Chapter 8: Environmental Justice. This chapter really discusses the injustices done to the poor and mostly minority communities. As a minority myself, who finds home right across the bridge from Camden in Philadelphia, is concerned with this notion that these hazardous waste sites are being put into these communities on a bias. I do believe that gentrification exists heavily, but I'm not sure if I believe that regionalism is about race. It sure seemed that way at first. As the brownfields were located in predominate minority poor neighborhoods. In Cramer Hill (a section of Camden) revitalization plans were put into place to renovate the area by the water front, but the governor was not straightforward with the members of the community until it was said that the state planed to use its power of "eminent domain" to seize properties and displace more than 1000 families. They wanted to remediate the brownfields for replacement with upper- to middle income housing, a golf course and a marina - gentrification. Essentially removing all the lower class people (mostly minorities) and only leaving room for the people who can afford this new and more expensive lifestyle (mostly whites). Luckily, the community protested and fought for their neighbors and indicated that they liked their diversity and sense of community. Unfortunately this isn't always the case and the government chooses areas where the poor less educated live. These waste sites emitting higher levels of toxins which result in illness of some people in the community who already have inadequate health care. Its almost like they are trying to kill these people off or they at least don't care enough for their well being. The communities have no way to fight for themselves because they don't know how and its really disgraceful that the government doesn't care for its people.
Some people argue that regionalism was only perceived as racist because it was the more affluent middle class whites who could afford cars and move out of the city, leaving the minorities behind and a decaying infrastructure to support the city's tax base. Its a class issue that that no matter the color, the poor get the crap end of the stick. If environmental justice concerns were evaluated hundreds of years ago, they would be filled with poor working class white and similar outcomes would be shown. Although this is a good point, I think that its not fair to say hundreds of years ago because the demographic was way different. Minorities were slaves hundreds of years ago and were mostly present in the south. They lived in wealthy areas because of the people who bought them. As we moved away from slavery there was still loads of racial injustices to fight for which left minorities in the run down poor communities. They didn't have the chance to be wealthy or start out wealthy because the hand we were dealt. It wasn't until after the civil rights movement and anit-discrimination laws came about that things started changing and minorities had more opportunity to move up in society. So, I do think that race does play an aspect into this all.
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Gabriella Brycea Junior at Seton Hall University studying Elementary and Special education with Environmental Studies. Archives
April 2018
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