Mr. Goodbar in New York City
Sometimes its good to bring the Israel mentality back home with you. The Israel mentality that I'm channeling is to be sharp, on guard, aware and awake. Like not walking down a freezing cold street at night, which will be empty, sending a text message. It's about keeping your eyes up and looking around you, making sure to turn your head to get a sense of who exactly is walking behind you. Unlike the Berlin vibe of relaxed safety (lucky people) alertness is just part of the game. I don't want to be extreme about it, I'm trying not to suspect every staggering bulky-jacketed man on the subway of being a suicide bomber. In Neuva, those who stagger are generally wasted.
But there has been a spike in violence against women - again. Something is going on. Rape is on the rise in the city. While I was gone, there were four rapes in the Williamsburg/Bushwick area. The cops (probably Sargeant Wachter, the dear) found the guy -- and now he's in jail. But I just saw in the paper today a girl was abducted this Saturday night, and found raped, bound, gagged and murdered off the highway in East New York. She was 5' 2" and 24 years old. It is unclear whether she was kidnapped or just hanging out with the people that would later gang rape and kill her. To contrast that to what most of us were doing Saturday night -- dancing, drinking, smiling, staying out late, talking to strangers, its completely unreal. Fuck.
Some cute artist-activist girls started a funny site called HOLLA BACK NYC. http://www.hollabacknyc.blogspot.com/ If you can't Slap 'Em -- Snap 'Em. A site dedicated to photographing nasty fucks that say gross things to you on the street. This technique is what caught the subway flasher, the girl took his photo with a cell phone and he made the cover of the Daily News. Nice... I'll have to hit that corner on my way to Salsa W.19/6th ave. where all the dudes hang out and try and capture the one who said: "Damn, girl, you look like you taste like strawberries."
My message is:
Stay ALERT! Walk in the Street. Keep Your Hood Down. Turn off Your Ipod. The streets are empty and cold. New York is bad news when the streets are empty.
But there has been a spike in violence against women - again. Something is going on. Rape is on the rise in the city. While I was gone, there were four rapes in the Williamsburg/Bushwick area. The cops (probably Sargeant Wachter, the dear) found the guy -- and now he's in jail. But I just saw in the paper today a girl was abducted this Saturday night, and found raped, bound, gagged and murdered off the highway in East New York. She was 5' 2" and 24 years old. It is unclear whether she was kidnapped or just hanging out with the people that would later gang rape and kill her. To contrast that to what most of us were doing Saturday night -- dancing, drinking, smiling, staying out late, talking to strangers, its completely unreal. Fuck.
Some cute artist-activist girls started a funny site called HOLLA BACK NYC. http://www.hollabacknyc.blogspot.com/ If you can't Slap 'Em -- Snap 'Em. A site dedicated to photographing nasty fucks that say gross things to you on the street. This technique is what caught the subway flasher, the girl took his photo with a cell phone and he made the cover of the Daily News. Nice... I'll have to hit that corner on my way to Salsa W.19/6th ave. where all the dudes hang out and try and capture the one who said: "Damn, girl, you look like you taste like strawberries."
My message is:
Stay ALERT! Walk in the Street. Keep Your Hood Down. Turn off Your Ipod. The streets are empty and cold. New York is bad news when the streets are empty.
posted by No Longer Active at 7:34 AM
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