I thought left wing activists were all for progress?
The Trader Joe’s grocery-store chain has dropped a plan to open a new store in the heart of the city’s historically African-American neighborhood after activists said the development would price black residents out of the area.
The grocer, whose stores are found in urban neighborhoods across the nation, said Monday it wouldn’t press its plan, given community resistance, The Oregonian reported.
“We open a limited number of stores each year, in communities across the country,” it said in a statement. “We run neighborhood stores, and our approach is simple: If a neighborhood does not want a Trader Joe’s, we understand, and we won’t open the store in question.”
Higher property values, an end to the “urban food desert” and “living wage” jobs?
Just what were these folks afraid of? Being able to sell their homes for more than they bought them for?
To say the left is anti change would be more correct. I would assume that everyone in that neighborhood is on the public dole and they cannot assimilate change. Course to live is to change so I’m not sure they will be able to achieve their goals.
I saw a liberal comment on the story yesterday, saying that gentrification is an enemy of economic equality. It just hammers home what a friend once told me; “A socialist/communist is someone who has nothing, and wants to share it with everybody.”
In all fairness, they have (somewhat of) a point. Oregon’s property taxes are…not the lowest…and that area, being within the city boundaries of Portland proper, would likely see a not-insignificant increase in property taxes as a result of the ‘improvement’ tot he neighborhood. When they talk of ‘pricing residents out of the neighborhood’, it’s most likely the increased tax burden that would do it.
Still and all, I think they did a disservice to the actual residents of the neighborhood* who WANTED the store.
*Reports are that not a single one of those making the demands actually lived in the effected neighborhood.
The operator here is a group called PAALF, which after sucking up City and charitable trust moolah, finally revealed it’s true intent: it is a black racist outfit which blames everything on Whitey, demands “reparations” for slavery, etc. This outfit opposes serious efforts and money to upgrade the ghetto into something slightly more civilized. They opposed Trader Joe’s, but wouldn’t have minded another tobacco/beer shop selling 40’s and cheap smokes.
I say build a wall around these self-righteous ghettos, and once a year, have an amnesty where people who live there can move out under guard against their oppressors.
Does this sound racist to you? It isn’t, it’s merely the counter point to PAALF.
Nope, they just don’t want white people in their hood:)
Might add too much “class” for them.
Merle