Sometimes, there is near unanimity in the response to a news story. There is lots of disagreement about what’s happening in Gaza, and about who shot down the Malaysian Airliner and what should be done about it, but everybody was saddened by James Garner’s death. Nobody didn’t like James Garner.
You can stay, if you come in the back way (not a photo of the actual door)
Another story where the response was near unanimous was the revelation that some new buildings in the more expensive parts of Manhattan (not that any place on the island is cheap, but there is a difference between expensive and ‘for rich people only’) have decided to segregate their entrances. Not by race, or gender, or age, or sexual orientation, of course. That would be illegal. Strictly according to money. People living in the more expensive apartments get to come in through the front door, people renting the more affordable apartments will have to enter from the alley.
Pretty much everybody agrees that this is disgusting, and tacky, and horrible. I agree, too.
But there isn’t a damn thing anybody can do about it. The developers, if they’d had their way, wouldn’t have provided any middle class apartments at all. The city has passed a rule that new buildings have to have a certain percentage of affordable housing, and they are complying with that rule, up to and not exceeding the bare minimum. The city government did not even think to say “and everybody must have access to the main entrance” because nobody even thought of that, but there you go. There’s no law against being disgusting, and tacky, and horrible.
The rich people, coming in through their rich, hotel lobby style entrance, are not likely to object. They are not even likely to think about it, after a day or two.
Those forced to come in at the back are not likely to protest too much. If they really objected, they wouldn’t be buying in that specific building.
It’s disgusting, and tacky, and horrible, but it’s not unique. If you get on an airplane, the passengers are separated into first class and coach. When you arrive at JFK, if you are rich, there is a limo waiting for you. If you are middle class, you might take a cab. If you are poor (poor enough that you have to think about how much you’re spending on stuff) you take the bus to the train.
If you aren’t rich, there are restaurants you can’t eat at, clubs you can’t get into, shoes you will never get to wear.
It sucks, but the ‘poor doors’ in New York are only a symptom. Even if it was possible to force the building owners to change their policy, it would make little difference. The doors are not the problem. Income inequality, and the caste system that goes along with it, are the problem.
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