Damn white rednecks in Texas, with their racism and whatnot!
Just look at what they’re doing to members of Austin’s black and Hispanic community:
In rapidly gentrifying Austin newly arrived white residents have been calling the cops on Black and Latino car clubs that have gathered in local parks for decades, labeling them a “toxic display of masculinity.” https://t.co/guYcigpjM0
— Peter Holley (@peterjholley) March 23, 2021
More from Peter Holley:
Some variation of this assembly has taken place nearly every Sunday afternoon since the early nineties. But now many residents of The Weaver, a newly built luxury apartment building across the street—whose website promises renters access to a “community that is rich in history and tradition”—have decided it’s time for the weekly event to come to an unceremonious end. Some of the building’s residents defend the car club gatherings and note they predate The Weaver residents’ arrival in the neighborhood, but many others have grown tired of the loud music, annoyed by the traffic, and turned off by the smell of skidding tires. One particularly vocal tenant, a non-Hispanic white woman with short blond hair who appeared to be in her fifties, claimed that smoke from the tires was killing nearby trees and that traffic from the gathering would make it impossible for an ambulance to reach her in the event of a medical emergency (though two other roads to the apartment building remain accessible at all times). Another Weaver resident voiced more generalized criticism, calling the event a “display of toxic masculinity.”
“[W]e should shut this thing down,” a third resident, who blamed the lack of police response on the “idiotic” city council’s decision to slash the Austin Police Department’s budget, wrote in March on a building forum. Indeed, at a recent gathering, a non-Hispanic white tenant had flagged two police vehicles and pleaded with officers to disband the celebration, calling it “scary.” The officers eventually drove off without taking any action. Even though the event sometimes violates noise and traffic ordinances, it doesn’t pose major threats to anyone in The Weaver, nor does it break other city rules.
By the Sunday I went to the park, the building had posted a security guard in the driveway in response to growing outrage among its residents, and concerns for their safety. Several angry residents gathered near him. A few threatened to call the police. A frustrated woman from Chicago who said she winters in Austin and would not be renewing her lease wondered aloud about the financial toll the gathering would exact upon The Weaver, which is owned by Greystar Real Estate Partners, an international developer based in Charleston, S.C. (The regional manager who oversees Greystar’s Austin properties did not respond to repeated requests for an interview.)
Weeeeeelllllp.
How many of these folks moved to Texas from somewhere?
— Melissa Mackenzie (@MelissaTweets) March 23, 2021
Gosh who could these new residents be and where could they be coming from? https://t.co/b5BSRsZ9Oo
— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) March 24, 2021
Tom Wolfe would have had a field day with this.
Isn't there a word for moving into a region and trying to establish control over the people who have lived there for years?https://t.co/8qD0Nw8B9W pic.twitter.com/bde0NNOuqc
— Peter Cook (@_Peter_Cook) March 24, 2021
Happens in NC with pig farms. Yankees move into new developments downwind of a pig farm, are offended by the smell and try to put pig farmer out of business.
— Cro-Magnon Joe (I'm smarter than a Neanderthal) (@The_Final_G) March 23, 2021
In Oakland we had people literally move next door to a Black church and call the cops on Sunday to complain about the noise.
— OakSyder (@wrightadam) March 24, 2021
Best part. LOL. pic.twitter.com/OIR3LSih8Q
— Brad (@TLB062685) March 24, 2021
Karen The Air Quality Expert!
— Sudesh (@SudeshInCali) March 24, 2021
I moved into this neighborhood for its carefully curated corporate graffiti and 18 dollar burrito bowls and the existing community is ruining it for me!!! https://t.co/2liLbz6zXx
— Followers For Algernon (@bonerhitler) March 24, 2021
Sure, “Keep Austin Weird”…just not too weird,
& certain less ‘ethnic’.If they wanted the same, they should’ve just stayed home.
— Mark Rodriguez ? (@Rodriguez_today) March 24, 2021
This legitimately makes me angry. Lowrider /slab /donk culture is one of the great things about East Austin, and if you twee gentrifying Karens don't like it GTFO and buy another insipid bougie condo in the Domainhttps://t.co/U4rkJeuf3x
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 24, 2021
When it comes to East Austin, these goddamn things are the modern day equivalent of smallpox blankets pic.twitter.com/vkCU4dQ7Ay
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 24, 2021
I would rather live next door to a park full of fun-loving Chicano and Black folks cooking out, hopping their lowriders, and doing parking lot donuts than a condo block full of Bird scootering FitBit yoga brunchers.
ANY. DAY.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) March 24, 2021
nothing more toxic than siccing cops on people of color with the excuse of gender politics
— Perkus Tooth in the booth (@_zestymordant) March 23, 2021
White liberals are a scourge https://t.co/9ZB7N0ApRC
— Emily Zanotti (@emzanotti) March 24, 2021
Starting to think that maybe the path to true racial reconciliation runs through shared hatred of affluent neoliberals.
— Matt Holler (@_MattHoller_) March 23, 2021
Hey … that guy might be onto something!
Can we all unite, from left to right, in agreeing that these people are revolting trash? https://t.co/QqoX78FT95
— Jeff B., who on earth is this guy?? (@EsotericCD) March 24, 2021
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