http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/thinkingallowed/thinkingallowed_20080611.shtml

You can also do a search for “BBC” on this blog. That will pick up the follow-up radio show on gentrification in general.

By the way #3, the radio show addresses the different reactions of various churches to the gentrification issue, from Abyssinian to Atlah. The more affluent Abyssinian has been at the forefront of development while Atlah is attempting to fight it with (in my opinion) racist rhetoric and dubious economic suggestions. (A quick read of the Atlah website reveals that Rev. Manning believes that he met two angels in Prospect Park shortly after his release from prison, who told him that he had a higher purpose.)

Another part of the radio show that I found particularly disturbing has a group of children reciting a description of gentrification.

Let’s be clear, it is the very historical cultural institutions of Harlem that are leading the charge of gentrification & change, is it not? The churches. There are numerous examples in Harlem where they’ve sold some of their land to developers or have entered joint partnerships with developers for luxury condo development. Does that say it all?

But Nellie Bailey does not focus on this fact does she? Why? It would be Old Black Harlem v. Old Black Harlem. That’s not a battle either group wants to have, so they focus on and blame whitey for gentrification.

The show includes an excerpt from one of Rev. Manning’s sermons in which he declares that the brownstones of Harlem belong to his congregation and that white people are living in their houses. So there’s food for the mind and for the emotions.

That said, the piece on Harlem was pretty biased to the side of people who oppose development. On the other hand, it was the most professionally produced piece on the topic I’ve ever seen.