I linked into this vid from a story at the NYT, and it was commendable to have had the link--the only commendable thing about the blog, unfortunately. On balance, I didn't like the cut of that story--the evening discord was turned, by the writer of that story, into a race-based dissent promulgated by a vocal crowd decrying unfair racial representation--the story then went on to represent the efforts at translation of the council, admirable they seem, and lack of funding, council meetings like this falling outside the purlieu of mandated services for translation.

Reading the story I, an upstate resident with an objective eye, was left with the impression that the struggle was forced by disgruntled members of the minority community (cited was census 2000 figures) and an unfortunate bureaucratic circumstance (vis. lack of resources for translation).

Then I watched the video at this site. I felt let down by the writer at the Times, and hope anyone who sees this vid here and reads the NYT story will contact that writer to point out the spurious representation of events. --Indeed, nowhere was there mention that the issue looming much larger was the issue of affordable housing and community maintenance for the people who live there now (real-life issues for real-life people with real-life concerns outside the corporate luxury cocoon)--In fact, in the video and contrary to the story, race seemed ancillary and *income* *exclusivity* the issue (affordability or the relocation of the people, regardless of race, to places away from the zone being planned). There also no mention, in the story, of the fact that there was such a history of contention, evidence of exclusion, between proponents for affordable housing and the other side, going back more than 8 years--rich pickings there I reckon, even for a quickie like the NYT story in question. I hope the under-represented people--the working poor and disadvantaged--will gain a better and more humane advocacy in the decision making process of this action and others like it than seems to be occurring, based on the info I watched disseminated in this video. Money is not what makes NYC so rich. The story at the NYT can be found at:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/30/lower-east-side-rezoning-in-translation/