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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, August 13, 2009 |
Mamajuana Café hate mail distressing To the Editor, It was distressing to read in the Manhattan Times that hate mail has been sent to several Hispanic restaurants in Inwood. It was equally distressful to read that community activist Fernando Mateo (who, as far as I know, does not live in the neighborhood but certainly seems to know where the television cameras are) attributes the hate messages to "white renters who were forced out of downtown apartments because of rising rents" (quoted from Daniel Bader's article). I happen to be a white renter forced out of a downtown apartment because of rising rents three and a half years ago, and I have nothing but respect for my culturally-proud, family-rich, hard-working Hispanic neighbors.
I do not know who is perpetrating the mailings, maybe they're white and maybe they aren't, but such a generalization by Mr. Mateo just reinforces negative stereotypes that only serve to foster distrust and separation rather than facilitate dialogue and mutual respect between neighbors of different backgrounds. Restaurants like Mamajuana Cafe are thriving in Inwood because of people like me who moved here from neighborhoods like Chelsea and the Upper West Side. We are not likely to be spewing hatred for Hispanic people. Some of us "white people" like a lot of diversity and moved to the neighborhood because of it. As Ms. Evelyn Espinal so wisely said in another Manhattan Times article, "Let's look each other in the eye when we pass...and say hi to each other." Inwood is my home and your home. It belongs to all of us. Let's combat hatred and bias together instead of creating an us-versus-them situation, which only feeds ignorance and hate.
Pietro Allar
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