Black activitists and politicians force Trader Joe’s grocery out:would attract too many whites

[Origanalist]

PORTLAND, Ore., February 7, 2014– According to local media outlet, The Oregonian, African American activists and politicians forced the Trader Joe’s grocery chain to drop their plans for a new store in a predominately black community because the store would “increase the desirability of the neighborhood,” for “non-oppressed populations.”

“We run neighborhood stores, and our approach is simple,” said the grocery chain. “If a neighborhood does not want a Trader Joe’s, we understand, and we won’t open the store in question.”

The Portland Development Commission offered a substantial discount to the grocery chain for a two acre parcel of land that appraised for $2.9 million. The land, which sat undeveloped for years, was offered to the chain for $500,000 in an attempt to bring high paying jobs and prosperity to the neighborhood. The construction project, which was to include a two large anchor buildings and 10 retail shops, was promised to an African American owned construction company.
continued...


Read more: http://benswann.com/black-activitists-and-politicians-force-trader-joes-grocery-out-claim-it-would-attract-too-many-whites/#ixzz2sfDQFUED
Follow us: @BenSwann_ on Twitter

[jkr]

Aaaannndddd BALKANIZED!

[phill4paul]

What the...I don't even....f*ck. SMDH. People deserve what they get. I'm to the point of almost not caring anymore.

[angelatc]

We don't want those jobs 'round here!

[aGameOfThrones]

This. Is. Not. Racist. At. All.

[Victor Grey]

We don't take too kindly to your kind round here. Back the way you came.

[jllundqu]

That's why I could NEVER live in or around Portland.... god damn marxist racist socialist paradise

[erowe1]

I'm disappointed with Swann.

Here's the headline he gave this:

Black activitists and politicians force Trader Joe’s grocery out: Claim it would attract too many whites


Nowhere does he or the article he cites give any evidence at all of anybody claiming that Trader Joe's would attract too many whites.

[AuH20]

Whites need to stay in their lifeless subdivisions. In all honesty, I can't stand the plurality of blacks or whites. I'm an equal opportunity hater. :)

[Origanalist]

I'm disappointed with Swann.

Here's the headline he gave this:


Nowhere does he or the article he cites give any evidence at all of anybody claiming that Trader Joe's would attract too many whites.

You can parse it any way you want I suppose.


It sent the city a letter saying it would "remain opposed to any development in N/NE Portland that does not primarily benefit the Black community." It said the grocery-store development would "increase the desirability of the neighborhood," for "non-oppressed populations."

[AuH20]

Perhaps this is a preemptive measure to prevent yuppy whites from descending upon the area, purchasing property and driving up costs? I'm trying to get in the head of these Portland activists and local pols.

[tod evans]

Lop off the free-stuff presses and see how fast their tune changes.

[erowe1]

You can parse it any way you want I suppose.

They explicitly said their concern was that it would increase the cost of living there. The quotes you gave support that. But taken out of context people might read them to mean something else. And the way Swann worded that headline is only going to make people jump to that wrong conclusion, instead of the reason the activists actually gave.

[AuH20]

Lop off the free-stuff presses and see how fast their tune changes.

I wonder if Trader Joes takes SNAP? I would assume so for a national grocery chain.

[donnay]

Trader Joe’s drops plan for NE Portland store

By Ken Boddie

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — In a shocking turn of events for city leaders, officials with Trader Joe’s pulled out of a deal to put a store in Northeast Portland, citing negative reactions to the project from the neighborhood activists.

Protests by members of the African-American community over what they called the gentrification of the neighborhood on MLK and Alberta prompted Trader Joe’s to nix the deal that was two years in the making.

They bowed to pressure from the city’s African-American Leadership Forum over the plan to put a store in what was once the heart of Portland’s black community.

“Given negative reactions from the community about our arrival, we will not be opening a store in the area,” store officials said in a statement.

“This has never really been about Trader Joe’s,” said Cyreena Boston with the leadership forum. “This was about the community being able to have a say.”

Former state senator Avel Gordly said, “The city of Portland and the Portland Development Commission have a history of broken promises, and backroom processes that have resulted in the gentrification of African-Americans, and our community has suffered.”


Continued... (http://koin.com/2014/02/03/trader-joes-drops-plan-for-north-portland-store/)

[tod evans]

I wonder if Trader Joes takes SNAP? I would assume so for a national grocery chain.

I want to see all government aid and especially the associated "workers" done away with.

I'll eat tree-rats and tubers before I take any of that shit.

[osan]

PORTLAND, Ore., February 7, 2014– According to local media outlet, The Oregonian, African American activists and politicians forced the Trader Joe’s grocery chain to drop their plans for a new store in a predominately black community because the store would “increase the desirability of the neighborhood,” for “non-oppressed populations.”

“We run neighborhood stores, and our approach is simple,” said the grocery chain. “If a neighborhood does not want a Trader Joe’s, we understand, and we won’t open the store in question.”

The Portland Development Commission offered a substantial discount to the grocery chain for a two acre parcel of land that appraised for $2.9 million. The land, which sat undeveloped for years, was offered to the chain for $500,000 in an attempt to bring high paying jobs and prosperity to the neighborhood. The construction project, which was to include a two large anchor buildings and 10 retail shops, was promised to an African American owned construction company.
continued...


Read more: http://benswann.com/black-activitists-and-politicians-force-trader-joes-grocery-out-claim-it-would-attract-too-many-whites/#ixzz2sfDQFUED
Follow us: @BenSwann_ on Twitter

So if we assume that the store's presence would indeed have brought good jobs, then the locals pretty much shot themselves in the foot. I hate to point it out, but black folk seem to do this to themselves an awful lot, statistically speaking. This will to self-degradation is really quite something to witness. With few exceptions, these people seem hell-bent on screwing themselves into the ground. I suspect this has a lot to do with crutches.

[aGameOfThrones]

The Portland African American Leadership Forum along with the Mayor Charlie Hales sent letters to Portland Development Commission citing that they were “contributing to the destructive impact of gentrification and displacement of the African American community.” They also said that they would remain opposed to all development of the land that doesn’t solely benefit African Americans.

The grocery chain is based out of California and regularly makes headlines for their revolutionary business model that brings discount health-foods and products to neighborhoods. Also, the chain is continuously praised as one of the highest paying grocers in the world. New employees start out at $10-20/hr., supervisors make $45k-75k/yr. and store managers bring in six-figure salaries. Also, the company makes regular contributions to employee 401k accounts.


http://stream1.gifsoup.com/webroot/animatedgifs/85538_o.gif

[Root]

Dumb racist fucks. Trader Joe's has great food!

[Origanalist]

They explicitly said their concern was that it would increase the cost of living there. The quotes you gave support that. But taken out of context people might read them to mean something else. And the way Swann worded that headline is only going to make people jump to that wrong conclusion, instead of the reason the activists actually gave.

I would encourage people to go to the various sources linked in the story and comments, as there are differing opinions on this whole thing.

[Brian4Liberty]

Nowhere does he or the article he cites give any evidence at all of anybody claiming that Trader Joe's would attract too many whites.

Here is the evidence. He gave it.


“increase the desirability of the neighborhood,” for “non-oppressed populations.”

“contributing to the destructive impact of gentrification and displacement of the African American community.”


Now if some country club said "we are not going to change our admission criteria because it would result in the displacement of the white membership", you would not be able to read between the lines?

[tod evans]

Now if some country club said "we are not going to change our admission criteria because it would result in the displacement of the white membership", you would not be able to read between the lines?

Fuckin' racist...;):D

[Brian4Liberty]

Inexpensive, healthy food? Who wants that? Where's Michelle Obama and her healthy eating campaign?

[AuH20]

Dumb racist fucks. Trader Joe's has great food!

I don't think their motivations are solely racist. It sounds protectionist. They don't want the quality of living to increase since it may drive out local businesses and residents at the long end of the curve. Obviously, I wish we had little to no regulations or property taxes, but apparently these people have been beaten down to such a degree that they are extremely fearful of outside intervention. The funny thing is that their own black leaders will lie, cheat and steal as much as white dominated corporate america does. That's the irony in all this.

[Brian4Liberty]

Fuckin' racist...;):D

It's hard to keep up.

Thug=racist. Fried Chicken=racist. Trader Joe's=racist.

[youngbuck]

Holy hell, imagine if this part of the article were reworded:

The Portland Caucasian Leadership Forum along with the Mayor Charlie Hales sent letters to Portland Development Commission citing that they were “contributing to the destructive impact of gentrification and displacement of the Caucasian community.” They also said that they would remain opposed to all development of the land that doesn’t solely benefit whites.


What a bunch of pathetic racists.

[Anti Federalist]

They explicitly said their concern was that it would increase the cost of living there. The quotes you gave support that. But taken out of context people might read them to mean something else. And the way Swann worded that headline is only going to make people jump to that wrong conclusion, instead of the reason the activists actually gave.


It said the grocery-store development would "increase the desirability of the neighborhood," for "non-oppressed populations."

Non Oppressed Populations = whites.

I fail to see what is so hard to understand.

Swann's headline is correct.

[AuH20]

Non Oppressed Populations = whites.

I fail to see what is so hard to understand.

Swann's headline is correct.

Whites aren't oppressed? I never got the memo.

[Anti Federalist]

I don't think their motivations are solely racist. It sounds protectionist. They don't want the quality of living to increase since it may drive out local businesses and residents at the long end of the curve. Obviously, I wish we had little to no regulations or property taxes, but apparently these people have been beaten down to such a degree that they are extremely fearful of outside intervention. The funny thing is that their own black leaders will lie, cheat and steal as much as white dominated corporate america does. That's the irony in all this.


They also said that they would remain opposed to all development of the land that doesn’t solely benefit African Americans.

Supportive of policies that exclude any race but their own?

Sounds racist to me.

[Origanalist]

Let's turn that statement around, shall we?


They also said that they would remain opposed to all development of the land that doesn’t solely benefit European Americans.

[Keith and stuff]

I'm disappointed with Swann.

Here's the headline he gave this:


Nowhere does he or the article he cites give any evidence at all of anybody claiming that Trader Joe's would attract too many whites.

True. The story doesn't actually use the word whites.

Anyway, Ben didn't write the story.

Michael Lotfi

[Deborah K]

True. The story doesn't actually use the word whites.

Anyway, Ben didn't write the story.

But does it really have to in order to deduce that conclusion?

[dannno]

Dumb racist fucks. Trader Joe's has great food!

I don't know what I would do without Trader Joe's

[tod evans]

Inexpensive, healthy food? Who wants that? Where's Michelle Obama and her healthy eating campaign?

Michelle who?

[juleswin]

This is the African American version of Jim Crowe. I gradually lose the very little hope I have in humanity everyday. Stay classy African American leadership of Portland.

[juleswin]

Inexpensive, healthy food? Who wants that? Where's Michelle Obama and her healthy eating campaign?

And they complain all the time about food deserts or something like that which describes an area lacking in supermarkets that sell fresh foods

[Brian4Liberty]

And they complain all the time about food deserts or something like that which describes an area lacking in supermarkets that sell fresh foods

If you look on Google maps, it seems to be fairly "gentrified" already. There is a new Safeway and Whole Foods not far away. The nearest grocery store to the proposed location is Alberta Co-op, which appears to be a local store which would be in direct competition with Trader Joe's.

http://www.albertagrocery.coop/

There are a couple of small, Mom & Pop groceries (mini-market) in the other direction (older neighborhood) that are probably the ones that resulted in this story. The new Safeway is already just as close as the proposed Trader Joe's:

The two businesses that will probably not last:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cullens-corner-portland
http://local.yahoo.com/info-89369965-african-mini-market-deli-portland

[donnay]

I don't know what I would do without Trader Joe's

Me either. I absolutely love Trader Joe's.

[Thor]

http://i2.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/original/000/352/749/e44.gif

[eduardo89]

We don't want those jobs 'round here!

They'd lose their welfare if they took a job.

[Pericles]

So if we assume that the store's presence would indeed have brought good jobs, then the locals pretty much shot themselves in the foot. I hate to point it out, but black folk seem to do this to themselves an awful lot, statistically speaking. This will to self-degradation is really quite something to witness. With few exceptions, these people seem hell-bent on screwing themselves into the ground. I suspect this has a lot to do with crutches.

Close but the way it really works is the black "community" protests your entry to the market in order to get you to pay off the "community" leaders who organized the protest in the first place, who then divvy the spoils with their supporters. Trader Joe's was probably going to have a open bid for the best possible black owned business to do the job. That is not how these things work.

[Origanalist]

Close but the way it really works is the black "community" protests your entry to the market in order to get you to pay off the "community" leaders who organized the protest in the first place, who then divvy the spoils with their supporters. Trader Joe's was probably going to have a open bid for the best possible black owned business to do the job. That is not how these things work.


The construction project, which was to include a two large anchor buildings and 10 retail shops, was promised to an African American owned construction company.//

[FriedChicken]

It's hard to keep up.

Fried Chicken=racist. :(

[Pericles]

How do you think Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the other race hustlers got to be millionaires?

[Origanalist]

:(

We all knew it......

[GunnyFreedom]

I'm disappointed with Swann.

Here's the headline he gave this:


Nowhere does he or the article he cites give any evidence at all of anybody claiming that Trader Joe's would attract too many whites.

What else could a 'black activist' possibly be referring to with the phrase "non-oppressed populations?"

[GunnyFreedom]

Whites aren't oppressed? I never got the memo.

You have to view it from the perspective of the person making the statement.

[Pericles]

How do you think Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the other race hustlers got to be millionaires?

Or, Barry Sotero

[heavenlyboy34]

My neighborhood TJ's accepts EBT (food stamps). They have the "we accept EBT" sticker on the door, and if you miss that, the card swipe do-hicky thingamajig has touch button options for credit, debit, and EBT.

[Barrex]

Aaaannndddd BALKANIZED!
It is process of fragmentation (From one Ottoman state to multiple states)...what do you think it means?

Greetings from Croatia.


It's hard to keep up.

Thug=racist. Fried Chicken=racist. Trader Joe's=racist.


:(

ROFL

[Brian4Liberty]

How do you think Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the other race hustlers got to be millionaires?

That's probably it. Somebody tried to extort money from Trader Joe's, and they can't say that, so they just backed out.

[FindLiberty]

Jobs, JOBS? We don't need no stinkin' jobs!

Food, FOOD? Well, as a matter of fact, we were getting little bit hungry... Think of the children.

[heavenlyboy34]

We all knew it......

'twas obvious from the start.
You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to Origanalist again. :/

[heavenlyboy34]

How do you think Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and the other race hustlers got to be millionaires?

Those guys really need to update their business model. They've been using the same schtick more or less for it seems decades now. Generally, such things lose their effectiveness in a generation or so.

[Working Poor]

Come on folks they got a fancy $50 college word for this gentrification

[erowe1]

What else could a 'black activist' possibly be referring to with the phrase "non-oppressed populations?"

The article says the reason they were against it was because they expect it to cause an increase in the cost of living around there. That's how that "non-oppressed populations" fit in. But you'd never know it from Swann's misleading headline.

[69360]

PORTLAND, Ore., February 7, 2014– According to local media outlet, The Oregonian, African American activists and politicians forced the Trader Joe’s grocery chain to drop their plans for a new store in a predominately black community because the store would “increase the desirability of the neighborhood,” for “non-oppressed populations.”



You want to continue to live in a ghetto shithole. Got it, enjoy.

[GunnyFreedom]

The article says the reason they were against it was because they expect it to cause an increase in the cost of living around there. That's how that "non-oppressed populations" fit in. But you'd never know it from Swann's misleading headline.

Uh, no, that would be "our wealthy brothers in the Black Community" if your insinuation were true. Again, you have to view it from the perspective of the person making the statement. It's not even that cryptic, really, as so far it's been blatantly obvious to pretty much everyone in this thread except you.

[tod evans]

Uh, no, that would be "our wealthy brothers in the Black Community" if your insinuation were true. Again, you have to view it from the perspective of the person making the statement. It's not even that cryptic, really, as so far it's been blatantly obvious to pretty much everyone in this thread except you.

Guilt Gunny,

Get some! ;)

[erowe1]

Uh, no, that would be "our wealthy brothers in the Black Community" if your insinuation were true.

My insinuation is true. You can verify it by reading the article that the story in the OP uses as its source. So feel free to draw that conclusion if you think it follows.

[tod evans]

Relevant information;

Company explores building an upscale grocery that pays a fair wage in a depressed area.

Company agrees to hire "minority owned" construction firm to erect building.

Minority "activists" nix companies plans.

All "reasoning" beyond these simple facts is superfluous BS.

[GunnyFreedom]

My insinuation is true. You can verify it by reading the article that the story in the OP uses as its source. So feel free to draw that conclusion if you think it follows.

Yes, from erowe1's perspective, the phrase "non-oppressed populations" can mean nearly anything under the sun. However, from a "Black Activist's" perspective, there is pretty much only one thing it can mean. You don't have to like it, but it doesn't make it any less true.

A "population" is not an individual it is a group, specifically a LARGE group. To a man with nothing BUT race on the brain, a large collected population of persons is segregated by race. To the Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson set, there is only one race on the planet that is "non-oppressed."

The bottom line is, this guy didn't want TJ's in his neighborhood because of all the rich white people who would come in, in his mind 'driving up the prices' of everything. Taking his own words as true, he would not have been upset if all of this wealth went to 'oppressed (non-white) populations.'

He even specifically said, directly, that he doesn't want anything in his neighborhood that does not solely benefit Black people.

This is pretty blatantly obvious, actually. The guy really is complaining that TJ's could attract too many white people into his neighborhood. This isn't even "dog whistle" politics, it's stated openly and directly, you just have to understand the perspective of the speaker to 'get it.'

[COpatriot]

Someone had Limbaugh on today and I heard him talking about this. This is a very, very telling story. Sometimes the double standards just scream right in your face.

[thequietkid10]

Perhaps this is a preemptive measure to prevent yuppy whites from descending upon the area, purchasing property and driving up costs? I'm trying to get in the head of these Portland activists and local pols.

This, especially since Portland is the new hipster paradise.

[thequietkid10]

This is a really interesting story seems the PAALF (the black activists) are backtracking on this one

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/02/portland_african_american_lead_2.html

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/02/trader_joes_decision_to_pull_o.html#incart_river_d efault

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2014/02/portland_african_american_lead_1.html

It seems that Trader Joes didn't fight very hard, basically the letter from the PAALF was enough to get them to say, "if you don't want us here, we won't come" and didn't.