Flickr Buzz: June 1, 2012

I live in this part of town and I read the same community papers the so-called original residents read. I listen to what they’re saying. I also see how they carry on day to day. The common thread: They like to complain about change  or just everything in general. They’re in a wretched state because all they ever do is blame others for their problems. This is not a societal issue, it’s a matter of each personality and addiction to drugs. Wake up, man. 

Housing every sob story is not going to fix anything. Why is it society’s burden to provide even more social services and handouts? Ever heard of welfare Wednesdays? That’s when everyone is out getting their cheque. So don’t regurgitate that tired old garbage about gentrifying and things getting too pricey. The people who let that part of town decay are miserable and have no respect for themselves and this manifests in the way they treat their own neighbourhood and neighbours. How many times have you been ranted at or hassled for money for “food” when 1. There are at least a half dozen places to get free or dirt cheap good food in the area, and 2. you can see these same people around injecting their “food” all the time. That’s why it’s so “gritty”. Gritty as in neglected and dirty.

Have you seen the new businesses opening up in that area? They’re revitalizing it while trying to stay true to the spirit of Chinatown (just like you prescribed, oh wise one). But there is no culture to preserve. It’s not a museum, it’s a city district that was falling apart. Chinatown is a long way off from gentrifying. This is not the West End. It’s art studios, galleries and local minded eateries. The people opening these businesses usually live in East Van and actually give a shit about it. They’re not Walmart or some other multinational. These are first time, young entrepreneurs who actually have some brains and haven’t given up on life like those so-called residents who people think need more social housing. It’s just the way life works. You stagnate, you give up? You fade away. 

But, “oh! they charge too much for their products. No they don’t. In the case of food vendors it’s a higher quality than what you get at the grocery stores nearby and it’s locally sourced. If you still want cheap food there are still plenty of places in that part of town where you can get $5 meals and ridiculously cheap groceries. And there’s no sign of those places going anywhere anytime soon. Chinatown has to have variety and many different flavors. The businesses that are transforming the area are not kicking anybody out. They are taking up spaces that have been empty or abandoned for years and actually bringing the arts and culture that Chinatown has been sorely lacking for so long.

Admittedly I was already worked up before I ever read your post. But I do appreciate you writing back with a little more thought, even if you’re still horribly wrong.

Let’s clarify a few things. The method of beefing up social service funds and building more affordable housing and increasing welfare checks is the way it’s been being done forever. It’s not working and it’s not going to work. Why? Because you can’t just throw money at a problem and hope it will solve itself. That, to me, is the worst kind of generalization. If you want to make a difference in someone’s life two things have to happen: you have to put your own time and effort and care into it and so does the person who is receiving the help. 

There are programs in place for people on the mend like Insite and social housing for those who have resolved to make a change and get out of the addict lifestyle. I’m not just talking about drug addiction. Drugs are not the problem. I’m talking about addiction to depression and a lack of self worth. But these programs are only available to people who actually make the effort to reach out and take advantage of it. I have friends who have been lost in a vicious cycle of poverty and addiction for years who are now in these programs. Sure, they relapse every now and again. But overall they are on an upward trend. I have no qualms about my taxes going to something like that because it’s a helping hand that has to be earned. It’s not another handout.

And this is really the crux of the issue. If you don’t love yourself, you can’t love anything. Not your neighbourhood, not your fellow man. If you don’t care about yourself why should anyone else?

Vancouver will not be improved by concentrating on people who don’t give a shit. It’s going to improve in parallel with the efforts we put into our economy. The stakeholders in this, the real dialogue, are the young entrepreneurs, designers, and developers. Anybody who sticks around long enough to give this place the injection of progress it needs. Don’t paint developers as these cartoon villains. That’s just childish. Life is not that black and white. We can’t be spending any more time paying for the other peoples’ past and ongoing mistakes. We need to be adults now and take responsibility for everything we do. This is a lesson that, unfortunately so many I’ve met have missed. This includes you it seems. That’s why you sympathize and just repeat popular but erroneous sentiment. Don’t put words in my mouth and tell me what my vision is. You have no idea what you’re saying. 

Here’s a reality check. This is North America. It’s not the third world. Have you been to Uganda or the favella of Sao Palo? Go see what true poverty and desperation looks like. Understand that in places like that, yeah, it’s not entirely their fault. There are significant outside forces working against them. There is no healthcare, welfare cheque or even basic human rights. But there are plenty of drugs there too. The difference is that here people are not really that desperate. See for yourself how they carry on at their leisure day in and day out for years on end. The relatively small percent of deaths in the DTES are from overdoses and diseases born of substance abuse; self inflicted suffering. Not starvation. Not militias. Shit, those who I’ve talked to even proudly announced that they moved out to Vancouver for the nicer weather. Did you get that part? PLANNING to be homeless and broke longer but in more comfort. More proof of taking the lazy route. I’ll say it again, WAKE UP!

I have to ask you, did you write me back because you actually believe in what you’re saying or do you just not want to lose an argument? If it’s the latter, I won’t respond anymore. It’s not about ego for me. The thoughts I am sharing in this post are a product of my opinion based on my experiences and careful thought. Nothing else. I came to these opinions over years. The reason I’m actually taking the time to write this is so others might read it and rethink the status quo. So, for all I care you can take it or leave it. Maybe we are having two different conversations. You’re also just not ready to hear the truth and make a change. Go figure.

Oh yeah, as for the cheap food “we all know that’s far more myth than reality” I think we = just you. You need to get our more. I know these places and so does every resident of Chinatown/ Strathcona. Including the people I’m talking about above.

Cheap Food:
Kent’s Kitchen: $5.04 for a huge portion of rice with two of any topping you want. $4.5o after 5:30pm.
Gain Wah, Phnom Pen, Pho Le… Also super cheap. 
Carnegie Community Centre, corner of Main and Hastings. $3 or so. Need I go on?

Groceries:
Any flippin’ chinese grocery store on pender, keefer, gore etc.. Pick one.
Cheapest? Sunrise Mart on Powell.

Free Food:
There are at least a half dozen missions in the area that don’t preach religion. Plus the sikh temple which serves awesome Indian food every day of the week.

Myth busted. Thanks for your input.