The Post might be a race baiting newspaper but I'm keeping my subscription
1. I've already set up automatic payments. I don't look forward to trying undo that.2. The Washington Times? Phooey. I spit on the Times.
3. Comics, sales papers & coupons.
4. Classified (Jobs, Houses for Sale, etc) section better than City Paper's.
5. Paper handy for craft projects.
6. I really, really like the Style section.
7. Cheaper than a NYT or Wall Street Journal subscription.
8. Food section is good too.
9. I use it to clean windows.
10.Thursday District section has Animal Watch (aka Stupid Humans).
Okay, I sense a theme. [sarcasm]Middle class white people are evil. Well at least the ones who live outside their designated areas.[/sarcasm] Designated areas are neighborhoods west of the park, maybe west of 16th Street, small sections around Capitol Hill.
The Post gentrification stories pretty much harp on a certain theme as Truxtonian pointed out. Find two opposing sides, mix in race and stir. Over at Frozen Tropics there has been a flurry of comments about the Schwartzman article on H St. In it some residents were dismayed over comments in the article by Martini Lounge owner Clifford Humphrey, who (I guess- ID is so hard on these things) said he was misquoted. Personally, I'm willing to accept that was the case, not he's the first person to be misquoted or have words taken out of context by the press. As I remember when there was an article about the corner of T & 14th that painted a picture of Mike Benson (owner of Bar Pillar & Saint X) in a certain light that didn't really jive with the Benson I know. Heck, Jimbo pointed out to me in last week's WP Express a quote taken from my blog, made me look like an anti-church anti-Christian. The words were mine, but cropped giving it another feel. And by the way my regulars know I'm a regular church going Episcopalian (except for Christmas and Easter). So I'm willing to cut Humphreys some slack.
Labels: gentrification, media
posted by Mari @ 6.4.06
3 Comments:
The Post has a template for stories about changing neighborhoods.
All it then does is find/twist quotes to make it so.
For its first year I got to like the DC Examiners local (not national) coverage. It was more detailed, fairer and much better than the Post. Since they had a redesign of the paper and website it has taken quite a few steps back. They must have fired a writer or two as there are less stories about DC and the ink they now use ends up allover hands/clothes.
I recall a couple of years ago when the City Paper managed to quote one of H Street's most vocal supporters as saying "H Street really looks like Hell." I think the full quote was something like "I know that H Street really looks like Hell now, but..." So, yeah, I think sometimes it is not so hard to pull quotes & facts out of context and have them tell a story that is less than accurate. I know that I am constantly amazed at the ability of photos that lack context to appear to tell a story that is quite different from what you see if you are standing there on the street.
What's wrong with tough love? (H Street really looks like hell...) Granted I was surprised with the 1100-1600 blocks of 9th Street NW, I mean I knew what they were like, but they are worse than H Street (better buildings though).
What is it about refusing to admit what the issues and problems are? Without doing so we can't fix 'em.
And, while you're a crazy exception, it isn't in the condition that women would think the commercial district is attractive and safe and be willing to shop there (not getting into the issue of whether or not there are businesses there to shop--there are and they are increasing, but it's no Georgetown in any case).
Since women conduct upwards of 80% of all retail transactions, this is a serious issue that can't be ignored.
If the commercial district doesn't "show well," it won't be shopped. And it doesn't matter if we think that grit is cute...
I don't say make it look like Hilton Head, but there's something to be said for shopping in a commercial district where the buildings are in good condition.
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