Gentrification is Unethical

Gentrification is Unethical. The rising rate of rent in New York and Washington DC, and most probably other American cities is obvious. It is a clear whitewashing of neighborhoods, pushing hardworking working class poor out of neighborhoods that they have lived in for decades into isolated crowded neighborhoods unseen, or even worse into the streets.

Homelessness and ghetto-ization seem parallel with not only the clashing image of affluence that makes one wonder how can anyone afford to live in such neighborhoods in Prospect Park, Long Island City, or near Union Station, but what jobs are fuelling their economy and no one else’s; but it also parallels the refugee crisis in Europe from Syria. It seems only in due time that poor income Americans, many immigrants to the US, will be marching out of these cities completely in droves. Unless they stage a protest on a major scale, but that is most likely not going to happen due to being too busy to make ends meet and fending for one’s own. Only leaders from a socio-economic class level may temper and tamper some noise. Yet America is also more equipped for any such demonstration with its militarized police force.

In the light of Europe’s declining populations, an influence of immigrants could significantly help the waning nations; however, fear of losing cultural identity makes many EU nations appear resistant and racist. In America, the gentrification, or pushing housing levels to rates only the wealthy can afford, mostly white dominant, is racist as well; this stark reversal, and yet the aware and unaware privileged should resist moving if it is driving those who cannot afford away. It is almost in drastic comparison to Israeli settlements that are intentionally ignoring Palestinians, as if their right to existence is nil to none. This is Unethical.

At least in Europe, the residing can afford to embrace human beings fleeing an immediate violent threat between homeless emigration or death, by showing open arms of assistance. In America, this could be true too, the gentrification is a slow process but it is accelerating. If it were not for greedy landlords or wealthy elites wanting a stark image of hierarchy of affluence, the ability to keep prices affordable would be a simple action. Instead, the rise in apartment trends in cities like New York, in Queens and Brooklyn, and in Washington DC, should follow the trend of Tom’s Shoes, for every pair bought another is donated to someone who needs a pair; for every new escalated apartment,  another should be donated for a  family in need.