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The Big Myth Behind the ‘Real New Yorker’


Photo by Tatiana Fet from Pexels

Article: The Big Myth Behind the ‘Real New Yorker’ - The New York Times

Adams is little different from Trump and his nativists. The latter blames immigrants and foreign countries for the problems of economic and social inequality, then uses that blame to manipulate the ignorant. The rise of inequality has little to do with the people that come to New York, those immigrating from outside the country or those migrating from inside the US. Like most, they come for a better life, for work, and for family. The Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam believed that diversity was a root of their success, and defended it. Without a doubt, that diversity is part of what makes New York thrive, makes it safer, and makes it interesting. On the other hand, there are sweetheart deals to developers to make luxury high-rises, a dearth of affordable housing development, short-term rental industries reducing housing supply, opaque legal vehicles allowing foreigners to park their money here, and a financial industry that pays highly and earns outsize profits. Cities are magnets for inequality, and there is little being done to rein it in, to make life equitable for those not part of the upper strata.



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