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EAST SIDE RANT!!!!!!

"The class gap here is not only a grand canyon, but one that is filled with hate, entitlement, and some of the worst liberal hypocrisy I have ever seen. It borders on total ignorance."

"The moneyed people on the east side as a whole, are a bunch of exclusionary monsters, who successfully got rid of the Dunkin Donuts on Hope St.(one of the only affordable lunch counters) because the awning outside 'ruined the neighborhood aesthetic'."

I came across this insightful, heartfelt piece of writing on a discussion board on the Outside In site, simply titled Rant!!!!!!!!.

I suggest it for everyone here as a good read for it is quite apt in some regards and raises some further questions for debate.

Here is the link:

Rant!!!!!!!! (from Outside In)

Here are a few more excerpts:

"I am a native Rhode Islander who lives on the west side, and I have worked in a non-professional job on the east side for almost 5 years. I deal with the public in the Mount Hope/Rochambeau area, and I am currently looking for another job. I am sitting here on a Sunday afternoon so twisted up with anxiety over going to work tomorrow, that I have indigestion, and hives."

"I have lived and worked in several different urban communities in my life including New York City, and the east side is among the worst as far as inter-personal relations go. The people I deal with in the community from day to day are predominately white, and professional. Most are involved to a strong degree in academia-professors, grad students etc. The class gap here is not only a grand canyon, but one that is filled with hate, entitlement, and some of the worst liberal hypocrisy I have ever seen. It borders on total ignorance."

Our ranter sums it up neatly in a few paragraphs:

"To sum it up, the folks I deal with are cold, insulting, and very entitled. They play psychological mind games with me, and treat me like an indentured servant on a day to day basis. I have had so much of my personal self criticized from my wardrobe, to my RI dialect."

"Thanks so much for reading this, I hope others do too, and adopt a new way of looking at class issues apart from race. A little inclusion, faith and open-mindedness never hurt, and smiles on the street are always free."

You comments are welcome both here and on the linked discussion board.

Posted at September 25, 2008 10:23 AM