Yes We Can! Brooklyn Heights Gets A Shout-Out During DNC’s Opening Night

By on September 5, 2012 12:07 am in Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn History

Brooklyn Heights got a shout-out during the opening night of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte Tuesday night, as Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley opened his speech with a odd little rant about his home state’s history some 225 years ago.

Within the first minute of his adddress—which aired just before the 10 o’clock hour (no major network coverage, but MSNBC and PBS were on it)—the guv said, “Since the first days of the American Revolution, Maryland has been called the Old Line State because of this true story of a group of soldiers called the Maryland Line: (etc. etc. etc.). It is August 27th, 1776, two months since our Declaration of Independence. Outnumbered and surrounded, Washington’s army is about to be crushed forever at Brooklyn Heights. The British are closing in.”

He goes on for another minute about Maryland’s deep-rooted history, before transitioning into a relevant point: “Together with President Obama, we are moving America forward, not back.” (Read the full text of his speech here.) Go, Brooklyn Heights! Yes we can! (Photo: AP)

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  • Still Here

    Chuck/Claude -> How about a survey on ‘Are you better off than you were four years ago?’

  • carol

    I recommend Congresswoman Nydia Velasquez’s speech – the theme was based upon an Hispanic saying – Tell me who you walk with and I’ll tell who you are.” She challenged Latinos, seniors,small business people, students and gays to see who the President walks with and by that you know will who he is.

  • Wiley E.

    Republicans buy ranches so the government can paid them NOT to grow food, and everyone else can go hungry while they get richer and don’t pay taxes. Only Democrats, Independents and people on welfare pay taxes.

  • Livingston

    Actually, the NYT ran an article a couple weeks about the Marylanders lost defending Washington in Brooklyn. They are supposedly buried by the Gowanus Canal.

    Far more interesting than the DNC drivel.

  • Prom Gal

    The reference was not to Brooklyn Heights, the residential neighborhood, but to the Revolutionary War Battle of Brooklyn Heights.

    As to Nydia Velasquez, she does not represent the people of Brooklyn Heights. We are the forgotten and ignored part of her district.
    She is a partisan machine political hack. She is an extreme far leftist with the most extreme pro-abortion record in Congress. One of very few voting against the “Born Alive Infant Protection Act” which is outright infanticide. Also supported by Obama. She is way out if the mainstream, even among Demicrats, and does little, actually next to nothing, for the actual neighborhood of Brooklyn Heights.

  • Mr. Crusty

    Don’t you just love the way PromGal bestows upon herself the right to talk for all Brooklyn Heights? No PromGal, Rep. Velasquez may not represent your views but you are not Brooklyn Heights. And please don’t tell us yet again how your family has been in BH for 6 thousand years. That gives you exactly one vote, the same as someone that moved in last week (much to your shagrin I am sure).

    Anyone that watched the brilliant speech by Bill Clinton last night would see how disingenuous and outright dishonest the whole right wing attack on Obama has been. It was a devastating indictment of what was once a proud Republican Party but which has devolved into an obstructionist, selfish, dishonest collection of self interests who couldn’t care less for most Americans as long as they can get more tax cuts and loopholes.

    It is the Republican Party that is way out of the mainstream in my opinion PromGal.

  • Prom Gal

     My comments had nothing to do with Velasquez’ representing or not representing my own political views, but with her not representing the interests of Brooklyn Heights, a minuscule portion of her gerrymandered district.
      According to the latest census, a congressional district represents 700,000 people. With Brooklyn Heights’ proper population of less than 25,000, and with 10-15% of voting age adults being Jehovah’s Witnesses, who are not permitted by their religion to vote, that is a small number of people, indeed. 
      Velasquez has never paid much attention to the needs of BH. We are, indeed, socio-economically, racially and ethnically very different from the rest of her district. 
      According to Corcoran neighborhood profile data, BH proper is not at all racially diverse, 94% Caucasian, median income is $200,000 per annum, and the average house costs $2.5-6 million, apartment rentals: studios start at $1800, one BR at $3000 and Cooperative apartments 3-4 BR family sized apartments $1.5-5.3 million. 
      

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