my ironic mustache

I thought about it commenting on one of these stories, but I didn’t feel like I’ve been in town long enough to make statements about how the development affects the area.  Looking at it now though, I guess I have a few thoughts.  The vandalism was clearly laughably ignorant (and GRIID’s Kate Wheeler’s calling it “protest” and comparing it to civil rights/Nazi resistance was downright insulting) and it really sucks that people have to destroy the good work of others in bringing about positive change in that neighborhood.  Plus, an anarchy brick?  Jesus Christ – I can see the new best selling item at Hot Topic.  Full disclosure, I patronize and promote the vandalized businesses and think they are awesome for Grand Rapids.

That said, I can feel and see a divide between one side of the street and the other on Wealthy (figuratively and literally).  The way that the Baxter neighborhood rubs up against East Hills, Eastown, Ottawa Hills, and East Grand Rapids has always created a mildly uncomfortable tension that I believe gives the Southeast side its character.  Clearly, middle class people (largely young & white) are finding their way back into the city center, which casts a sharper focus onto how the community appears, which is divided – because it is.  The black communities in most cities – from Kentwood to Detroit to Washington, D.C., etc. – do for whatever reason tend to stay segregated.  It’s a shame.  But it’s not a Grand Rapids issue, it’s an American, or even a human, issue.  Show me a city – any collection of people – and I’ll show you hatred, strife, and discrimination.

So is it the fault of these businesses on Wealthy that disparities exist?  Obviously not.  Not in the least.  And objectively, Grand Rapids is very kind to its least fortunate citizens – the homeless and poor people here are usually at least somewhat considered in decision-making processes and the city always makes sure that they can at least eat a meal and a bed.  If you want big, bad development taking over poorer areas, try a neighborhood like Wicker Park in the 1990s or present-day Shaw-U in DC or any present-day city in China to see how truly unforgiving the invisible hand can be when left to its own devices.  Most big cities are mercenary when it comes to development.  “Oh, you live here?  Sorry – not anymore.”

Bottom line, are there class and race tensions and conflicts inherent in most American cities?  Yes – always have been, always will be (see Gangs of New York or read Boss by Mike Royko).  Will they get worse as the close-in neighborhoods become more white and affluent in most cities (all across this country)?  Maybe.  Is this demographic limited to Grand Rapids or somehow the fault of local business owners?  Surely not.  Does Grand Rapids have a gentrification problem?  No, I wouldn’t say so – it does a good job keeping the neighborhood diverse, economically and otherwise. There is not much to apologize for – and anyone who tries to come down on that side of it is ignorant and wrong.

I would also say that as a city, Grand Rapids’ “arts” community (or whatever other moniker you want to give to newer inner-city dwellers and stakeholders that aren’t working-class “natives”) does seem to bend over backwards to not come off as heartless, racist, classist, or any of those things implied or shouted in the graffiti.  The whole fact that this incident even happened (and the response it provoked) would be laughable in a city with any real problems.  In many other places outside of cloistered West Michigan, this kind of open mockery of development and the established order would not only be laughable, but it would probably result in police crackdowns of the violent sort.  My old boss in Chicago can tell you – her dad was out there in gunfights with Puerto Rican radicals in the 1960s who were defending “their turf” from the white political order.  Grand Rapids punks (who I am assuming were responsible) love to act like they are so tough and radical, but I would beg for them to go to Chicago and start some shit with the boys in blue responsible for the 1968 police riots – you’d see less of this juvenile behavior.

Plus, their actions make Grand Rapids seem as petty and childish as the Calvin College administration did when they canceled the New Pornographers show – you’d think everyone in the city would want to put its best face forward to bring in attention, people, tourism, and MONEY to the city.  (You know, since there are so many fucking poor people in Michigan thanks to the economy.)

Grand Rapids is a truly progressive city – maybe even more so than Ann Arbor, where people talk about the environment and being progressive but drive around in BMW’s and eat $20 sandwiches at Zingermann’s Deli (all in completely white neighborhoods).  Just because there are quite a few republicans here that believe in god does not make this town backwards… but incidents like this do.

The fact that so many people truly care about their community, however, regardless of where they stand on these issues, does point out what a true gift this town has that many others don’t.  It’s like being part of something cool and organic before it was co-opted, which is weird, because even the big money interests – like DeVos with Artprize – are doing truly DIY, progressive, cool things that people are finding out about.  I personally have had several people tell me that they stumbled into Grand Rapids and were super-surprised at how cool and fun it is.  Sure, there is work to be done, but this town has absolutely nothing to be ashamed of or apologize for.

Just my $.02.

ADDENDUM: If you’re really punk, how about taking your “protesting” to Wal-Mart, a company that treats people and the environment around the world like disposable diapers.  Or how about all those banks, Michigan-based and otherwise that got bailed out and whose executives are laughing at how big their bonuses were, while they evict working families from their house?  Go protest there.

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-srd