Gentrifiers and Black Lives Matter yard signs

[Anonymous]

It won't make black people like you, or forgive you for pricing them out of a neighborhood their family has lived in for 80 years.

All it really says is "I'm a white dumbass, and probably defenseless inside my home, if anyone wants to do a little home invasion action".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Was driving through a certain white neighborhood in Silver Spring, and EVERYONE had those signs on their front lawn.

I understand the sense of urgency, but those signs are ugly and they're getting tiresome.

Reminds me of the signs black business owners posted during the MLK assassination riots. Business owners hoped the rioters would spare them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It won't make black people like you, or forgive you for pricing them out of a neighborhood their family has lived in for 80 years.

All it really says is "I'm a white dumbass, and probably defenseless inside my home, if anyone wants to do a little home invasion action".

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have one of those signs that says "wherever you're from, we're glad you're our neighbor" in English, Arabic and Spanish. Twice people have knocked on our door and thanked us for having it out there. That felt good if we are contributing in some way to a more welcome feeling. It's not a replacement for activism but I think it does matter.

Just out of curiosity-- how many of your actual neighbors speak Spanish or Arabic ?

According to Wikipedia, my neighborhood is 57% black, 15% white, 26% hispanic, and 2% asian. Don't know about Arabic.

So you have a sign welcoming yourselves and Hispanics to the neighborhood but not the majority population. Racist, no?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - this is a great discussion, thanks for all of the responses. My intent with a sign would be to do what others mentioned - indicate allyship with the intent of opening lines of communication with our neighbors. I think demonstrating awareness and recognizing white privilege (especially in a gentrifying neighborhood) is important and not something that we can assume everyone is on the same page about. We know and are friendly with all of the neighbors on our block already and make an effort to contribute to the neighborhood (shoveling the neighbor's walk, helping the older folks carry things, etc.). The point isn't to pat ourselves on the back, but to be kind because that's the right thing to do. (Plus it's easier to knock on the neighbor's door to borrow something if you already know their name!)

I actually work in social services in DC, so although I don't spend a ton of extra time outside of work hours, I do work in the community I live in (it's a lame excuse, but it's HARD to do anything between naps on the weekend!). I appreciate the reminders that if I am willing to put up a sign, I should be willing to sacrifice some actual time and energy to actions as well.

I don't have a problem with the signs, but it sounds like you have an Internet-y idea of race relations. Your neighbors may not care about "allyship" as expressed by a sign, when you are materially contributing to gentrification, deteriorating neighborhood schools, etc. "Demonstrating awareness" is also not going to take you very far when it comes to actually establishing relationships with your neighbors. TONS of people in my neighborhood have these signs; yet they are the WORST hypocrites when it comes to schools etc.

I am confused. Is it not possible that someone thinks their own kids will be better off going to school with mostly high SES kids, yet still object to violence against young black men by the police? Isn't BLM a statement of support for the basic idea that black people should not be shot by representatives of the state, rather than a sign of agreement with all political positions held by african americans?

You mean "black lives matter BUT I wouldn't EVER EVRR OMG! send my child to school with your black child!" No, that doesn't really work.

And having your black child at my kid's birthday party -- no, just no!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virtue signaling is so obnoxious.

+1

Criticizing "virtue signaling" is just another form of virtue signaling. What, you want a pat on the back?

LOL THANK YOU! I hate the "virtue signaling" poster.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We live in North Michigan Park. We're white, our neighborhood is 80% black. We bought a house we could afford, and because we're white I guess that makes us gentrifiers. When we moved here we introduced ourselves to our neighbors and always greet folks when we're on a walk or out doing yard work. We've become friends with many of the folks in our block. Most are seniors, all black. We did a lot of work on our house ourselves and lots of our neighbors have thanked us for cleaning up a rundown house. We're involved in local advocacy issues but we don't have a BLM sign. Hoping our continued actions speak for themselves.

FYI: Black people do not like being referred to as "folks."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in North Michigan Park. We're white, our neighborhood is 80% black. We bought a house we could afford, and because we're white I guess that makes us gentrifiers. When we moved here we introduced ourselves to our neighbors and always greet folks when we're on a walk or out doing yard work. We've become friends with many of the folks in our block. Most are seniors, all black. We did a lot of work on our house ourselves and lots of our neighbors have thanked us for cleaning up a rundown house. We're involved in local advocacy issues but we don't have a BLM sign. Hoping our continued actions speak for themselves.

FYI: Black people do not like being referred to as "folks."

Uh, black perso, here. This is random and wrong. Lots of black people use the word, and it is benign.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:THE NEW URBAN IS SO LAME. IT SUCKS. GENTRIFIERS ARE A BIG PART OF IT. NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF URBAN TRY HARDS FROM THE SUBURBS.

Oh, you're just being silly here. You really need to up your insult game because this is lame, pp.

It is 100% true though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:THE NEW URBAN IS SO LAME. IT SUCKS. GENTRIFIERS ARE A BIG PART OF IT. NOTHING BUT A BUNCH OF URBAN TRY HARDS FROM THE SUBURBS.

Oh, you're just being silly here. You really need to up your insult game because this is lame, pp.

It is 100% true though.

New poster. No not true.

[Anonymous]

Agree with the many people of color that actions speak louder than words. And I have seen precious little action thus far. Even simple things, like when a psycho repeatedly posts hateful and racist things on the neighborhood list serv.. I don't notice that much uproar. Or anyone that's genuinely worried about immigrants aside from getting their child in an immersion school.

[Anonymous]

Gentrified cities along with their gentrifier ilk are lame.

Very lame.

I'm white. Not black.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Virtue signaling is so obnoxious.

+1

Criticizing "virtue signaling" is just another form of virtue signaling. What, you want a pat on the back?

LOL THANK YOU! I hate the "virtue signaling" poster.

I'm the "virtue signaling" poster. Why do you hate me?

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm black and live in neighborhood near yours. There are several BLM signs around us in the yards of people who are not black. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm glad people feel strongly enough about the message to identify themselves as believing in it.

That said, people will form opinions of you that you don't like and if your husband doesn't feel comfortable with that, that matters too.

We're also gentrifiers, though I guess being black cancels out the impact of that. But having kids changes what you have to consider and I could understand if your husband is coming at it from that angle, even if he doesn't articulate it that way. It's kinda ironic that I don't feel that my kid, young as he is, is entirely safe around gentrifiers.

So put up the sign because it sends a message to moms like me. Don't do it if it makes your own family uncomfortable. They're more important, and there are other ways.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm black and live in neighborhood near yours. There are several BLM signs around us in the yards of people who are not black. Doesn't bother me in the slightest. I'm glad people feel strongly enough about the message to identify themselves as believing in it.

That said, people will form opinions of you that you don't like and if your husband doesn't feel comfortable with that, that matters too.

We're also gentrifiers, though I guess being black cancels out the impact of that. But having kids changes what you have to consider and I could understand if your husband is coming at it from that angle, even if he doesn't articulate it that way. It's kinda ironic that I don't feel that my kid, young as he is, is entirely safe around gentrifiers.

So put up the sign because it sends a message to moms like me. Don't do it if it makes your own family uncomfortable. They're more important, and there are other ways.

No. Being black doesn't cancel out the impact of that. As a white non-gentrifier you are just as bad. You are pricing people out of their homes and doing the same thing. Own it.