At every civic meeting I've covered for the Canarsie Courier over the years, there's been no shortage of protests against group homes and private residences made into legitimate living spaces for the developmentally disabled. Before I get into the reasons why I think people in our community are ignorant about who their potential neighbors will be, let's consider the fact that this is a liberal society in which we live! New York is a state made up of Democrats and politicians who legalized gay marriage and "banned the box" so that "former" criminals are not discriminated against on job applications. In a community where Democrats rule and there is acceptance of all different kinds of people and life styles - and helping those less fortunate - it's a shock and shame that residents are so adamant about turning away the mentally disabled.
Hey you - the one who voted for Councilman Alan Maisel and State Senator Roxanne Persaud!!! Did you know that even though you support this political leader, you're not listening to their beliefs and you're not accepting the reality - that developmentally disabled residents are NOT truly dangerous - nor do they pose any specific threat!!! At a few recent meetings, politicians tried to tell their constituents that new group homes coming to Canarsie - there are nearly a handful in the works - are under the auspices of New York State and the males who will be living in those houses will be monitored.
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| Would you rather live next to a crime-ridden drug house? |
With all of the facilities that exist in our city for those who are developmentally disabled - and also violent - do you think they'd let these individuals occupy a private space in a residential community? I've yet to attend a meeting where someone - or a group of residents - protests a home that's been up and running for years. I have not seen a report about any home where the occupants are harassing people in the streets or where a rape has taken place and people do not feel safe. If these stories/complaints are going unpublished, whose fault is that? When have the police responded repeatedly to calls of disturbances at group homes?
Let's get real! The complaints that surface at meetings are about mentally "healthy" people who drive cars, own property and bother their neighbors INTENTIONALLY! Someone shady is parked in a common driveway and you're "sure there's a drug deal going down..." Are THOSE hooligans better than the developmentally ill residents who moved into the two-family home down the block?? Probably NOT - those living in the group home have a curfew and they've got state certified officials making sure those people don't leave the house to stir trouble in the community.
And when residents complain that the value of their homes will plummet as a result of the number of group homes here, the ignorance on THAT level seems insurmountable too! Forget about the real estate market, crime rates (due to "normal people" committing crimes) and other quality of life factors - many think a group of safe residents is to blame for the depreciation of their property!
If you truly agree with the Democrats YOU voted for - the ones who are trying to persuade the community that the handful of males living in these private homes are safe - you wouldn't make noise just because you think someone with Down Syndrome is plotting to harass your family or...do what??? How are these individual more dangerous than the neighbor you've been complaining about who hosts illegal parties where guns are allowed to be brought on the premises? C'mon - you had NO say in THOSE shady neighbors moving in and you should consider yourself lucky that it's a required advisory process for the community to know about group homes coming to your block!
Also, if someone told you that a gay couple - who just got married, with their three adopted children - was moving in right next door to you, would you have the same attitude??? Would you fear for your family then? What about Muslim families moving into the community? Are you secretly opposed to them building a life here or do you have reservations about that too? You're not going to bring THAT discriminatory opinion to a community meeting, right???
In my opinion, this community is discriminating against the disabled and fearing the unknown when there are SO MANY OTHER people moving into our community who rouse suspicion and controversy every day! Sometimes, it's the "hard working" homeowners - those who are mentally capable of knowing what's right from wrong - who move onto our blocks and shake things up for the worst! Sadly, the developmentally disabled who haven't even moved into the community have NO idea that you don't want them here...How must that feel to be unwanted and discriminated against in a "caring and quaint community" you haven't stepped foot in yet?
The only quality of life issue residents should be worried about - if ANY - is sanitary and traffic conditions outside those homes. Will there be extra or private garbage pick up required? Will modes of transportation to and from the homes infringe on neighbors - and how will long-term traffic/parking be impacted on that block?
So while residents say we're "oversaturated" with group homes and that they should put more of them in "white communities" (hey - there's a racist cocktail for you to drink up!), think about all the "normal functioning" individuals around you - and think about what justifies your opposition. Whether you'd rather live next to a party-hosting, gun-trafficking gang member instead of someone with a developmental problem who is quiet, safe and watched by a caretaker 24/7, good luck accepting people who are different than you and thanks for making our community oversaturated with ignorance!
