escape from the vicious right wing America

Now I have to admit that I doubt that New York will ever be affordable for me. It has always been a horrible expensive city to live where rent control existed, but it was always still very highly priced to live there. As I mentioned in the prior article about the city, 40–45 years ago when I went and stayed in the appartment with a mutual friend of my then pastor, I found out that rend for their apartment was 1000$ for a month and it was not a sizable appartment. Maybe at most it was three rooms and it wasn’t top notch. There was a hole in the wall.

That was 45 years ago, and the price and the conduction even then would have made it require at least one roommate if not more for me to be able to afford it. Now of course it WAS in my favorite part of NYC, Greenwich village where all the boys gathered. I found myself much more popular than I was anywhere else. I guess I was, at about 30, a hot young thing, something I rarely was in the gay scene at that time. I mean guys were buying me drinks. One of the best vacations I had ever had.

I understand why rent needs to be brought down and controlled, even in that long away time, rent-control was an issues, and there is no reason to suspect that that has changed. It has lucky gotten worst, and rent-control really is the only way, people can be there to fulfull jobs in restaurants and be the laborers for the stores that are prvalent, and even the theaters that can get such high prices, but also need employees. As with most cities that are concerned elite or cultured, the prices are also high to see a show. I have heard of shows costing 100$ or more off-broadway.

I went to see a very moving show off broadway. The host insisted I go with him, and we didn’t discuss the cost. I have no idea what my ticket cost, and it is possible he got a discount because he knew lots of people and he was so determined I would see this wonderful play. I am glad that he insisted and sat on the very front role and I admit it, I cried alway though the show and I can see remember the play with great fondness. Whether I would have able to pay for that Ticket myself is very unlikely but I am so thankful that I never had to worry. I just walked in, accepted the fact that we WERE sitting on the very front row, right where the stage was. It felt like I was on stage and all the emotionals felt like they were mine.

The play, by the way, was Harvey Fierstein’s Torch Song Triology and it remains one of those blessed events in my life….today, 45 years later. But lets get back to the main point in the article. Today, Mamdani won the Democratic slot and is going to be the Mayor of this lovely city on Jan 1, 2026. Needless to say, I hope Mamdani turns the over-charging of New York because as usual the rich try to make it impossible for the less well off to survive in their terrority. Mamdani, has promised free bus rides, real rent-control and city owned restaurants. All three will hopefully make things affordable.

I am a liberal, a progressive. I am also an admiral of the younger generation that understands from the experience of hitting up against the unequal and discriminatory set up of American society that there is no way for young people to pay for the education that is so valuable and teaches about the world and how others live that don’t have the discrimination and bigotry that we do, survive. There is absolutely no reason that New York City should be totally out of reach for the average person. I don’t even believe that the well-to-do deserve to be able to price others out of the cultural resorts available in New York City.

The city already have “off-broadway” which I expect would have enough avangart plays and entertainment to keep me content, and may be cry though a play every once and awhile like I did Torch Song. But sadly even off-broadway is likely too expensive for some of the lower economic pyramid in the city. That is an absolute sin.

Meanwhile the nasty bigots and racists that conpress the right wing racist Nazi type movement, like trump and others of his mob who rant and rave because Mamdani is trying for affordability and that they consider communism, which they also consider other things we have for the poor as well. Why should buses not be free for the rider? Determine how much running the bus on it round is, allot that much money, and charges are needed. It is built into the culture of the city. City owned restaurants/stores…same principal. For the price that they can afford to provide for the regulated price, you have food. If you want more elite type food, pay at a upscale restaurant/store, and get that “fancy food”.

But the trumpy mob are already just saying it is clear that the city is going to be a crime ridden, and communist city. I suspect that won’t be the case and the true will be that more people can continue to stay in the city and contribute to the beautiful, beautiful diversity that makes up this most Cosmopolitan city in the entire nation. Well, New Orleans is probably in the time 5 or 6 of those, for which I rejoice every day that I moved to New Orleans.

Saint’s preserve me from litty white haters of all immigrant that comprise so much of this isolationalist narrow minded country and New York city is colder. Probably I still won’t be able to afford New York, but I would rather be under the rein of Mamdani than trump any day.

Tomorrow, I will be celebrating my 72th birthday so this is the last article before I have another birthday and am a year older. See ya then.