption that they are poor makes them criminals?

Um, being black does NOT mean that someone is autmoatically a criminal. Also, the (assumed) fact that someone is low income therefore a mugger, gang member, rapist, whatever, is insane.

Ok, what she said about people on Section 8 was even more annoying; I always thought that people on section 8 were (often) people struggling with physical and/ or mental illness, and possibly in recovery for addictions or other issues. I hardly think that the government simply gives out free rental assistance/ money for people who just don't feel like paying rent.
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[whynot_31]

Section 8 is something I know about
...it has been used for various purposes over the years, it used to be for the worthy (aka "working") poor. ...then preferences were given for folks with disabilities, older adults, survivors of domestic violence, etc.

Lots of folks have Section 8, and the vouchers are now very difficult to get due the expense to the government involved. Rent isn't free. there are restrictions regarding income, etc. To make a long story short: Yes, grouping the thousands of people who are lucky enough to have a Section 8 is annoying ...about the only thing they have in common is that they are poor and have a section 8 voucher.

BTW, Felons can't get Section 8 vouchers.

As to whether kids come into other neighborhoods to commit crimes: Um, yea, that happens.

Not a serious career strategy, but suffice it to say that I don't think I would mug locally; I might to be recognized, there might be cash poor people (lousy prospects).

...but I may be among the smarter potential muggers, most seem to do their work pretty close to where they live (and/or get their drugs).

P.S. Madoff almost pulled my dream off! He found a great neighborhood and victims....
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[Franklin Avenue]

[pitu]