New York times op ed on maintaining black spaces

[Anonymous]

Has anybody read the op ed by Erin Kaplan. In it, there is a quote

What I resented was not this specific couple. It was their whiteness, and my feelings of helplessness at not knowing how to maintain the integrity of a Black space that I had created. I was seeing up close how fragile that space can be, how its meaning can be changed in my mind, even by people who have no conscious intention to change it. That library was on my lawn, but for that moment it became theirs. I built it and drove it into the ground because I love books and always have. But I suddenly felt that I could not own even this, something that was clearly and intimately mine.

I have to admit this makes me, as a white person, feel hopeless. How can we ever get along if "white people" just looking at a little library set up for the public by the author triggers her? And what does she expect the readership to gain from this paper? Is it supposed to encourage me to avoid black neighborhoods? To understand if my black neighbors seem hostile for no apparent reason? Who was her intended audience and why?

And why did the NY time publish this? Who were they expecting it to impact, and how?

[Anonymous]

Can you link it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you link it?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/opinion/gentrification-los-angeles-little-library.html

[Anonymous]

I don’t understand OP why it bothers you to hear opinions that you disagree with or makes you sad. The author is entitled to express her opinion and feelings just like Tom Cotton or the many other voices we hear in media.

The only person who should take this personally are the white people the author discuss. How often are Black people confronted with bad feelings from whites?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you link it?

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/05/opinion/gentrification-los-angeles-little-library.html

Aaaaaaand this is why people will be voting Republican in November. This myopic singular focus on identity politics. This is just utter, navel-gazing, polarizing click bait tripe that further Balkanizes an already polarized United States. At worst the author is a clueless naive bigot and at worst a racist. Oops I forgot in this day and age she can’t be racist.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t understand OP why it bothers you to hear opinions that you disagree with or makes you sad. The author is entitled to express her opinion and feelings just like Tom Cotton or the many other voices we hear in media.

The only person who should take this personally are the white people the author discuss. How often are Black people confronted with bad feelings from whites?

How do you think the white people the author discusses should feel? And sure, it is her right. but if many black people feel this way, how will our nation ever heal?

[Anonymous]

These best solution would be to put a “no Caucasians” sign on the library. Additionally, the neighborhood should institute racial covenants against white people to ensure it prevents gentrification.

[Anonymous]

I usually do a mental exercise when I read stuff like this where I switch the races up. Could you imagine the NYT publishing an article with the following text:

What I resented was not this specific couple. It was their blackness, and my feelings of helplessness at not knowing how to maintain the integrity of a White space that I had created.

How is it different when the races are switched around? Especially when we are talking about a little library on your front lawn that is supposed to be for everyone in the community. What is the author arguing for? Does she want explicit white and black neighborhoods where the races don't mix? Would that make her happy? I'm with you OP, I just don't get it. This is the NY Times here, not an anonymous post on a message board or nextdoor or facebook where people can vent about every little thing.

[Anonymous]

I guess it is scary to have White people in your neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

NYTs turned off the comments on this article. LOL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I usually do a mental exercise when I read stuff like this where I switch the races up. Could you imagine the NYT publishing an article with the following text:

What I resented was not this specific couple. It was their blackness, and my feelings of helplessness at not knowing how to maintain the integrity of a White space that I had created.

How is it different when the races are switched around? Especially when we are talking about a little library on your front lawn that is supposed to be for everyone in the community. What is the author arguing for? Does she want explicit white and black neighborhoods where the races don't mix? Would that make her happy? I'm with you OP, I just don't get it. This is the NY Times here, not an anonymous post on a message board or nextdoor or facebook where people can vent about every little thing.

It's different because blacks have historically been persecuted by whites. If you'd read the entire article, you'd get that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I usually do a mental exercise when I read stuff like this where I switch the races up. Could you imagine the NYT publishing an article with the following text:

What I resented was not this specific couple. It was their blackness, and my feelings of helplessness at not knowing how to maintain the integrity of a White space that I had created.

How is it different when the races are switched around? Especially when we are talking about a little library on your front lawn that is supposed to be for everyone in the community. What is the author arguing for? Does she want explicit white and black neighborhoods where the races don't mix? Would that make her happy? I'm with you OP, I just don't get it. This is the NY Times here, not an anonymous post on a message board or nextdoor or facebook where people can vent about every little thing.

It's different because blacks have historically been persecuted by whites. If you'd read the entire article, you'd get that.

do two wrongs make a right?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I usually do a mental exercise when I read stuff like this where I switch the races up. Could you imagine the NYT publishing an article with the following text:

What I resented was not this specific couple. It was their blackness, and my feelings of helplessness at not knowing how to maintain the integrity of a White space that I had created.

How is it different when the races are switched around? Especially when we are talking about a little library on your front lawn that is supposed to be for everyone in the community. What is the author arguing for? Does she want explicit white and black neighborhoods where the races don't mix? Would that make her happy? I'm with you OP, I just don't get it. This is the NY Times here, not an anonymous post on a message board or nextdoor or facebook where people can vent about every little thing.

It's different because blacks have historically been persecuted by whites. If you'd read the entire article, you'd get that.

so the point is that blacks need to punish whites who look at their public little library for the past sins of white? that couple had done nothing wrong...

[Anonymous]

Rather than considering the entire op-ed, y'all are cherry picking certain passages that trigger your fear cortex.

[Anonymous]

The NYT should not be publishing racial garbage like that article. It’s truly appalling.