As Democrats Fight Stadium, Some Blacks Buck the Trend

[Rose Siding]

It was an unlikely scene: The Rev. Al Sharpton stood on the steps of City Hall yesterday and endorsed the proposed West Side stadium for the Jets - a pet project of the Republican mayor, Michael R. Bloomberg, and a prime target of the mayor's Democratic challengers.

But Mr. Sharpton is just the latest to join a long list of prominent black Democrats supporting the stadium project. The growth of that list is confounding many fellow Democratic leaders, who have for so long counted on the allegiance of African-Americans in their major battles.

Behind the divide is a belief among many black leaders that the city's construction industry has for too long excluded black contractors and workers from major projects - a pattern the Jets organization has vowed to reverse if it builds its stadium.

Mr. Sharpton and several other black Democratic leaders who support the project said the need for good jobs for African-Americans when so many of them are unemployed must trump party loyalty - even if backing the stadium means opposing every major Democratic candidate for mayor on this central campaign issue.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/24/nyregion/24stadium.html?

[latteromden]

1. They start the story with... Al Sharpton?

Uhhh...

[Bob3]

2. If Mr. Sharpton thinks for one second that Back workers

are going to benefit from this boondoggle - he's been sniffing glue.

This is a chance for the well connected to gorge themselves on public tax money like swine at a feed trought. New York does not need this stadium. New York does not need the Olympics. Come on we've suffered enough.

feh.

[saigon68]

3. Actually Mr. Sharpton is smoking Crack a preferred drug of the inner city

[Brooklyn Michael]

5. Sooooo....

....because I also live in the inner city, I smoke crack? Or is that only for black people? (sarchasm = the distance between you and someone who didn't get your joke)

[saigon68]

6. Actually its sarcasm.

And since you have informed me you don't smoke crack--- congratulations on your behavior.

[Brooklyn Michael]

11. Just funnin'

...I assumed it was sarcasm, but thanks!
:hi:

[SemperEadem]

8. As meth is for those out in the sticks

every region has it's destructive drug of choice.

[davidinalameda]

10. it's oxycontin

get your drugs right

[Autobot77]

20. ...as cocaine is for the upper classes

[Bob3]

12. I'm a suburban kid

So glue sniffing was the first thing that came to mind.

[AngryAmish]

13. Amen

NY does not need a stadium, primarily because of the risk it might attract an Olympics.

I live in Chiocago. Soldier Field is next to great traffic, and it still is crazy on football days. I could not imagine the traffic nightmare of a big stadium on the west side of Manhatten. Everyone can say - take the subway - but if you live in Rockaway it is a lonnng train ride.

Skip the stadium and let Paris have the Olympics. They seem to want it.

[despairing optimist]

18. No, he's been sniffing money, IMHO. Anyone else smell a payoff?

Some money contributed or promised to his charitable foundation, or something similar.

[billyoc]

4. I'm torn on this stadium thing.

My union (TWU local 125) supports it, but I'd like to see Bloomberg suck it for once too. :shrug:

[wildmanj]

7. rev al

the COLOR GREEN blinds one and all

[SemperEadem]

9. when folks need jobs to pay bills

it's good that he's seeing the color green. Party loyalty sure isn't getting that job done.

Show me the money, s0n. If the Dems can't get it together to make it happen, then find someone who will. Gone are the days where smart black leaders are just going to remain loyal to the Dems just because.

You should try to find the C-SPAN video on Tavis Smiley's "State of Black America" forum, which ran earlier this month. That program explains exactly where not only his head is, but where a lot of black leaders are heading these days.

[Tomee450]

14. Exactly

I understand Sharpton's position. There are so many minorities, particularly black males, without jobs in NYC. If the Democrats can't provide a solution to this problem minor ties will begin looking elsewhere.

[yorgatron]

15. they SAY they're going to provide jobs

but when has a stadium provided long term jobs compared to the money they receive from the public trough? just about never,i'd say.
how long does it take to build a stadium?
most of the jobs after that are low paying security,or cocession stands.i don't think anybody could afford to live in manhattan on a concession stand salary,unless they were crammed into a tiny apartment with a bunch of relatives and/or friends.even then it would probably be in brooklyn,and they'd have to commute.
the team owners make a bundle from box seats though,that's why they're always crying for new stadiums.

[Tomee450]

19. But black leaders are

beginning to believe that they can no longer depend on the Democrats. I hear that a lot from ordinary African Americans all the time. Now black leaders are saying blacks should just see what others are willing to to do help their community. I've even heard African Americans suggest that we should just sit out an election. I don't know if I agree with that but people are thinking along those lines. Such people believe that if things get worse, they will know better next time. When people become desperate, they are willing to take chances.

[wildmanj]

16. show me the money

and if you think republicans care about blacks other than as something to use for a specific purpose then where is that bridge---oooooooooooooo i know in brooklyn---by chance are you in the market for a bridge peace bro :toast:

[SemperEadem]

23. too bad the sting was based on the assumption

that I thought republicans were the answer. Ah well.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

17. When the stadium contracts are handed out...

...will Sharpton be telling us that African-Americans have been screwed-over? My gut-feeling is: yes.

[SoCalDem]

21. Will they call it "Wimpy Stadium"?

"Behind the divide is a belief among many black leaders that the city's construction industry has for too long excluded black contractors and workers from major projects - a pattern the Jets organization has vowed to reverse if it builds its stadium. "

[halobeam]

22. cut from all important programs and add a stadium...

Yep!!! Makes sense to me. The way things are going these days, any other decision would surprise me. I'm disgusted.

[Barkley]

24. Inglewood's revenues increased after the Lakers & Kings left in 2000

Inglewood has a strong commitment to small businesses, which helps black-owned firms.

The city's residents voted to rejected a bid to build a supersized Wal*Mart last year.