Comments on: The Real Terrorists To NYC

By: Exodus Mentality

Exodus Mentality — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 20:14:49 +0000

You may know that I’m a native of Atlanta, GA. But I am now one of those “settlers”. I wasn’t aware that my presence here could have such a profound impact, and now that I do, I will endeavor to tread softly. I’ll always be a Georgia boy, and I couldn’t imagine NY being anything like where I’m from.

But can I add a bit of out-of-towner perspective to this mix? I’ve only been here two weeks (I expect to be here at least two years), and I’m an explorer so I made a point of looking around a bit, Staten Island, Bronx, Manhattan. From what I can see there are at least two New Yorks, and possible more. One is the Manhattan style New Yorker, and one is the Borough bound New Yorker. These two people tend to view NY from very different perspectives. Perhaps I should be more discerning of who is new to this and who is a native, but the vibe I’ve gotten in these areas and from the people is markedly different. I’ve seen borough people act differently when thy are in Manhattan; haven’t had a chance to see a Manhattanite in the boroughs yet. But like I said it’s only been two weeks, and I was a commuter (from NJ) for that whole time .

I’m looking forward to adding some of what I bring to the NY mix. Everyone tried to warn me before I got here about how NY is, and I have to say I’m really enjoying the city thus far. As for the movies, NY and LA are where everything is happening. Do you know how bad we want somebody to blow up Atlanta in the movies. The only person who cares about us is Tyler Perry, and he ain’t blowing up squat.

Jose, if it’s not too much trouble, hit me on the email and give me the insider’s view. I could use some guidance from a native who’s active in and knows the pulse of the city.

By: Hugh O'Donnell

Hugh O'Donnell — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 02:30:46 +0000

Jose, you’re right on target about the developers and greed. It’s the same right here in Hillsboro, Oregon! But I have a feeling that New Yorkers will overcome.

BTW, I was a Dodger fan till the bums left Brooklyn. I wouldn’t root for the Yanks or the Mets if my life depended on it. ;)

By: Jose

Jose — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:31:46 +0000

Tayin, I gotta tell you, at first I didn’t know how to read that comment, but now that I read it, you’re on the mark, my friend.

JD, loving the comment. I’m offended by ppl in general who come into a situation acting like they know it all about a situation and impose their views on others rather than (at least) doing their research and not being croonies and yuppies. Whoops, did I say that?

e., as a visitor, you fit. even as an NYer, you’re fitting in quite nicely. I will say though that even those joggers aren’t the cause. wish I could put my finger on it …

danielle, yes, let’s bring this to twitter, along with that meme I’m cookin’ up for Thursday …

By: Danielle Vyas

Danielle Vyas — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:06:57 +0000

I was born and raised in Boston now in Vegas.

This is a great piece but is it “the settlers” that are recreating the image of New York’s destruction.

I would imagine that those who are in the arts and are dedicated and move to New York add flavor to the city but then you have people out to suck it dry.

We still feel something when we see the World Trade Center in movies, I know I do. Why would an industry try to recreate destruction? It is hard for me not to smell a focused motive.

Great to connect with you at Twitter.

Peace
Danielle

By: e.

e. — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 20:14:47 +0000

oh i really enjoyed this. as a settler it doesn’t quiet hit as close to home as it probably should. as for the terrorist, i live in bedstuy, maybe 6 blocks from the marcy projects and i see lil white chicks jogging in the morning. the end is near and there’s no where left to run.

By: Tayinnaweyin

Tayinnaweyin — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 16:56:16 +0000

Like Cheney said, it’s a given that we are going to loose a city to a ‘terrorist’ nuke. maybe these images and themes in current films is the Pentagon/Hollywood’s method of desensitizing us to any destruction of NYC. And if it does not happen to NYC, it will be one of the other ‘liberal’ cities. And 50 years down the road(if there will even be a 50 years down the road) it will come out that it wasn’t a ‘muslim’ terrorist group but a militant christian group that was responsible.

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 05:21:24 +0000

Lots of stuff, lots of touched nerves.

I know how to say Houston, but I don’t know why.

I’ll never be a native. I’ve lived here since before any of my students were born. Doesn’t matter.

But I am offended by the out of towners running the mayor’s office and the transit authority and the department of education.

Class and race are the biggest divides. And location. The boroughs are different from Manhattan, and less different from each other, but there are more similarities between far neighborhoods with different feels in different boroughs, than for example, between Fordham and Riverdale.

Humble means low to the ground, if we choose that meaning.

I like the title.

By: Jose

Jose — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:44:06 +0000

Fair enough, but we can say that NYC had already been destroyed a few times before 9/11, and I bring that up because it’s become much easier to destroy NYC in movies after 9/11 with all the CG and desensitizing due to the recurring (ad nauseum) news channels using terror for ratings. And like I said, all this destruction is concurrent with the real “rebuilding” of NYC. Weird stuff.

By: Sherman Dorn

Sherman Dorn — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 01:18:12 +0000

Your choice of images is apt: There’s a lot of film analysis that sees the Godzilla/Gojira films as a way for postwar Japanese culture to talk about nuclear warfare. I think 9/11 is still too close to think about disaster films in the same way here: the first Godzilla movie wasn’t until 1954, almost a decade after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. But I could be wrong; there are no absolute parallels…