3.3 min readBy Published On: March 2nd, 2011Categories: Features0 Comments on “Locals” vs. “Yuppies”

It has become apparent that I touched a nerve of the vocal minority of curmudgeons who hate fun.  In a recent column in a Southie newspaper, a local member of the fun police defended their “no fun anti-yuppie mantra.”

The writer also took offense to my characterization of those up in arms about the M Street Beach-goers and did not appreciate my attempt at humor in telling them to “lighten up.”  But the fact of the matter is, the State Police are doing their job and this group of rabble-rousers seemingly likes to pit the “locals” vs. the “yuppies.

 
What is a “local?”
 
First let’s define “local.”  From reading this writer’s column, I would gather that a “local” is someone born and raised in South Boston and is a positive term.  A “yuppie” is someone who is not born and raised in South Boston and is a negative term that borders on a residential slur.  “Locals” apparently obey all the laws, rules and regulations in our neighborhood.  “Yuppies” on the other hand break rules with reckless abandon every chance they get.  “Locals know that there is no drinking allowed on an state beach.” So are we to infer that “yuppies” aren’t aware of this state law or just choose to break the law?
 
Now as a “local” I can list about a dozen names of other “locals” that have been drinking on the beach for years.  And I’ve seen “local” twenty-somethings enjoying their summer beach days right along with the “yuppies” drinking in tandem.  So I guess the “locals” are okay for breaking the law because they are “local” and the “yuppies” are just bad people because they weren’t born here and have no street cred.
 
So the issue seems to be public drinking on the beach and apparently the vocal minority don’t like it one bit and want it to stop.  I’d like to remind them, we have a group of men and women assigned to patrol the beach.  They are called the State Police.  Let them do their job.  And I’ve seen them doing their job.  They go up to the people drinking in public and confiscate the alcohol.  Sometimes they are given a fine to pay.  Sometimes they are just verbally told to “knock it off” and the public drinking stops.  I just want to know, have there been a rash of alcohol infused crimes committed at M Street Beach that I am unaware of?  Have people been assaulted or robbed? Or are people just getting buzzed in the sunshine?
 

What is a “yuppie?”

I also think that the term “yuppie” is very dated and the fun police need to start using a new name for the new residents. “Yuppie” is an acronym for “young urban professionals” that started in the 1980’s.  It then became a pejorative term for a young, affluent, self-absorbed portion of the population. It does not mean outsider.  Technically you can be a “yuppie” and be a “local”.  Just sayin’. 
 
The gentrification of Southie has happened.  Get over it.  The young professionals moving into the condos of the converted triple-deckers that our forefathers sold during the real estate boom in mid 1990’s are here to stay.  They are your neighbors.  They are also volunteers, coaches, business owners, and good productive citizens of our community.  If you want to surround yourself with people who grew up in Southie, move to Milton or Braintree
 
To pit two parties of South Boston against each other based on where they were born is wrong and needs to stop.  And in response to the columnists written equivalent of  “I offer you out”, well consider this my “I accept.” 
 
Written by Peter Gailunas