Pirattitude Gone Wrong

The New Jersey Nets are being moved to Brooklyn. We have no stadium. This means that a huge (and very ugly) arena along with a massive condo complex are going to be built in an already congested part of my borough. Not too far from my house the developers used imminent domain to force people from their homes and businesses so they can raze those buildings to make way for this behemoth that none of us who live here want. When it is finished it will be the densest housing tract in the nation (YUCK!). This is going to mean increased traffic on our streets (which are already crowded), increased ridership on our subway lines (which are already crowded), and a whole host of other problems created not only from the new structures once they're up but even from the demolition of the existing homes and businesses. 350 homeless people have already been pushed out of their shelter after it had to be evacuated when a parapet fell from a building nearby that was being demolished by the developer.

Normally, I'm all for Pirattitude. You know, approaching the world with swashbuckling abandon and not giving a scurvy-ridden care what the landlubbers think of you. However there are times when doing whatever the hell you want with no regard for the consequences is a pretty selfish thing (DUH). Basketball is coming to Brooklyn. Woo frickin' hoo. Oh boy, I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. Basketball is exactly what we need. Excuse me, I just threw up in my mouth a little. What about the homeless shelter? What about the people who are losing their beautiful row homes built in the late 1800s? What about the destruction of old warehouses and factories that are part of the rich history of blue collar industry (which, by the way, all have stunning architectural details)? What about the congestion created on streets and subway lines that can't handle the traffic? What about the fact that none of the residents of this town want this and our government gave the green light for the developer to use imminent domain to steal property? Our government allowed the developers to become Land Grab Pirates. It makes me sick. It's just so wrong!

This video offers free Land Grab Pirate lessons at 10AM at Pier 6 - that's where and when the demo started. *snicker* Too funny.