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August 25, 2006
Sham choice, process
The Brooklyn Papers published this strongly worded editorial about the prevailing dynamic at the Empire State Development Corporation's public hearing on Atlantic Yards.
In one camp, the thugs -- in the other, the nerds.
In the thug camp, hundreds of Ratner supporters shouted down those speaking against the project. This camp made the argument that if Atlantic Yards is not built, it is because the opponents — interlopers, yuppies and racists, all — don’t care about “the community.”
Some even suggested that Atlantic Yards must be built or under-served black youths will be forced to enter a life of crime.
“We don’t want to rob/We just want a job,” several men chanted outside the hearing.
The nerd camp also showed up in force, but with a very different approach. In the face of shouts, taunts and open hostility, the nerds testified that Ratner’s project is flawed and that their community will have to live with its adverse impacts forever.
The anti-Ratner crowd certainly didn’t win any sympathy by complaining that their vacations were shortened by the burden of reading the state’s 2,000-page draft environmental impact statement — but at least they did their job of picking through the flawed state document.
According to our recollection, this editorial marks the first time that the fact that Bruce Ratner supporters at public hearings largely belong to groups being financially supported by the developer has appeared in print in the mainstream media. It's at the very least the first time is has been spelled out this clearly:
Supporters didn’t do their side any favors, either, blindly following “leaders” from ACORN, BUILD or Rev. Herbert Daughtry’s House of the Lord church — all of whom have received financial support from Ratner.
Posted by lumi at August 25, 2006 9:06 AM