Pity the Haters; Busy Saturday

Gaetano found a story about a fire in the old Pabst brewery now being demolished, to the end of which were appended a host of the usual Newark-hater comments, plus replies from sensible people. I added my own two cents:

"The best revenge is living well." Many of us in the Newark of today -- not the Newark of 1950 as seen thru rose-colored glasses -- are indeed living well. And more people are moving in every day. My block of Vailsburg, a leafy, semi-suburban area, is now filled with the happy chatter and calls in games, of a whole bunch of kids who weren't here in prior years.

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Today's fotos show three houses in different parts of the city, to show the good life that Newarkers can live without having to leave the city. This first is one of the fine homes in the Forest Hill area in far-northern Newark.

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Happy people rarely find it necessary to attack other people, who have nothing to do with their lives. So we should pity the poor, racist fools who feel this deep, compelling need to attack Newark. And ignore them. We could click on the "Inappropriate? Alert us" link, but why bother? Fools will be fools, and their foolishness is more their problem than ours.

1.3 million people have now come into Newark for events at The Rock and gone home after seeing that the terrible things they feared about Newark were just plain not true. So unless the "haters" in NJ.com comments areas can physically stop outsiders from visiting The Rock, NJPAC, the Newark Museum, the galleries, Bears Stadium, and everything else we have here, they will not stop the revitalization of this splendid city.

Pity suburbanites, who live in the middle of nowhere, and have nothing to do and nowhere to go. We live in Newark. Many of the white-fliters who harbor decades-old resentments would be much happier if only they could let go of the past, give up the resentments, and move back into the city. Ever hear the expression, "protest too much"?

This second Newark home is on Sanford Avenue in my part of town, Vailsburg.

Gaetano also found an announcement that this Saturday there will be special events in Riverbank Park in his part of town, the Ironbound:

Youth Art Exhibit and Free Arts and Crafts Activities
11 AM - 4PM

Music: School and Ethnic Performers
1PM - 4 PM

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend, in that I am planning to go on the walking tour of Forest Hill that I mentioned Monday.
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Riverbank Park was created in part from an estate owned by the Wards, a distinguished old Newark family. I think Gaetano also found, some months ago, an article from The New York Times of May 10, 1909 about Miss Anna Ward fiting the City to stay in the family mansion that she had left only once in 35 years. I guess they eventually got her out. Ah, the good old days, when government used some restraint in dealing with "eccentrics". I wonder what the mansion looked like.
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Miss Ward was a relative of Marcus L. Ward, a governor of New Jersey and Congressman who was an abolitionist and established a fine hospital on Center Street during the Civil War. The Newarkology website says that his mansion occupied the current site of the Newark Museum.

This third foto shows a more modest house, on a small lot in the area of the schools stadium in near north Newark, showing how a proud homeowner can spiff up his house and contribute a little color and festiveness to the neighborhood.

Speaking of fiting (what a segue!), this Saturday (also), CBS Television will be broadcasting its first mixed martial arts program live from The Rock to the entire Nation, starting at 9pm. Preliminary bouts start at 6:30pm.
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See what I mean about things to do in Newark? Some history, some music and graphic arts, some mixed martial arts, all on the same day, Saturday, May 31st, 2008. There's something for everyone in today's Newark. (Well, Saturday's Newark.)