Good morning, Monday. Nice weekend of seeing friends and catching up. Now let's get on with it. Cause I'm a little fucked off today.
For the haters, nay sayers, cancel culturalists, defectors, deflectors, joy killers, unimaginative, unindoctrinated non-believers, a word.
New York is not over.
You can't cancel New York.
So stop saying New York is over. Dead. Dunzo.
I'm sorry but it's not. And just like the picture says, there are not enough middle fingers for this type of thinking/speculating. Yes, New York may change. We all are changing. New York is not over. Maybe your relationship with it is over. But guess what? When you walk away and decamp to the burbs or a small town or Lord knows where, New York will still be here. And once we dust ourselves off and get the leadership we need (come on 2021), New York is going to be just fine. Right now, we need the chest thumpers and the card carrying New Yorkers who aggravate everyone else in the country who know that this city is not going to die. Because we won't let it. I will cling to my WNYC mug with pride and continue to worship at the altar of Brian Lehrer, not to mention Pat Kiernan on NY1. Because they're NY as f. Our mayor who eats pizza with a damn fork? Not so much.
Because there are people here who will fight for it as long as they can. This is not just a city. It is a place where people come to make it. To dream bigger. To break free of the bullshit they faced growing up in towns that were not suitable for their brand of shiny bright.
We may see a few more rats. There may very well be a rise in crime (already is). But for those who think this city is over, that's absolutely ridiculous. Are we going back to the 70s or the 80s or are we going to move forward and regroup, recreate, and reboot? New York is not a city that goes backwards. It's a city that moves forward. And it will continue to do so.
So to those who say New York is over, I simply say- maybe that's true for you. But that's not true for the millions of people who don't live here because they have to, we live here because we want to and we love it and we will never, ever stop loving it. This is not for the ten year folks. This is for the people who have roots here and struggle here and above all, life here. This is for the old Italians in my neighborhood holding down the local coffee spot with their throaty conversations and espressos. This is for everyone still trying to make it here, and giving it a go with all their might. Thank you, restaurants. Thank you, boutiques. Thank you to everyone continuing to keep this city going.
PS I just had a bagel. I don't eat bagels anymore but in honor of my love for this town, I ate one. And guess what? It tasted better than ever. As I sit here in my Brooklyn apartment, there are very few places I'd rather be than right here, right now.
We need a few things to get through this, friends.
Leadership.
Compassion.
Strength.
We will do this. Let's do it together. I'm not giving up on New York. If people need to go, let them go. It's all good. But stop cancelling New York City for the love of the Lord. This city will be triumphant for many years to come. Much love from the best city in the world. Call me an optimist or idealist or dreamer. I'm fine with all of those terms. It's because of those descriptors I moved here in the first place.
Cause that's what's up this giving back to the city that gave me so much kind of Monday in the 212. Yours, in NYFuckingC. XO