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	<title>Comments on: The Columbia Vote</title>
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		<title>By: Movement for Justice in El Barrio</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2007/12/20/the-columbia-vote/comment-page-1/#comment-81521</link>
		<dc:creator>Movement for Justice in El Barrio</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Dec 2007 21:10:14 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2007/12/20/the-columbia-vote/#comment-81521</guid>
		<description>Movement for Justice in El Barrio
 
East Harlem Community Denounces City
Council&#039;s Approval of Columbia University&#039;s Expansion Plan

December 28th-- The residents of East Harlem, although not directly affected by Columbia University&#039;s plan to
expand in West Harlem, have taken an active stand against the institutions planned action and denounce the New York city council representatives for voting
in favor of profit-driven interests and against the communities they are supposed to be representing. For nearly fifty years Columbia University has played the
role of gentrifier and enemy to the low-income communities of upper-east side Manhattan. Columbia&#039;s role in gentrification is an even more pressing 
threat now that the city council has approved the university&#039;s 18 acre expansion plan. Plan 197-c would bulldoze affordable housing, small businesses, and over 1,000 jobs from 125th to 134 street in West Harlem. Not only would exclusively-
accessible buildings be built, but 
many would pose a direct health threat to surrounding residential communities, due to the construction of bio-safety level 3 labs that deal with highly toxic agents, such as SARS and the Avian Flu.

Efforts to challenge Columbia&#039;s unjust and
irresponsible actions have been endless, among them and the most recent was a student-lead hunger strike against gentrification, specifically the university&#039;s expansion plan. Challenges and alternatives to Columbia&#039;s expansion plan continue to be ignored by the institution itself and by city council members. East Harlem&#039;s own city council member, Melissa Mark Viverito, 
voted in favor of the expansion plan; despite both the East Harlem and West Harlem community&#039;s opposition. On behalf of community residents of El Barrio, Movement for Justice in El Barrio member, Ramon Ricardo, sent a message of solidarity from East Harlem to West Harlem: &quot;Sisters and Brothers, we want you to know that our alleged representative, Melissa Mark Viverito, who voted in favor of the Columbia expansion plan- her vote is not representative of the East Harlem community. If Viverito represented El Barrio then she would have voted against the project&quot;.  Regarding the council members politics, Movement for Justice in El Barrio member, Oscar Dominguez, states &quot;she is like all other politicians, those who work for the rich and vote in favor of policies that help this capitalist system displace families from their homes.&quot;

Needless to say, the residents of East Harlem and Movement for Justice in El Barrio, also fighting against gentrification, endlessly support the West Harlem struggle; the struggle of poor people of color and historically marginalized communities against displacement.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Movement for Justice in El Barrio</p>
<p>East Harlem Community Denounces City<br />
Council&#8217;s Approval of Columbia University&#8217;s Expansion Plan</p>
<p>December 28th&#8211; The residents of East Harlem, although not directly affected by Columbia University&#8217;s plan to<br />
expand in West Harlem, have taken an active stand against the institutions planned action and denounce the New York city council representatives for voting<br />
in favor of profit-driven interests and against the communities they are supposed to be representing. For nearly fifty years Columbia University has played the<br />
role of gentrifier and enemy to the low-income communities of upper-east side Manhattan. Columbia&#8217;s role in gentrification is an even more pressing<br />
threat now that the city council has approved the university&#8217;s 18 acre expansion plan. Plan 197-c would bulldoze affordable housing, small businesses, and over 1,000 jobs from 125th to 134 street in West Harlem. Not only would exclusively-<br />
accessible buildings be built, but<br />
many would pose a direct health threat to surrounding residential communities, due to the construction of bio-safety level 3 labs that deal with highly toxic agents, such as SARS and the Avian Flu.</p>
<p>Efforts to challenge Columbia&#8217;s unjust and<br />
irresponsible actions have been endless, among them and the most recent was a student-lead hunger strike against gentrification, specifically the university&#8217;s expansion plan. Challenges and alternatives to Columbia&#8217;s expansion plan continue to be ignored by the institution itself and by city council members. East Harlem&#8217;s own city council member, Melissa Mark Viverito,<br />
voted in favor of the expansion plan; despite both the East Harlem and West Harlem community&#8217;s opposition. On behalf of community residents of El Barrio, Movement for Justice in El Barrio member, Ramon Ricardo, sent a message of solidarity from East Harlem to West Harlem: &#8220;Sisters and Brothers, we want you to know that our alleged representative, Melissa Mark Viverito, who voted in favor of the Columbia expansion plan- her vote is not representative of the East Harlem community. If Viverito represented El Barrio then she would have voted against the project&#8221;.  Regarding the council members politics, Movement for Justice in El Barrio member, Oscar Dominguez, states &#8220;she is like all other politicians, those who work for the rich and vote in favor of policies that help this capitalist system displace families from their homes.&#8221;</p>
<p>Needless to say, the residents of East Harlem and Movement for Justice in El Barrio, also fighting against gentrification, endlessly support the West Harlem struggle; the struggle of poor people of color and historically marginalized communities against displacement.</p>
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		<title>By: New Yorker</title>
		<link>http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2007/12/20/the-columbia-vote/comment-page-1/#comment-81502</link>
		<dc:creator>New Yorker</dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Dec 2007 21:57:54 +0000</pubDate>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://www.gothamgazette.com/blogs/wonkster/2007/12/20/the-columbia-vote/#comment-81502</guid>
		<description>Thank&#039;s to term limits - most of the unprincipled cowards and sell-outs on the city council will be gone.  It is time for a 180 degree turn around.  The people of this city must be heard and respected.  We are being pushed against the wall. It won&#039;t be long before we push back with the awesome and devestating power of the people.

FOR NOW - KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL.</description>
		<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Thank&#8217;s to term limits &#8211; most of the unprincipled cowards and sell-outs on the city council will be gone.  It is time for a 180 degree turn around.  The people of this city must be heard and respected.  We are being pushed against the wall. It won&#8217;t be long before we push back with the awesome and devestating power of the people.</p>
<p>FOR NOW &#8211; KEEP YOUR MONEY IN YOUR POCKETS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON. NO MORE BUSINESS AS USUAL.</p>
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