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Neighbourhood Struggles Depicted on T-shirt

Wednesday 28th of February 2007 12:08:14 AM

T-Shirts designed by clothing chain H & M have hit home for some residents of the Lower East Side in New York City, USA. The T-Shirts bearing the phrase ‘Please Respect Our Neighbors’ are being sold in retail outlets and speciality shops across the US. One resident, Rebecca Moore, said of the shirts, “I’m hoping [wearing the shirt] will spread sensitivity. That’s my naive hope, but I’m ever-optimistic.” She is tired of listening to the noise coming from the bars and restaurants while she is trying to sleep at night time.

“It’s really hard to live in a place that’s being turned into Times Square. It’s not like we’re being totally unreasonable in wanting to go to bed by 3 a.m,” she said, in reference to the fact that the Lower East Side is filled with residential neighbourhoods that are slowly being replaced by fine dining and local bars. Moore, who formed the Ludlow-Orchard Community Organization, an online community that informs visitors about what is happening to the area, will be wearing the t-shirt to the next community meeting.

While the inspiration for the T-Shirts has not been discussed by H & M, there are many guesses. For many years now commercial rent in the area has been on the rise. Older businesses are now being replaced by trendy bars and night spots. Unlike other cities that have designated areas for late night noise, New York does not.

This could be an epidemic that is happening in other neighbourhoods as well. Moore is dong her part by keeping people informed and trying to get the laws changed in the neighbourhood concerning bars and restaurants. As for her t-shirt, she said she is, “marvelling at how a problem like bar proliferation can make it into worldwide fashion.”

(c)Alfred Borchard, www.sxc.hu