Brixton news, rumours and general chat - October 2012

[Manter]

Not quite the same. The elderly couple are objecting to West Indians moving into area. That is called racism.

not sure it was racism.... they were objecting to an identifiable group of people who had more money and were raising demand and prices for a commodity (housing) that previously only they had wanted. These people were identifiable as a group by being West Indian*- I never got the impression it "was a white working class hate black people and secretly sympathise with the EDL" type conversation, just an elderly couple reflecting on the changes over the years that had gradually driven them and theirs out of central london

*as opposed to having silly hair, porkpie hats and trousers that are strangely tight in the leg but baggy in the bum to mark them as different

 

[Badgers]

 

[Manter]

Are you sure it's not some cherries on a roof?

no- it says so on the map- go down electric lane, turn right at the giant lightening bolt, and then when you get to the end you should be able to see the giant rose....

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

no- it says so on the map- go down electric lane, turn right at the giant lightening bolt, and then when you get to the end you should be able to see the giant rose....

I'll let you go down there and report back with pictures

 

[Gramsci]

not sure it was racism.... they were objecting to an identifiable group of people who had more money and were raising demand and prices for a commodity (housing) that previously only they had wanted. These people were identifiable as a group by being West Indian*- I never got the impression it "was a white working class hate black people and secretly sympathise with the EDL" type conversation, just an elderly couple reflecting on the changes over the years that had gradually driven them and theirs out of central london

*as opposed to having silly hair, porkpie hats and trousers that are strangely tight in the leg but baggy in the bum to mark them as different

What u said was that they told you they did not like it when the West Indians first moved in and now do not like it that same West Indians are cashing in on the big increase in the price of the houses they bought years ago. When Brixton was more affordable.

So in that case it did not matter whether the West Indians were moving into a cheap area for housing ( as Brixton was when the West Indians first came here) or cashing in. Its about racism.

 

[Manter]

I'll let you go down there and report back with pictures

if only it were true.... maybe I should suggest it to Lambeth?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

if only it were true.... maybe I should suggest it to Lambeth?

Good idea. Maybe you should start a fund

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Item on Radio 4 now about drugs policy - interviewing traders, residents and councillors from Brixton, mention of Paddick etc

 

[Manter]

What u said was that they told you they did not like it when the West Indians first moved in and now do not like it that same West Indians are cashing in on the big increase in the price of the houses they bought years ago. When Brixton was more affordable.

So in that case it did not matter whether the West Indians were moving into a cheap area for housing ( as Brixton was when the West Indians first came here) or cashing in. Its about racism.

I think if you take the words 'West Indian' out and put in, I dunno, Scousers (can one be racist against Scousers?) you'll get what they were saying. I wouldn't want to even inadvertently paint them as racist- they are just all that is left of one of Brixton's old tribes

 

[Badgers]

Item on Radio 4 now about drugs policy - interviewing traders, residents and councillors from Brixton, mention of Paddick etc

Squirrels?

 

[Manter]

Item on Radio 4 now about drugs policy - interviewing traders, residents and councillors from Brixton, mention of Paddick etc

need to talk about drugs within a 30 minute cab ride of Broadcasting house? Go to Brixton
Interesting item tho tbf

 

[Gramsci]

I think if you take the words 'West Indian' out and put in, I dunno, Scousers (can one be racist against Scousers?) you'll get what they were saying. I wouldn't want to even inadvertently paint them as racist- they are just all that is left of one of Brixton's old tribes

Well in your original post you said they told you it was "scandelous" when the West Indians moved in all those years ago. That is totally different from people being pushed out for economic reasons. Which is at the root of the matter now.

I know some born and bred Londoners who live in Bromley. They talk like Cockneys. There parents moved due to the influx of Black people. It was not about house prices. It was "White Flight". They would not say they are out and out racist. Just did not want to live with Black people.

I am soft Southerner.

 

[Manter]

Well in your original post you said they told you it was "scandelous" when the West Indians moved in all those years ago. That is totally different from people being pushed out for economic reasons. Which is at the root of the matter now.

I know some born and bred Londoners who live in Bromley. They talk like Cockneys. There parents moved due to the influx of Black people. It was not about house prices. It was "White Flight". They would not say they are out and out racist. Just did not want to live with Black people.

I am soft Southerner.

I think that was the word they used, but now doubting myself, as I really didn't get the impression it was about not liking black people, but about a sudden change in the area that meant their children had to move away. May have to open the conversation again next time I see them .

(I am also a soft Southerner- the Northerner is from Hull- I don't think they have black people up there yet )

 

[Brixton Hatter]

need to talk about drugs within a 30 minute cab ride of Broadcasting house? Go to Brixton
Interesting item tho tbf

Yeah....Paddick's 'experiment' was 10 years ago but it still comes up regularly, often to illustrate how liberalising drug law doesn't supposedly work. It's a shame really cos their mistake at the time was announcing the experiment publicly - they should have just got on with it without telling anyone, and we could be in a very different place now.

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Item on Radio 4 now about drugs policy - interviewing traders, residents and councillors from Brixton, mention of Paddick etc

This has been followed by an item about the resurgence of real ale. The BBC news editors must be getting their ideas from the Brixton forum!

 

[Ms T]

Item on Radio 4 now about drugs policy - interviewing traders, residents and councillors from Brixton, mention of Paddick etc

Were the words "vibrant and edgy"used at all?

 

[Ms T]

need to talk about drugs within a 30 minute cab ride of Broadcasting house? Go to Brixton
Interesting item tho tbf

They're not based in Broadcasting House - they could have just gone to Shepherd's Bush tbf.

ETA - actually I'll let them off as they were talking about decriminalisation for small-scale possession.

 

[Manter]

Squirrels?

they could have talked abour hop growing in Brixton, but no- leafy Canterbury. As the only thing in Brixton is drugs

 

[Manter]

They're not based in Broadcasting House - they could have just gone to Shepherd's Bush tbf.

true enough.

 

[Ms T]

Just listening - "they've made it nice now" (market trader).

 

[Brixton Hatter]

Were the words "vibrant and edgy"used at all?

Actually, no. It was a fairly decent piece. They made the link between Brixton and drugs by referring to Paddick's experiment, rather than talking about street dealing etc. There was however a Labour councillor who trotted out the usual "drugs supermarket" lines.

 

[Ms T]

Actually, no. It was a fairly decent piece. They made the link between Brixton and drugs by referring to Paddick's experiment, rather than talking about street dealing etc. There was however a Labour councillor who trotted out the usual "drugs supermarket" lines.

Yeah, just listened and it was quite good. As you said, Paddick should have just quietly got on with it, rather than announcing it as an "experiment".

 

[Ms T]

Did I hear a didgeridoo in the background?

 

[Badgers]

Yeah....Paddick's 'experiment' was 10 years ago but it still comes up regularly, often to illustrate how liberalising drug law doesn't supposedly work. It's a shame really cos their mistake at the time was announcing the experiment publicly - they should have just got on with it without telling anyone, and we could be in a very different place now.

Hamsterdam

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Did I hear a didgeridoo in the background?

I think boohoo (or nipsla) was commenting on someone playing one outside Boots the other day

 

[colacubes]

I think boohoo (or nipsla) was commenting on someone playing one outside Boots the other day

Yes on Saturday. And he was back today. He's even more annoying than the bloke who was busking on the trumpet while learning at the same time

 

[Manter]

Yes on Saturday. And he was back today. He's even more annoying than the bloke who was busking on the trumpet while learning at the same time

Are we thinking gap year returnee?

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Yes on Saturday. And he was back today. He's even more annoying than the bloke who was busking on the trumpet while learning at the same time

Suppose someone learning a violin could be worse though

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Are we thinking gap year returnee?

who's spent the last of his money at a Full Moon Party in Thailand and is now after a bit of dosh

 

[Ms T]

My parents are visiting tomorrow until the end of the week. They think Brixton is disgusting, noisy and dirty. They are not convinced by the delights of Brixton Village.