Here's an email I sent to a college professor of mine about Tiger. Here it goes...
I do my best to not watch the news or read the newspaper too often, but I, like everyone else, have been unable to escape the Tiger Woods story. With two wars going on, the economy in very bad shape, and kids getting shot in The Bronx, I would have thought that there were more important things to worry about, but alas, I am incorrect as the TMZ/reality trash/US Weekly masters of the universe have managed to turn a golfer into the most important moral issue of the day.
#1 – Morals?
I do not think that Tiger Woods’ behavior was correct. Dude is married, with children, and he should not be out there committing high-risk behavior and then going home to his wife. Definitely not a good look. However, I do not believe that the media should be playing the moral judge of character and conduct, especially trash publications like TMZ, US Weekly et. al, because they do nothing but follow famous people around, which I would argue is an immoral assault on people’s privacy. Just because somebody is “famous” does not mean that you have the right to stick a camera in their face after they come out of the bathroom because you somehow feel a sense of entitlement to someone’s life because they are your favorite actor or athlete. Mind your own business and get a life.
And for the money argument, look at the top executives at Goldman Sachs, NBC, Disney. They make tens of millions of dollars. Do we follow them around with cameras because they make a lot of money? Maybe we should, but we don’t.
#2 Marriage?
I hate to say this, but marriage ain’t what it used to be. Over 50% of marriages are ending in divorce, and with the expansion of connectivity that our society has witnessed, I believe those numbers will rise. I blame 75% of this on men, as we are too horny for our own good, and end up thinking with the little head a bit too much. We like Craigslist ads and internet porn. However, I think that women need to be much smarter with their decisions in spouses. I can think of people that I went to high school and college with that have gotten married, and have clearly ignored the warning signs of their spouse’s behavior. If I know that your then boyfriend and now spouse cheated on you, and we are not even friends, how many other people know? Are you the only person that did not know? Someone very close to me, and a recent divorcee, said that she caught her husband cheating while they were “dating” but thought that things would change when they got married. Twenty years later, it did not, and they got divorced after he was caught in a few long-term affairs. Sound familiar? The warning signs are there; are we listening?
Kudos to those loyal husbands that don’t cheat. I’m not sure if you are happier at the end of the day, but you have my respect.
#3- The Entourage
I find it hard to believe that Ms. Woods was completely in the dark about this. Simply put, take a look at Tiger’s closest advisors and friends, such as Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley. Have you heard about what these guys do for fun? Jordan is an icon, but is also a notorious philanderer, a fact covered up by a soft media that did not go after him (in full disclosure, I am a Knicks fan, and believe that the NBA conspired to have the Bulls in the finals and threw games the Bulls way to save the league) and chose not to report his prolific cheating. Barkley is not the icon that Jordan is, but he is in the same cheating boat, and was recently caught by police driving drunk to receive oral sex from a woman that was not his wife. Those are the stories that we know of. So, its not like Tiger is hanging out with house Dads that go to Costco and Home Depot for fun, and attend pancake breakfasts at the local fire hall. If your husband hangs out with dudes that cheat, chances are that “guys night out” is more about other woman than hanging with the guys.
#4- The Endorsements.
Corporate America distances themselves from anybody that does something remotely human, because it can hurt their brand. I understand it, but these companies need to get over themselves. Gatorade will sell unless Osama Bin Laden is pitching it. Nike? No way they drop Tiger; he made them a legitimate golf contender. I have Nike clubs because of Tiger. I ain’t the only one. And, by the way, they make their sneakers in sweatshops. Point: Tiger. Other companies ran away from Kobe, only to find that he was not convicted of rape, and rebuilt his image so that nobody even remembers that he was on trial for rape. How are those companies that dropped him feeling now? Corporate America really means not loyal to anyone, so its not really a big deal that some sponsors chose to drop Tiger. If they were really flabbergasted, then they should give back the money that he earned them while he was endorsing. I’ll begin to hold my breath.
#5 – Tiger is Bigger than us all
Tiger Woods does not need endorsements. Nor does he need to be in the good moral graces of society. He is the greatest golfer the world has ever seen, and nothing will change that. His mental focus, and tenacity on the golf course is almost machine-like; to truly appreciate it, one has to play golf and try to stay focused with nobody watching, let alone millions and millions watching. The guy eats pressure for lunch. The best move for him is to get divorced, pay his wife something (like 25% of his net worth, because I don’t remember her sinking any putts or winning a green jacket), and live up the villain thing. Go out, hook up, enjoy life. Instead of wearing Red on Sunday, wear black all the time. Ignore the media. Win tournaments. At the end of the day, you don’t have to answer to anybody. Take a page out of the A-Rod book: dumps his wife, hooks up with a Hollywood hottie, and becomes clutch in the playoffs and wins a World Series ring for the New York Yankees. Not too bad.
Would the media cover this story if Tiger was sleeping with all black women?
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Two Month Break
So, I promised to blog daily, and publish those rants. I did not, and I am kinda pissed that I didn't but life presents new opportunities to start fresh. Here we go!
Chris Henry
First and foremost, R.I.P. Chris Henry. I hate to see young, black males die violently, and 26 is far too young for someone to leave this earth. More disturbing is the fact that Henry apparently was killed after falling out of a vehicle driven by his fiancee after a domestic dispute (a fight). Details are still a bit sketchy, but I can image them getting into a fight, her driving off, and he jumping in the back of the truck to stop her. She drives fast, hits a turn, and he flies out. Head trauma, and that's it. Sad.
Malcolm Gladwell and Bill Simmons
I love Gladwell's work, and I can tolerate the Sports Guy. Put them together, and I'm a happy dude. I like the way they both approach connecting different parts of life, and explain why we should all care. Although they have their faults, I think overall they are great for the way we should think about life and sports. Check out the link below:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/two/091218
Check out part one as well.
Jersey Shore
The recent weekend snowfall has kept me in the apartment, which sucks, but enabled me to watch all of the episodes of MTV's Jersey Shore consecutively. One word: WOW!
I'm not one of those people that has a preconceived notion about Italian-Americans or "Guidos" and feels like JS confirms my dislike of them. In fact, regardless of their ethnic origin, these fools are equal parts funny and stupid. The fact that they play up their Italian roots is offensive to Italians, but does not make me judge Italians. I'm still not sure what being (fill in the European Country) - American really means, especially if you are not a first generation. JS is a funny way to look at how people spend their time at the shore, how they choose partners, and how their morals are in conflict with what they do. Its funny how the guys all went on the show single, and two out of four of the girls were in "relationships." If you are going to the beach (hook-up central) for the summer, why would you be in a relationship? That's drama waiting to happen, and in the show, it does. I love it!
Chris Henry
First and foremost, R.I.P. Chris Henry. I hate to see young, black males die violently, and 26 is far too young for someone to leave this earth. More disturbing is the fact that Henry apparently was killed after falling out of a vehicle driven by his fiancee after a domestic dispute (a fight). Details are still a bit sketchy, but I can image them getting into a fight, her driving off, and he jumping in the back of the truck to stop her. She drives fast, hits a turn, and he flies out. Head trauma, and that's it. Sad.
Malcolm Gladwell and Bill Simmons
I love Gladwell's work, and I can tolerate the Sports Guy. Put them together, and I'm a happy dude. I like the way they both approach connecting different parts of life, and explain why we should all care. Although they have their faults, I think overall they are great for the way we should think about life and sports. Check out the link below:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/two/091218
Check out part one as well.
Jersey Shore
The recent weekend snowfall has kept me in the apartment, which sucks, but enabled me to watch all of the episodes of MTV's Jersey Shore consecutively. One word: WOW!
I'm not one of those people that has a preconceived notion about Italian-Americans or "Guidos" and feels like JS confirms my dislike of them. In fact, regardless of their ethnic origin, these fools are equal parts funny and stupid. The fact that they play up their Italian roots is offensive to Italians, but does not make me judge Italians. I'm still not sure what being (fill in the European Country) - American really means, especially if you are not a first generation. JS is a funny way to look at how people spend their time at the shore, how they choose partners, and how their morals are in conflict with what they do. Its funny how the guys all went on the show single, and two out of four of the girls were in "relationships." If you are going to the beach (hook-up central) for the summer, why would you be in a relationship? That's drama waiting to happen, and in the show, it does. I love it!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Real Estate, Race, and Gentrification Part I
Last Friday, I attended what could be best described as a modern Salon, in Harlem, with some very educated and aware folks. Most were from the Teachers College and Columbia network, but there were a few folks that were also outside CU, which is a great thing when speaking about real issues in Harlem, and NYC in general. On the whole, I find that many minority TCers are much more aware and caring about not only the state of education, but the state of society in our fair city. I feel like due to TC's location in Morningside Heights, minority students feel a greater attachment to the community and see it as more of a long-term place because of the high percentage of minority students that are serviced in local schools and through the larger city-wide system. Of course, I haven't performed academic studies on this, but definitely trust my gut when it comes to this particular issue. I guess time will bear it out.
The salon, which were are attempting to hold once a month or so, was a great chance to break bread, have some wine, and talk about the issues that are near and dear to folks. The vibe was great, and there were some very intelligent, and thoughtful people in the room. Unlike public debate which can be unruly, raucous, and downright unintellectual, we had a great start to a larger conversation.
To due it proper justice, I will not attempt to hammer away all of what was discussed. However, the main portion of the conversation centered around race, real estate, and Harlem's gentrification. Here is a highlight of what my thoughts are about the topic:
Gentrification Is A Myth (A little Harlem History)
I'm not a sociologist, but history shows us that people move in patterns. They behave in patterns, mostly predicitable ones, so that, not only does human behavior become repetitive, but it becomes cyclical. That being said, people move to places, they live, establish cultural institutions, and lay claim on a space for a set period of time. Then, especially in cities, those groups leave (given, for a littany of reasons) and give space for other groups to move in. In the last decade, this phenomenom has taken place in Harlem, where real estate values have risen, older renters have been priced out, and new groups of people move in. Harlem is unique (or not) because it has a cultural, historic tie to the black community, and is the unoffical capital of black America. I'm not going to argue the neighborhood's importance, because it does mean alot to black history, but it is far from the capital of the new black America. I would argue that its not the capital of black New York, which I believe can be found in numerous neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Also, historically speaking, Harlem of the early 20th century was heavily Jewish, and remained so until the 1930s. Although blacks lived there, it was a Jewish enclave, until the Bronx was built up and Jews migrated there during the 20s and 30s, vacating apartment houses that black migrants would soon establish. Moreover, Harlem was one of the few neighborhoods where de facto segregation allowed blacks to live, and in a few places, own. That being said, whites lived here before blacks.
The basis of the new "Harlem" is that blacks are being pushed out by opportunistic whites that are buying up cheap property and "taking over." While this might be the case, we must understand the reasons why this is even possible. Firstly, apartment buildings, brownstones, and townhouses that dot New York City are only cheap and ripe for investment when neighborhoods have bad reputations. Harlem, which saw its share of urban plight in the 70s, 80s and 90s, was a dangerous and scary place at times. The crime rate was high as drugs and urban issues help erode the high culture that the neighborhood experienced in the 40s and 50s. Slum clearance enabled public housing to be built, and soon, those places were no longer immune to serious urban issues. However, real estate prices are driven by perception and reputation. When Harlem was at its lowest point, it became more than an urban ghetto; it became a code word for whites to say "where they (blacks) live." Regardless of the fact that many Harlem homes and business are not, and have never been totally black owned, it was used as a synonym for where the others live. Arbitrary boundaries were drawn, (usually 96th St) and it was rare to see many whites live above that line. Of course, this made for a socially isolated set of communities, and landlords did less and less to take care of their buildings as tenants became harder to collect from, and crime skyrocketed. Building values plummeted during the 1980s, and many buildings were foreclosed on, and sold at auction or rehabbed through federal programs. What happened (possibly in conjunction with the Dinkins and Guiliani mayoral administrations' focus on crime prevention and correction) was that New York became safer. Even Harlem, with its brownstones, townhouses, and art deco builidngs, became a desirable place. This shift was then reinforced by the opening up of newer businesses, the rehabbing of subway stations, apartment buildings, and reinvestment by the large city entities, such as the universities.
You see, Harlem's property values were always valuable; its Manhattan real estate. But, when the perception of a neighborhood is all bad, then it takes a long time, and much infrastructure to repair it. But the authenticity of the neighborhood will always draw people back to it. Because 125th street has high quality shopping, rapid transit, and is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, it will continue to serve as a main street of the city. Whites have not discovered or re-discovered anything new about Harlem; they are moving back here because the housing is is affordable, there is plenty of access to rapid transit, and you can buy a home in New York City for a fraction of what it costs in predominantly white neighborhoods. I don't see this as evil or as a plot to destroy the fabric of black America; instead, I see this as a prime reason why blacks don't yield as much political power in New York as they do in Atlanta, Washington DC or even Philadelphia: the lack of home ownership. Simply put, gentrification would not be occurring if more blacks owned their homes, and had the ability to decide to sell out (at top price) to people trying to move for a better life, regardless of race. Moreover, the civil rights movement has taught us that segregation is inherently wrong, and that there are unique benefits to having mixed societies than segregated ones. Folks fought, marched, and risked their lives for access to mixed living situations, so why is it that folks are arguing to maintain segregation in neighborhoods like Harlem?
The salon, which were are attempting to hold once a month or so, was a great chance to break bread, have some wine, and talk about the issues that are near and dear to folks. The vibe was great, and there were some very intelligent, and thoughtful people in the room. Unlike public debate which can be unruly, raucous, and downright unintellectual, we had a great start to a larger conversation.
To due it proper justice, I will not attempt to hammer away all of what was discussed. However, the main portion of the conversation centered around race, real estate, and Harlem's gentrification. Here is a highlight of what my thoughts are about the topic:
Gentrification Is A Myth (A little Harlem History)
I'm not a sociologist, but history shows us that people move in patterns. They behave in patterns, mostly predicitable ones, so that, not only does human behavior become repetitive, but it becomes cyclical. That being said, people move to places, they live, establish cultural institutions, and lay claim on a space for a set period of time. Then, especially in cities, those groups leave (given, for a littany of reasons) and give space for other groups to move in. In the last decade, this phenomenom has taken place in Harlem, where real estate values have risen, older renters have been priced out, and new groups of people move in. Harlem is unique (or not) because it has a cultural, historic tie to the black community, and is the unoffical capital of black America. I'm not going to argue the neighborhood's importance, because it does mean alot to black history, but it is far from the capital of the new black America. I would argue that its not the capital of black New York, which I believe can be found in numerous neighborhoods in Brooklyn. Also, historically speaking, Harlem of the early 20th century was heavily Jewish, and remained so until the 1930s. Although blacks lived there, it was a Jewish enclave, until the Bronx was built up and Jews migrated there during the 20s and 30s, vacating apartment houses that black migrants would soon establish. Moreover, Harlem was one of the few neighborhoods where de facto segregation allowed blacks to live, and in a few places, own. That being said, whites lived here before blacks.
The basis of the new "Harlem" is that blacks are being pushed out by opportunistic whites that are buying up cheap property and "taking over." While this might be the case, we must understand the reasons why this is even possible. Firstly, apartment buildings, brownstones, and townhouses that dot New York City are only cheap and ripe for investment when neighborhoods have bad reputations. Harlem, which saw its share of urban plight in the 70s, 80s and 90s, was a dangerous and scary place at times. The crime rate was high as drugs and urban issues help erode the high culture that the neighborhood experienced in the 40s and 50s. Slum clearance enabled public housing to be built, and soon, those places were no longer immune to serious urban issues. However, real estate prices are driven by perception and reputation. When Harlem was at its lowest point, it became more than an urban ghetto; it became a code word for whites to say "where they (blacks) live." Regardless of the fact that many Harlem homes and business are not, and have never been totally black owned, it was used as a synonym for where the others live. Arbitrary boundaries were drawn, (usually 96th St) and it was rare to see many whites live above that line. Of course, this made for a socially isolated set of communities, and landlords did less and less to take care of their buildings as tenants became harder to collect from, and crime skyrocketed. Building values plummeted during the 1980s, and many buildings were foreclosed on, and sold at auction or rehabbed through federal programs. What happened (possibly in conjunction with the Dinkins and Guiliani mayoral administrations' focus on crime prevention and correction) was that New York became safer. Even Harlem, with its brownstones, townhouses, and art deco builidngs, became a desirable place. This shift was then reinforced by the opening up of newer businesses, the rehabbing of subway stations, apartment buildings, and reinvestment by the large city entities, such as the universities.
You see, Harlem's property values were always valuable; its Manhattan real estate. But, when the perception of a neighborhood is all bad, then it takes a long time, and much infrastructure to repair it. But the authenticity of the neighborhood will always draw people back to it. Because 125th street has high quality shopping, rapid transit, and is surrounded by residential neighborhoods, it will continue to serve as a main street of the city. Whites have not discovered or re-discovered anything new about Harlem; they are moving back here because the housing is is affordable, there is plenty of access to rapid transit, and you can buy a home in New York City for a fraction of what it costs in predominantly white neighborhoods. I don't see this as evil or as a plot to destroy the fabric of black America; instead, I see this as a prime reason why blacks don't yield as much political power in New York as they do in Atlanta, Washington DC or even Philadelphia: the lack of home ownership. Simply put, gentrification would not be occurring if more blacks owned their homes, and had the ability to decide to sell out (at top price) to people trying to move for a better life, regardless of race. Moreover, the civil rights movement has taught us that segregation is inherently wrong, and that there are unique benefits to having mixed societies than segregated ones. Folks fought, marched, and risked their lives for access to mixed living situations, so why is it that folks are arguing to maintain segregation in neighborhoods like Harlem?
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Sunday Evening Thoughts
Mad Men
Wow, what an episode of Mad Men. Just when I thought this should be the final season, they wow us with two doozies. Great writers, great story lines, great characters. This show is threatening The Wire as the great American story of the last ten years, and one of the greatest series ever.
Racial Identity
At a recent social gathering I was given the opportunity to have a rather lively discussion with mixed company about race, social identity, and the post Obama year(s). Here are my thoughts…
I find some people’s perception of race (more specifically black people’s experience in this country) perplexing. In a country where children go to years of counseling to deal with their parents’ divorce, where alcoholics and drug addicts go to rehab to end addition, and civil courts hear million dollar lawsuits to remedy disputes, time after time, black people are told to “forget” and “move on” about racism, as if somehow, magically, if blacks forget it happened, then everything will be better, and suddenly, it will never have an affect on your life. If one does talk about it, they are branded a whiner, someone that has a chip on their shoulder, a person that lives in the past, and part of the problem.
This is not only wrong, but the root of our racial problems in this country. Here’s why:
1. Since racism stems from racial superiority (whites to blacks) and was used to justify trans-Atlantic slavery, the subsequent establishment of the economy of this nation (free labor = easy southern planting and profitable northern shipping), the legal denial of rights based on skin color (which still governs the way we live our lives, from the neighborhoods people choose to settle, to whom people choose to marry, to who we choose to socialize with), thus it is not black people’s responsibility to fix racial superiority. We didn’t start the fire; it's on other folks to deal with that issue, not black people to “change peoples minds” about us. Fuck that.
2. Forget? Who tells people to forget stuff? When’s the last time you heard a logical person get on television and tell Jewish people, “Why do you celebrate Passover? That was such a long time ago. Why don’t you just move on?” or “Why are you still talking about the Holocaust? It was a long time ago. That’s just the way some people thought at the time.” Exactly.
And just what exactly are we forgetting? My Grandfather knew his Great-Grandfather, born in 1853 as a slave in Virginia. Hell, he went to a baseball game with him. I’ve spoke to my Grandfather about his Great-Grandfather, again, a slave. To put it simply, my mother’s father knew a slave. I’ve seen the man’s picture, know his name, and, share the same prolific eyebrows and dark circles around my eyes. Every morning I see his face. Sorry, can’t forget that.
Moreover, one forgets what they don’t want to remember. I, for one, want to remember what happened to my relatives, my ancestors, and people I never met. I want to remember what happened to Jack Johnson, George Stoval, and Nat Turner. That is history, it is what makes us strong, knowing that all the hell folks went through was not in vain, and the ultimate disrespect would be to forget what they went through. Again, Fuck that.
3. Our racial issues were not solved by electing a black president, although some people would like to think so. We’ve never had a national discussion about the impacts of racism through slavery, segregation, and economics. Our country has been built on an unfair playing field that generously benefitted white males for centuries, yet, we don’t talk enough about it, and how we can move forward to even out society. In today’s world, networks still rule the corporate world, networks that often are based on where you when to school, where you daddy when to school, and how much ass you can kiss. Have you seen Wall Street lately? When my parents when to college, schools were just being “desegregated” and blacks were just starting to go to traditionally white colleges. I’m not the exception to the rule.
Contrary to popular belief, being an angry black man doesn’t make you a self-destructive, unproductive individual. In fact, the anger can be used to motivate, and turn you into an amazingly productive and driven individual. Anger, intelligence, and strategy can turn you into a force.
See also: Booker T. Washington, Jack Roosevelt Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Eldrick Woods, Serena and Venus Williams, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Huey P. Newton.
Wow, what an episode of Mad Men. Just when I thought this should be the final season, they wow us with two doozies. Great writers, great story lines, great characters. This show is threatening The Wire as the great American story of the last ten years, and one of the greatest series ever.
Racial Identity
At a recent social gathering I was given the opportunity to have a rather lively discussion with mixed company about race, social identity, and the post Obama year(s). Here are my thoughts…
I find some people’s perception of race (more specifically black people’s experience in this country) perplexing. In a country where children go to years of counseling to deal with their parents’ divorce, where alcoholics and drug addicts go to rehab to end addition, and civil courts hear million dollar lawsuits to remedy disputes, time after time, black people are told to “forget” and “move on” about racism, as if somehow, magically, if blacks forget it happened, then everything will be better, and suddenly, it will never have an affect on your life. If one does talk about it, they are branded a whiner, someone that has a chip on their shoulder, a person that lives in the past, and part of the problem.
This is not only wrong, but the root of our racial problems in this country. Here’s why:
1. Since racism stems from racial superiority (whites to blacks) and was used to justify trans-Atlantic slavery, the subsequent establishment of the economy of this nation (free labor = easy southern planting and profitable northern shipping), the legal denial of rights based on skin color (which still governs the way we live our lives, from the neighborhoods people choose to settle, to whom people choose to marry, to who we choose to socialize with), thus it is not black people’s responsibility to fix racial superiority. We didn’t start the fire; it's on other folks to deal with that issue, not black people to “change peoples minds” about us. Fuck that.
2. Forget? Who tells people to forget stuff? When’s the last time you heard a logical person get on television and tell Jewish people, “Why do you celebrate Passover? That was such a long time ago. Why don’t you just move on?” or “Why are you still talking about the Holocaust? It was a long time ago. That’s just the way some people thought at the time.” Exactly.
And just what exactly are we forgetting? My Grandfather knew his Great-Grandfather, born in 1853 as a slave in Virginia. Hell, he went to a baseball game with him. I’ve spoke to my Grandfather about his Great-Grandfather, again, a slave. To put it simply, my mother’s father knew a slave. I’ve seen the man’s picture, know his name, and, share the same prolific eyebrows and dark circles around my eyes. Every morning I see his face. Sorry, can’t forget that.
Moreover, one forgets what they don’t want to remember. I, for one, want to remember what happened to my relatives, my ancestors, and people I never met. I want to remember what happened to Jack Johnson, George Stoval, and Nat Turner. That is history, it is what makes us strong, knowing that all the hell folks went through was not in vain, and the ultimate disrespect would be to forget what they went through. Again, Fuck that.
3. Our racial issues were not solved by electing a black president, although some people would like to think so. We’ve never had a national discussion about the impacts of racism through slavery, segregation, and economics. Our country has been built on an unfair playing field that generously benefitted white males for centuries, yet, we don’t talk enough about it, and how we can move forward to even out society. In today’s world, networks still rule the corporate world, networks that often are based on where you when to school, where you daddy when to school, and how much ass you can kiss. Have you seen Wall Street lately? When my parents when to college, schools were just being “desegregated” and blacks were just starting to go to traditionally white colleges. I’m not the exception to the rule.
Contrary to popular belief, being an angry black man doesn’t make you a self-destructive, unproductive individual. In fact, the anger can be used to motivate, and turn you into an amazingly productive and driven individual. Anger, intelligence, and strategy can turn you into a force.
See also: Booker T. Washington, Jack Roosevelt Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Eldrick Woods, Serena and Venus Williams, John Carlos and Tommie Smith, Huey P. Newton.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
My Favorite Books, Pt II
Almost forgot:
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
Endurance - Alfred Lansing
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. DuBois
The First Tycoon - T.J. Stiles
The Fountainhead - Ayn Rand
Atlas Shrugged - Ayn Rand
Endurance - Alfred Lansing
Things Fall Apart - Chinua Achebe
The Souls of Black Folk - W.E.B. DuBois
The First Tycoon - T.J. Stiles
The Books That Helped Make Me Who I am
In no particular order:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Alex Haley
Manchild in The Promised Land - Claude Browne
Roots - Alex Haley
The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene
The 33 Strategies of War - Robert Greene
The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
The Alchemist - Paulo Cuelo
Lies My Teacher Told Me - James Loewen
Fallen Angels - Walter Dean Myers
The Game - Neil Strauss
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
Up From Slavery - Booker T. Washington
The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Alex Haley
Manchild in The Promised Land - Claude Browne
Roots - Alex Haley
The 48 Laws of Power - Robert Greene
The 33 Strategies of War - Robert Greene
The Tipping Point - Malcolm Gladwell
The Alchemist - Paulo Cuelo
Lies My Teacher Told Me - James Loewen
Fallen Angels - Walter Dean Myers
The Game - Neil Strauss
Rich Dad, Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki
Up From Slavery - Booker T. Washington
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
New Stadiums, High Standards, and Random Thoughts
Editor's Note: Okay, so I am going to make a concerted effort to blog daily. Its something that I've talked about doing, and have been much too lazy, unfocused, and not serious enough about to actually do. Well, there are no more excuses. I'm going to share my thoughts, regardless of how unedited, and disjointed they might be. I'm committing myself to do this, therefore it will be part of my daily routine!
Romo is not Eli!
I am all about capitalism and the spoils of victory that enable you to build a billion dollar stadium in the worst economy since the Great Depression. However, I took it personally when the NFL allowed the Cowboys to schedule the new stadium's grand opening against my Giants. I guess the Giants did as well, as they terrorized Tony Romo and Eli led the boys in blue to another 4th Quarter victory, capped off by a Lawrence Tynes field goal. Note here: do not invite a better team to your grand party. Jerry should have picked on the Bengals, or even the Redskins, but not the New York City Varsity Football team!
High Standards and Achievement Gap
This semester I am taking a great charter school design class. It is basically a seminar in how to build a successful, high performing charter school, with leaders in the field coming to each class to tell us how they do it or select schools to do it. Last night, I was able to, for the first time, confront a person that had perplexed me for a while. Eva Moskowitz, former City Council member, and CEO of Harlem Success Academy, has been a person of interest for me. I saw a few NYTimes articles about her, and her aspirations to one day become mayor. I was impressed that she had a PhD (in history no less) and I almost began to become hopeful about politics, until, I read further that she ran the Harlem Success Academy and would be staking her future aspirations on education little black kids in Harlem. My admiration turned into red flags. Why?
Well, I get very suspicious of people when they speak of Harlem. Harlem is not just a neighborhood; its an allegory of black America, as it was one of the most important cultural centers in decades past. Its definitely no longer that, but the historical connections has made it a place where many white people don't go. (One of my colleagues in Real Estate, a woman that is almost double my age and grew up in New York, thought that Harlem was part of The Bronx.) Of course, whites have controlled the real estate there for years, so its not like there was an unbelievable amount of home ownership, or less crime, but it was a segregated version of Times Square, I guess.
I'm not going to wax poetic about bygone eras; however, 125th St. is a tour bus destination, the brownstones and new construction has risen and prices have fallen, and Columbia will be expanding northward, further into the outer reaches of where many downtowners will go. Which is why I found it murky that the leader of a school of predominantly black kids was a wealthy Jewish woman from the neighborhood that moved to the Upper East Side, then moved back to Morningside Heights to tackle this job after she failed to be elected as Manhattan Borough President. This whole thing stunk of paternalism, political gain, and yet another opportunity to re-brand "Harlem."
Here's what the Times says:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/nyregion/04eva.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=eva%20moskowitz&st=cse
and the News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/02/26/2009-02-26_former_city_council_member_eva_moskowitz.html
I guess the media, and a lot of other people are skeptical as well. I have to say, I was impressed with her "passion" and ability to stay on message during her presentation. She kept on saying the "achievement gap" and talked about "high standards" for kids, and setting the highest standard for teachers. All of this is edutalk for the moment; the new reformers are trotting out "new" school concepts to shake up the system, and all the while erase historic, embedded racism by hiring ivy-leaguers to teach them chess, ballroom dancing, and everything else that is taught to the rich white kids that go to private school. Except, those rich kids come from rich families, with generational wealth, and ties that will get them into an ivy-league school regardless of their SAT scores, and there is no guarantee that Dr. M's charter school network can produce high functioning high schoolers, let alone college grads. I'm not saying it can't be done, but, ultimately, what will be the result? With the limited number of charters available, does Dr. M hope to influence the Department of Education after she has continued to trash it? Is the solution to fix the system actually reforming the system?
The Youth
I hate to sound like an old head, but I am completely perplexed by the way young black males dress. I walk through Harlem everyday, and I have no idea why young dudes have their jeans halfway (literally) down their legs, and they have to hold their pants up by the button (in the front) to keep them from falling. Where the hell did this trend come from? HOW stupid can you be? Is this yet another jail fashion trend that is one in a long line of ways to keep brothers from truly getting forward in life?
Also, while working my uber fun part time job at Yankee Stadium, I get a great chance to interact with the young Black and Hispanic guards that accompany the tours. For the most part, they are great, but a recent conversation bothered me. A young brother, with a great personality and a truly likeable disposition, and I were talking about Harlem day, etc, and he proceeded to use the phrase "my nigga" literallly twenty times in a three minute span. What gives with "my nigga" and using "nigga" as a way to describe other black folks? I really don't get it.
Over and out!
Romo is not Eli!
I am all about capitalism and the spoils of victory that enable you to build a billion dollar stadium in the worst economy since the Great Depression. However, I took it personally when the NFL allowed the Cowboys to schedule the new stadium's grand opening against my Giants. I guess the Giants did as well, as they terrorized Tony Romo and Eli led the boys in blue to another 4th Quarter victory, capped off by a Lawrence Tynes field goal. Note here: do not invite a better team to your grand party. Jerry should have picked on the Bengals, or even the Redskins, but not the New York City Varsity Football team!
High Standards and Achievement Gap
This semester I am taking a great charter school design class. It is basically a seminar in how to build a successful, high performing charter school, with leaders in the field coming to each class to tell us how they do it or select schools to do it. Last night, I was able to, for the first time, confront a person that had perplexed me for a while. Eva Moskowitz, former City Council member, and CEO of Harlem Success Academy, has been a person of interest for me. I saw a few NYTimes articles about her, and her aspirations to one day become mayor. I was impressed that she had a PhD (in history no less) and I almost began to become hopeful about politics, until, I read further that she ran the Harlem Success Academy and would be staking her future aspirations on education little black kids in Harlem. My admiration turned into red flags. Why?
Well, I get very suspicious of people when they speak of Harlem. Harlem is not just a neighborhood; its an allegory of black America, as it was one of the most important cultural centers in decades past. Its definitely no longer that, but the historical connections has made it a place where many white people don't go. (One of my colleagues in Real Estate, a woman that is almost double my age and grew up in New York, thought that Harlem was part of The Bronx.) Of course, whites have controlled the real estate there for years, so its not like there was an unbelievable amount of home ownership, or less crime, but it was a segregated version of Times Square, I guess.
I'm not going to wax poetic about bygone eras; however, 125th St. is a tour bus destination, the brownstones and new construction has risen and prices have fallen, and Columbia will be expanding northward, further into the outer reaches of where many downtowners will go. Which is why I found it murky that the leader of a school of predominantly black kids was a wealthy Jewish woman from the neighborhood that moved to the Upper East Side, then moved back to Morningside Heights to tackle this job after she failed to be elected as Manhattan Borough President. This whole thing stunk of paternalism, political gain, and yet another opportunity to re-brand "Harlem."
Here's what the Times says:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/04/nyregion/04eva.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=eva%20moskowitz&st=cse
and the News:
http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/education/2009/02/26/2009-02-26_former_city_council_member_eva_moskowitz.html
I guess the media, and a lot of other people are skeptical as well. I have to say, I was impressed with her "passion" and ability to stay on message during her presentation. She kept on saying the "achievement gap" and talked about "high standards" for kids, and setting the highest standard for teachers. All of this is edutalk for the moment; the new reformers are trotting out "new" school concepts to shake up the system, and all the while erase historic, embedded racism by hiring ivy-leaguers to teach them chess, ballroom dancing, and everything else that is taught to the rich white kids that go to private school. Except, those rich kids come from rich families, with generational wealth, and ties that will get them into an ivy-league school regardless of their SAT scores, and there is no guarantee that Dr. M's charter school network can produce high functioning high schoolers, let alone college grads. I'm not saying it can't be done, but, ultimately, what will be the result? With the limited number of charters available, does Dr. M hope to influence the Department of Education after she has continued to trash it? Is the solution to fix the system actually reforming the system?
The Youth
I hate to sound like an old head, but I am completely perplexed by the way young black males dress. I walk through Harlem everyday, and I have no idea why young dudes have their jeans halfway (literally) down their legs, and they have to hold their pants up by the button (in the front) to keep them from falling. Where the hell did this trend come from? HOW stupid can you be? Is this yet another jail fashion trend that is one in a long line of ways to keep brothers from truly getting forward in life?
Also, while working my uber fun part time job at Yankee Stadium, I get a great chance to interact with the young Black and Hispanic guards that accompany the tours. For the most part, they are great, but a recent conversation bothered me. A young brother, with a great personality and a truly likeable disposition, and I were talking about Harlem day, etc, and he proceeded to use the phrase "my nigga" literallly twenty times in a three minute span. What gives with "my nigga" and using "nigga" as a way to describe other black folks? I really don't get it.
Over and out!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Hiatus Over
It's been a few months since I've updated, but I have valid and semi-reasonable excuses. I've determined that I will update the blog on Sundays, as they are a great way to start the week.
Celebrity Deaths
This last week and a half saw the deaths of Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Steve McNair. All three deaths were sudden, but reactions have been very different to all. Personally, I was not emotionally attached to any of them, since I am too young to remember Fawcett, wrote off Michael after he started bleaching himself, and did not follow the Titans that closely. Of the three, I am most disturbed by McNair, since it was a homicide, and there seems to be much tied up with the situation (wife+kids+mistress).
I am, however, a little disappointed with the way that our society (through the media) handles these types of tragedies. For starters, they emphasize celebrity yet do little to cover their indvidual lives, then cover their lives after they die. I know that the machine must feed itself, but the media's hypocracy underscores the problem that we often only care about people's lives after they are gone. Just like people only care about history when an old building or site is being destroyed, or when it is already gone, and there is little or nothing one can do about it. Instead, we should value celebrities for what they do as humans, and not put them on unrealistic pedestals because of what they do on camera, on the field, or in print.
July 4th
This year's July 4th was probably the most mellow I've had in recent years. No Yanks game ( I went on Friday, though), did the bbq thing with my buddy and his sister's folk in Long Island City. Good music, good weather, good food, and a good night of sleep. Couldn't ask for more.
Work, Ain't It Special?
Just read a NY Times piece on 20 something college kids that are being foreced to give up unpaid internships and three months of living off of their parents in the city to work at $7.80 jobs at amusement parks. Poor college kids? Or reality?
I do feel bad that college kids might not be able to take internships, but I think that its fine for them to work a minimum wage (or somewhere around there) jobs before they graduate. After all, having some college experience does not mean much, especially in the job market. I feel like colleges over-market their educational experiences, and give their undergrads a false sense of accomplishment and security. More on this later...
Celebrity Deaths
This last week and a half saw the deaths of Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Steve McNair. All three deaths were sudden, but reactions have been very different to all. Personally, I was not emotionally attached to any of them, since I am too young to remember Fawcett, wrote off Michael after he started bleaching himself, and did not follow the Titans that closely. Of the three, I am most disturbed by McNair, since it was a homicide, and there seems to be much tied up with the situation (wife+kids+mistress).
I am, however, a little disappointed with the way that our society (through the media) handles these types of tragedies. For starters, they emphasize celebrity yet do little to cover their indvidual lives, then cover their lives after they die. I know that the machine must feed itself, but the media's hypocracy underscores the problem that we often only care about people's lives after they are gone. Just like people only care about history when an old building or site is being destroyed, or when it is already gone, and there is little or nothing one can do about it. Instead, we should value celebrities for what they do as humans, and not put them on unrealistic pedestals because of what they do on camera, on the field, or in print.
July 4th
This year's July 4th was probably the most mellow I've had in recent years. No Yanks game ( I went on Friday, though), did the bbq thing with my buddy and his sister's folk in Long Island City. Good music, good weather, good food, and a good night of sleep. Couldn't ask for more.
Work, Ain't It Special?
Just read a NY Times piece on 20 something college kids that are being foreced to give up unpaid internships and three months of living off of their parents in the city to work at $7.80 jobs at amusement parks. Poor college kids? Or reality?
I do feel bad that college kids might not be able to take internships, but I think that its fine for them to work a minimum wage (or somewhere around there) jobs before they graduate. After all, having some college experience does not mean much, especially in the job market. I feel like colleges over-market their educational experiences, and give their undergrads a false sense of accomplishment and security. More on this later...
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
#2 – MTA Hikes
On a day when the MTA voted to raise fares from $2.00 to $2.50, eliminate numerous bus lines, and the cut back off-peak subway service, I suddenly realized how little we know about how our city and state operate. The MTA and transit workers union have been lightning rods of criticism, from sloppy service, to recent strikes, yet, very few people truly know how the MTA is funded, and what it takes to operate our massive transportation system. To save on time and keystrokes, I steer you towards another blogger, http://www.transitblogger.com/mta-finances/mta-funding-editorial.php that provides a concise, yet effective job explaining the MTA’s funding.
I understand that as inflation and costs rise, transportation should be impacted. It is not sound business to provide a service and then lock in revenue streams (in this case fares) without controls for unexpected circumstances that adversely affect the ability to produce said returns. The ability to raise fares must be elastic, so the fact that we might have to pay an extra $0.50 per subway ride is just another reality of city living.
However, in a city where its major governing body voted itself another four years of work, where the recent Governor and Comptroller were shamed out of office, where its financial base (and, for that matter, the country’s financial base) have been pulverized by horrid markets, and where many workers depend on affordable public transportation, I question the wisdom of raising fares now. Now, when times are truly bad people are looking to local government to provide normalcy, and a sense of stability that they are not getting from Washington. Unfortunately, these fare hikes are another serious reminder that things have yet to hit rock bottom.
The 50 cent raise does not impact MATC’s ability to maneuver through the five boroughs; I can easily cut back at the bar or eating out. Its one of the great perks of being a bachelor. This raise, though, hits families and couples especially hard, since they have to move multiple people from place to place. It is adding addition pressures to the very people that make our city great.
It’s not right to say something is wrong and not propose alternatives. Here’s my plan, to help fill in the $500 million dollar gap.
Raise the NYC Commuter Tax
The City should levy a higher tax for those living outside of the five boroughs and make over $100,000. They should be very strict about those big-wigs that have crash pads in the city, yet live in the rolling hills of Westchester or Fairfield County. You work here, make the big bucks, so, you must ante up! We can call it the “Bridge and Tunnel Tax.” If they don’t like it, then work somewhere else. From a preliminary search, it seems like roughly 2 million people commute into the five boroughs to work. If we trust this number, then tack on an extra $100 to their commuter taxes, we can help offset some of these budget numbers.
Total Income: $200 million
Tourists
New York City is the country’s biggest tourist attraction. Just Broadway alone keeps the City on the world’s cultural map. Hit these tourists in the Euro! Or, even better, the Pound! Tack on a foreign gate tax at LaGuardia and on NJ Transit from Newark, and on all taxis coming from the local airports into Manhattan. Add restaurant taxes (say .05%) from 86th street to Wall Street, and at all of the hotels. Make people pay to play, and alleviate the cost of living for the people that actually call this city home. According to the always reliable WikiAnswers, over 44 million people visit New York City as tourist. If we simply charged a “$20 per tourist tax,” that gives the city an addition $800 million in revenue to help offset our MTA problem. I know this is not simple, but if anyone can get another $20 from a tourist, it’s a NEW YORKER!
Total Income: $800 million
Sports Teams
The major sports teams that actually play in the city should get hit hard in their endless wallets. The city did much to push through both baseball stadium projects and, if the Mayor got his way, would have been redeveloping Manhattan’s west side and the Queens coastline in preparation for the Olympic Games. Instead, both baseball franchises got nice deals to put their stadiums on public land, with long-term leases. For time’s sake, lets focus on the Yankees.
The Yankees’ new stadium sits on the historic Macombs Dam Park. Unknown to the average fan, Macombs Dam Park is older than the old Yankee Stadium. Both stadiums now occupy public land, and the Yanks do little for the privilege. Besides not providing much post-season excitement, the Yankees seem to find a way to get out of paying for the lease on the 12 acre plot of public land they occupy. During the early 90s, unabashed Yankee fan Rudy Goooooliani signed a sweetheart deal that basically absolved the Bombers from paying their lease and other taxes to the city.
The City should rip that up, and make all four NYC franchises pay $20 million annually to have the right of wearing the NY logo on the gear. If they want to move to Jersey, let them, they just have to leave the name “New York” here.
Total Income: $80 million
Wow, I just raised over $1 billion for our great city, with minimal impact on the folks that live here. I’m going to keep this locked away for my big run for Mayor…
- MATC
I understand that as inflation and costs rise, transportation should be impacted. It is not sound business to provide a service and then lock in revenue streams (in this case fares) without controls for unexpected circumstances that adversely affect the ability to produce said returns. The ability to raise fares must be elastic, so the fact that we might have to pay an extra $0.50 per subway ride is just another reality of city living.
However, in a city where its major governing body voted itself another four years of work, where the recent Governor and Comptroller were shamed out of office, where its financial base (and, for that matter, the country’s financial base) have been pulverized by horrid markets, and where many workers depend on affordable public transportation, I question the wisdom of raising fares now. Now, when times are truly bad people are looking to local government to provide normalcy, and a sense of stability that they are not getting from Washington. Unfortunately, these fare hikes are another serious reminder that things have yet to hit rock bottom.
The 50 cent raise does not impact MATC’s ability to maneuver through the five boroughs; I can easily cut back at the bar or eating out. Its one of the great perks of being a bachelor. This raise, though, hits families and couples especially hard, since they have to move multiple people from place to place. It is adding addition pressures to the very people that make our city great.
It’s not right to say something is wrong and not propose alternatives. Here’s my plan, to help fill in the $500 million dollar gap.
Raise the NYC Commuter Tax
The City should levy a higher tax for those living outside of the five boroughs and make over $100,000. They should be very strict about those big-wigs that have crash pads in the city, yet live in the rolling hills of Westchester or Fairfield County. You work here, make the big bucks, so, you must ante up! We can call it the “Bridge and Tunnel Tax.” If they don’t like it, then work somewhere else. From a preliminary search, it seems like roughly 2 million people commute into the five boroughs to work. If we trust this number, then tack on an extra $100 to their commuter taxes, we can help offset some of these budget numbers.
Total Income: $200 million
Tourists
New York City is the country’s biggest tourist attraction. Just Broadway alone keeps the City on the world’s cultural map. Hit these tourists in the Euro! Or, even better, the Pound! Tack on a foreign gate tax at LaGuardia and on NJ Transit from Newark, and on all taxis coming from the local airports into Manhattan. Add restaurant taxes (say .05%) from 86th street to Wall Street, and at all of the hotels. Make people pay to play, and alleviate the cost of living for the people that actually call this city home. According to the always reliable WikiAnswers, over 44 million people visit New York City as tourist. If we simply charged a “$20 per tourist tax,” that gives the city an addition $800 million in revenue to help offset our MTA problem. I know this is not simple, but if anyone can get another $20 from a tourist, it’s a NEW YORKER!
Total Income: $800 million
Sports Teams
The major sports teams that actually play in the city should get hit hard in their endless wallets. The city did much to push through both baseball stadium projects and, if the Mayor got his way, would have been redeveloping Manhattan’s west side and the Queens coastline in preparation for the Olympic Games. Instead, both baseball franchises got nice deals to put their stadiums on public land, with long-term leases. For time’s sake, lets focus on the Yankees.
The Yankees’ new stadium sits on the historic Macombs Dam Park. Unknown to the average fan, Macombs Dam Park is older than the old Yankee Stadium. Both stadiums now occupy public land, and the Yanks do little for the privilege. Besides not providing much post-season excitement, the Yankees seem to find a way to get out of paying for the lease on the 12 acre plot of public land they occupy. During the early 90s, unabashed Yankee fan Rudy Goooooliani signed a sweetheart deal that basically absolved the Bombers from paying their lease and other taxes to the city.
The City should rip that up, and make all four NYC franchises pay $20 million annually to have the right of wearing the NY logo on the gear. If they want to move to Jersey, let them, they just have to leave the name “New York” here.
Total Income: $80 million
Wow, I just raised over $1 billion for our great city, with minimal impact on the folks that live here. I’m going to keep this locked away for my big run for Mayor…
- MATC
Monday, March 23, 2009
#1 - Bronx Elected Officials
Barack Obama and The Bronx
Barack Obama's well-oiled campaign and subsequent election victories have
done much to inspire our country and reinvigorate public faith in our
electoral process. After the 2000 debacle and the voter disenfranchisement
issues, it appears that those that might have been skeptical about
electoral process came out en masse this past November. Regardless of who
won the election, this is a net positive.
During this election we served as eye witnesses the power and reach of
technology. For the first time, the Internet was harnessed to reach voters,
inform the public, and show multiple sides of candidates. Youtube,
Facebook, and MySpace all played important roles in mobilizing online
communities, thus drastically affecting the election. Younger voters were
touched in 2008 in ways the 2004 election could have only hoped. In
addition to being touched, many actually voted, surely swinging counties
and states that helped turn the tide of the election. I think of this
effect in a place like Bucks County, PA, (where I was raised) where you
have a mixture of Conservative Republicans and Regan Democrats (and not
many Black folk) yet it, and the other surrounding Philadelphia counties
went to Obama. I would not have thought this possible when I lived there.
Although this election has inspired many, including this writer, in so many
was, it also has shown me how important local activity is. In the after
glow of this historic year where national politics has mesmerized our
imagination, local politics must now fill this significant void. This is
especially important in The Bronx.
The Bronx is only a two-party system by name; the Democratic Party has
controlled it for the better part of two centuries. Even Abraham Lincoln
lost the popular vote here in both 1860 and 1864. The big party bosses of
the late 19th and early 20th century did much to operate outside of Tammany
control, and build the infrastructure that transformed The Bronx from a
sleepy collection of backwater villages, towns, and farms, to the northern
extension of Manhattan. The development of the Bronx park system (with New
York City's largest park and 4 golf courses), the expansion of subways, the
building of multi-family apartment buildings, the building of a Grand
Concourse and Boulevard, were all great examples of politicians and private
enterprise working closely to develop and improve the borough. Political
connections and influence were crucial during the Depression as Bronx ties
enabled Boss Ed Flynn (a Fordham Grad) to bend the ear of FDR, and have
federal funding go to projects such as the construction of 149th Street
Post Office, numerous schools and the Bronx County Courthouse building that
kept Bronxites working during the midst of the worst economic time in
recent memory. It was this same influence that brought presidential
candidates to the Concourse Plaza Hotel to work for Bronx voters' support.
When is the last time a presidential candidate made it a priority to
campaign in The Bronx?
Obama's election, subsequent momentum and excitement must be redirected
to cast a suspicious eye on Bronx elected officials. For those that don't
know, there was a lengthy and embarrassing fight over the position of Bronx
Democratic Chairman between Assemblymen Jose Rivera and Carl Heastie that
included shady party votes, threats, intimidation, and pending court cases
of who the true Democratic leader is. In the process, Bronx elected
officials, many of whom were looking at term limits and the prospect of
losing lucrative part time employment as elected officials, voted
themselves the possibility of another four years in office by following
Mayor Bloomberg's lead to extend term limits. All the while, gang violence
continues to senselessly claim lives, Bronx schools are used as incubators
for new teaching philosophies (however flawed), and small cultural and
community institutions are looking at severe budget cuts because government
money is drying up. Much of this can be solved by effective, sound advocacy
by elected officials that take up the Bronx's cause, and fight tooth and
nail for every dollar that is allotted. Instead, other boroughs (like
Brooklyn) do all the talking, and make sure their cultural institutions get
funding, streets get cleaned, and people want to visit and live there.
People want to come to visit Yankee Stadium, and then they get the hell
out, barely stopping for food in Belmont before tearing it back to Jersey,
Upstate, Connecticut, or the Island. They surely pay little or no attention
to million plus residents who call this borough home when Yankee Stadium's
mercury-vapor lights shut down.
The Bronx is stuck in the muck of ethnic politics that stagnate an entire
borough, adversely affect 1.4 million people, and causing much of the
positivity over the last 25 years to be overshadowed by petty in-fighting
that threatens the borough's future vitality. This election should show our
elected officials that The Bronx is not for the Puerto Ricans, or
Dominicans, or Africans, or African-Americans, or the Asians, or the Jews,
or the Albanians, or Inuit; it is for all of us. The multi-ethnic audience
that heard Obama on the National Mall was The Bronx: from the Bronxites
that traveled to hear and see it in person, to the Bronxites that forged
the Iron of the Capital Dome to the Bronxites that took Daniel Chester
French's design and sculpted the Lincoln Memorial Statue, on January 20,
2009, the Bronx was in Washington, DC.
Although there have been very active, and positive Bronx politicians over
the last three decades (Fernando Ferrer, Jose Serrano, Wendell Foster,
Herman Badillo come to mind) far too many have been experts in mediocre
politics, putting money into questionable pet projects, suspect non-profits
and their own pockets, practicing the worst kind of nepotism, committing
crimes while in office, ducking constituent meetings as if they are as busy
as heads of state, and missing crucial votes under mysterious circumstances
while the people and institutions they are voted to serve suffer. That is,
unless you are the New York Yankees, and want to use tax-free bonds build a
new stadium on a historic park instead of renovating your previously
tax-payer funded Stadium that you don't pay taxes on anyway. Other than
Councilmember Helen Foster, where were the dissenting, critical voices?
They were busy being leading the roll call in section 39, bleachers.
I'm happy that Barack Obama is our 44th president. However, I am worried
that we will bask in this after glow for too long, and loose our chance to
truly enact local change. Bronxites must stand up and force our elected
officials to demand for better quality grocery stores, more bookstores,
better public health education, better schools, safer community recreation
spaces, and less sneaker/cellphone/jewelery/fast food stores, less gangviolence, and a campaign to encourage tourism as an end to people bad mouthing The Bronx. Regardless of who's in Washington, we must make sure that The Bronx is rightly represented.
- MATC
Barack Obama's well-oiled campaign and subsequent election victories have
done much to inspire our country and reinvigorate public faith in our
electoral process. After the 2000 debacle and the voter disenfranchisement
issues, it appears that those that might have been skeptical about
electoral process came out en masse this past November. Regardless of who
won the election, this is a net positive.
During this election we served as eye witnesses the power and reach of
technology. For the first time, the Internet was harnessed to reach voters,
inform the public, and show multiple sides of candidates. Youtube,
Facebook, and MySpace all played important roles in mobilizing online
communities, thus drastically affecting the election. Younger voters were
touched in 2008 in ways the 2004 election could have only hoped. In
addition to being touched, many actually voted, surely swinging counties
and states that helped turn the tide of the election. I think of this
effect in a place like Bucks County, PA, (where I was raised) where you
have a mixture of Conservative Republicans and Regan Democrats (and not
many Black folk) yet it, and the other surrounding Philadelphia counties
went to Obama. I would not have thought this possible when I lived there.
Although this election has inspired many, including this writer, in so many
was, it also has shown me how important local activity is. In the after
glow of this historic year where national politics has mesmerized our
imagination, local politics must now fill this significant void. This is
especially important in The Bronx.
The Bronx is only a two-party system by name; the Democratic Party has
controlled it for the better part of two centuries. Even Abraham Lincoln
lost the popular vote here in both 1860 and 1864. The big party bosses of
the late 19th and early 20th century did much to operate outside of Tammany
control, and build the infrastructure that transformed The Bronx from a
sleepy collection of backwater villages, towns, and farms, to the northern
extension of Manhattan. The development of the Bronx park system (with New
York City's largest park and 4 golf courses), the expansion of subways, the
building of multi-family apartment buildings, the building of a Grand
Concourse and Boulevard, were all great examples of politicians and private
enterprise working closely to develop and improve the borough. Political
connections and influence were crucial during the Depression as Bronx ties
enabled Boss Ed Flynn (a Fordham Grad) to bend the ear of FDR, and have
federal funding go to projects such as the construction of 149th Street
Post Office, numerous schools and the Bronx County Courthouse building that
kept Bronxites working during the midst of the worst economic time in
recent memory. It was this same influence that brought presidential
candidates to the Concourse Plaza Hotel to work for Bronx voters' support.
When is the last time a presidential candidate made it a priority to
campaign in The Bronx?
Obama's election, subsequent momentum and excitement must be redirected
to cast a suspicious eye on Bronx elected officials. For those that don't
know, there was a lengthy and embarrassing fight over the position of Bronx
Democratic Chairman between Assemblymen Jose Rivera and Carl Heastie that
included shady party votes, threats, intimidation, and pending court cases
of who the true Democratic leader is. In the process, Bronx elected
officials, many of whom were looking at term limits and the prospect of
losing lucrative part time employment as elected officials, voted
themselves the possibility of another four years in office by following
Mayor Bloomberg's lead to extend term limits. All the while, gang violence
continues to senselessly claim lives, Bronx schools are used as incubators
for new teaching philosophies (however flawed), and small cultural and
community institutions are looking at severe budget cuts because government
money is drying up. Much of this can be solved by effective, sound advocacy
by elected officials that take up the Bronx's cause, and fight tooth and
nail for every dollar that is allotted. Instead, other boroughs (like
Brooklyn) do all the talking, and make sure their cultural institutions get
funding, streets get cleaned, and people want to visit and live there.
People want to come to visit Yankee Stadium, and then they get the hell
out, barely stopping for food in Belmont before tearing it back to Jersey,
Upstate, Connecticut, or the Island. They surely pay little or no attention
to million plus residents who call this borough home when Yankee Stadium's
mercury-vapor lights shut down.
The Bronx is stuck in the muck of ethnic politics that stagnate an entire
borough, adversely affect 1.4 million people, and causing much of the
positivity over the last 25 years to be overshadowed by petty in-fighting
that threatens the borough's future vitality. This election should show our
elected officials that The Bronx is not for the Puerto Ricans, or
Dominicans, or Africans, or African-Americans, or the Asians, or the Jews,
or the Albanians, or Inuit; it is for all of us. The multi-ethnic audience
that heard Obama on the National Mall was The Bronx: from the Bronxites
that traveled to hear and see it in person, to the Bronxites that forged
the Iron of the Capital Dome to the Bronxites that took Daniel Chester
French's design and sculpted the Lincoln Memorial Statue, on January 20,
2009, the Bronx was in Washington, DC.
Although there have been very active, and positive Bronx politicians over
the last three decades (Fernando Ferrer, Jose Serrano, Wendell Foster,
Herman Badillo come to mind) far too many have been experts in mediocre
politics, putting money into questionable pet projects, suspect non-profits
and their own pockets, practicing the worst kind of nepotism, committing
crimes while in office, ducking constituent meetings as if they are as busy
as heads of state, and missing crucial votes under mysterious circumstances
while the people and institutions they are voted to serve suffer. That is,
unless you are the New York Yankees, and want to use tax-free bonds build a
new stadium on a historic park instead of renovating your previously
tax-payer funded Stadium that you don't pay taxes on anyway. Other than
Councilmember Helen Foster, where were the dissenting, critical voices?
They were busy being leading the roll call in section 39, bleachers.
I'm happy that Barack Obama is our 44th president. However, I am worried
that we will bask in this after glow for too long, and loose our chance to
truly enact local change. Bronxites must stand up and force our elected
officials to demand for better quality grocery stores, more bookstores,
better public health education, better schools, safer community recreation
spaces, and less sneaker/cellphone/jewelery/fast food stores, less gangviolence, and a campaign to encourage tourism as an end to people bad mouthing The Bronx. Regardless of who's in Washington, we must make sure that The Bronx is rightly represented.
- MATC
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