"The Destruction of Brooklyn's Soul Day"

Yesterday Brooklyn either won or lost a battle. The Atlantic Yards Project finally broke ground with a ceremonious ribbon cutting amidst a storm of confetti and furious protestors sporting picket signs and satirical masks that might as well have been torches and pitchforks. Despite the alleged benefits of the Atlantic Yards Project, including jobs and subsidized housing, the war continues to rage over the extensive plans to build skyscrapers, apartments, and not to mention the stadium for the Nets in the middle of downtown Brooklyn. Angry Brooklynites even supposedly stooped to the military tactics of terrorism when the judge who approved the Atlantic Yards Project received an envelope of "suspicious white powder." So tell us, then, where do you stand--with the capitalist soul-crushing developers or the anthrax-wielding hearts and souls of Brooklyn?

Eminent Domain Strikes Again

Brooklynites are up in arms over the Atlantic Yard's Project, Bruce Ratner's commercial and residential development project in Prospect Heights that is using eminent domain to force out community members. But this community isn't leaving without a fight. Earlier this month councilwoman Letitia James spoke at Freddy's Bar, one of the businesses facing its end at the hands of the Atlantic Yards Project, on behalf of the community.

The real tragedy is in the closing of the Pacific Dean Family Homeless Shelter, which will result in forcing homeless families to freeze in the streets.

Today, homeless advocates and anyone else who wants to join in the vigilante fun for that matter are staging a citizen's arrest of Bruce Ratner on alleged indictments of bribery. These people aren't just standing up for their community, they're standing up for those members who need the most support. Kudos to that.