[email protected] wrote:
On Wed, Jun 3, 2009 at 1:31 PM, Frank <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
I just passed and someone had thrown paint at their beautiful new
sign. Sad.
In a message dated 6/3/2009 1:41:23 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[email protected] writes:
I was there this morning, it was specific vandalization, it said
"fuck gentrification" or words to that effect. I guess the
squatters are feeling a bit of pressure these days, like rats on a
sinking ship. Really sad, I guess they don't keep up on area
history to know that GS has been around a lot longer than most of
them......
Don't get me wrong, here. I strongly disapprove of vandalism and other
acts of destruction as a form of protest. And I'm certainly sorry that
Roger and the others who put a lot of sweat and money into setting up
their new cafe now have to spend more to fix up the sign.
Recognize, though, that a lot of people who make this neighborhood
their home feel threatened by gentrification because it means things
like displacement, rises in the cost of living, loss of the
conveniences they find important, and disdain by people who think
they're better than everyone else. Some may, in fact, be squatters.
I'd venture to guess, however, that many of those who find
gentrification threatening are legitimate owners or renters worried
about making ends meet and maintaining whatever quality of life they
happen to have.
To liken them to rats on a sinking ship reflects the anointed (you
didn't think I dropped this adjective from my thesaurus, did you?)
attitude that justifies and reinforces their fears.
What bothers me is that the "rats on a sinking ship" bit just _doesn't
make sense_. Don't they teach people how to use analogies, similes and
metaphors any more?
