Judson

Judson Memorial Church is a small haven right off Washington Square Park that had much to say about the direction in which the Park, and the entire city itself, is heading. Open to all, regardless of color, creed, or social standing, Judson Memorial Church is quite wary of the changes occurring in the village. We are returning to a city of the bourgeoisie. The parks will be cleaner and the outfits will be ritzier and the violence and crime will either be eliminated or artfully covered up. So what happens to the people who are there now? What happens to the poor and underprivileged patrons of Judson Memorial Church who can't keep up with our changing times?

The speakers at Judson were not at all reserved about their views. At first they seemed harsh and curt in their judgments and lash outs, but I came to realize that their passionate pleas to acknowledge what is happening to our city were not at all unfounded. Yes, they attacked NYU, but their statements hurt only because they were true. We all know that gentrification is plaguing both the university and the square. We can't deny it. The concerns are understandable. Do any of us want to see a park where the musicians and artists can no longer roam because they have all moved out to Brooklyn?

Maybe we've been brainwashed by eloquent people such as Rebecca Furgeson. Maybe we need to think about the consequences of the renovations for ourselves and realize that change always implies that things will never be the same. The question is, how much are we willing to compromise, and for what end?