National Divisions Apparent In Southern Brooklyn After Election

Donald Trump came out on top in this historically crass election, and all of the pundits are speaking about the divisions in our country as if it was any news to anyone.

Simply judging by the reactions by neighbors to this shift in power, Sheepshead Bay, and the rest of southern Brooklyn, is not immune to the lines between party affiliation, race, gender, and sexuality. It’s all on the table now and you don’t have to look too far for evidence.

This morning we roamed the streets of Brighton Beach’s Muslim community on Neptune and Brighton 7 Street and the heart of Sheepshead Bay, around Sheepshead Bay Road and Jerome Avenue, to get the emotions and reactions of people after last night’s nail-bitter.

No one would go on record, or even say much off the record. “Please, no,” was the most common response to “how are you feeling today?”

Apprehension was tangible in the atmosphere among the Muslim neighbors who were clearly trying to go about their daily business as if nothing has changed, even though a man whose campaign succeeded off of nation-wide fear of Islam was elected last night. A man swept the sidewalk in front of the Super Halal Meat Depot at 217 Neptune Ave without looking up to make eye contact with passers-by.

A Facebook post we made this morning asking for people’s feelings brought on comments ranging from sadness compared to the death of family members, celebration for our new president, and “mixed feelings” in the form of happiness that Hillary Clinton didn’t win, but regret that Trump did.

People walking by the news stand outside the Sheepshead Bay subway stop looked at the newspaper headlines with smiles, frowns, and angry shaking heads.

I will briefly stray from objectivity to say that I think it is important that we, as a neighborhood, don’t let these deep cuts in the nation’s population be extended to our humble home. Think globally, act locally.