Blog 2 -Fallen Fruit and The Right to The Sidewalk

The two readings though describing different things are interrelated. In Fallen Fruit the writers, Burns,Viegner and Young, talked about the fact that fruits fell on the sidewalk and was left to rot because apparently the people in Los Angeles were not knowledgeable of the laws concerning picking these fruits. They(the writers), mentioned the fact that the people did not understand the nature of property and that trees often dangled fruit into public space making it legal to pick. If it falls onto public space there should be no fear in taking them.
In The Right to The Sidewalk, the writers describe the discrimination that young black and brown residents(mostly males) of New York City experienced being on the sidewalk. It did not matter that they were sometimes in front of their own buildings or walking in their neighborhoods. These young people were used as pawns in the play for gentrification and the so called “taking back the city”. In an experiment that was first practiced in the 1980’s, these young people are still being “targeted” in 2018.
The similarities of the two readings was evident in the fact that some homeowners asked to be taken off the map in Los Angeles, maybe for the fear that they can be targeted by others who could use this map to rob them or invade their privacy and the fact that in New York City, the young men felt targeted being on the sidewalk.
Mention must be made that the sidewalk in Los Angeles seemed safer than in New York City. The writers state that some residents(homeowners) agreed to walking tours that include picking of fruits that would have become fallen and even an invitation into the backyard sometimes. In New York however, some young men feel safer staying indoors as the sidewalk has proven unsafe due to all the stop,question and frisk that is taking place.
The fact that the broken window policing in New York has been proven,
with research to not work and the that a Federal Court has ruled the practice unconstitutional and racially biased has not stopped the method from being used. It literally means that the public spaces in New York has been “reclaimed” permanently while claiming to focus on order.

Gregona

1 thought on “Blog 2 -Fallen Fruit and The Right to The Sidewalk

  1. Christopher Swift

    You drew some key points out of the readings, but never really replied to the Blog prompt. This was an opportunity for you to create your own vision of a place where freedom of expression is protected. Perhaps one of the ways this can occur is by understanding the laws that are in place. Once the residents of LA understood the laws regarding fruit trees (as you observe), gathering for the benefit of the community was possible.

    Reply

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