we get to have opinions on choices we don't shape. Ray: Some years back I reported on various meetings, among other work, in South Jersey for the Courier Post. While there I saw many a small town or township in action trying to gather opinion and, in short, politic. It was fascinating to see small burgs make govt work. Town halls and such were a pleasure to experience after what at the time was a period of great tumult in city council. That was when Franny Rafferty was being thrown out of city council for fighting and George Schwartz paraded around like an emperor, before his stint in jail.
My point is that you would be happy in a small settting where you could feel more connected. It is craziness to assume that we can have as much power as you seem to think it is possible to have living in such a large metropolis. We just cannot make as much of an impact as you would like, emphasis on 'you.' That is why neighborhood groups are so important in a large city like Phila. It is our only chance to make a real impact, that and voting, however superfluous and/or futile that may seem sometimes. Sande Knight ----- Original Message ----- From: UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Univcity<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 12:06 AM Subject: Re: [UC] Re: Why does the state store want to move Kyle Cassidy wrote: > There are many opinions, but few choices. > ... > That's the only choice, zoning variance or no zoning variance. yes, that's how I see it: we get to have opinions on choices we don't shape. Liz Campion wrote: >> Luckily, drastic changes, such as Zoning Changes, require player to >> reveal a few 'cards'. >> This permits neighbors to investigate, comment and negotiate toward >> desired goals of a better community through foresight. >> ... >> Among the opportunities is a chance to PLAN the highest and best use of >> properties. >> ... >> We, as citizens, have every right to investigate changes in USE and >> ZONING. yes, I agree. there are lots of considerations in a question about rezoning. but you won't hear about these in the press. the way the press has framed it, we have only one choice to make (rezoning/not-rezoning) and two basic opinions (religious vs business). we're portrayed as a reactive 'community divided', not as a pro-active community deciding, creating many choices or alternatives besides rezoning/not-rezoning. this resembles the dock street story -- one choice (to rezone or not), between 2 sides (a church and a business). meanwhile other opinions (of vendors or customers), other choices (besides rezoning) were not part of that story. and yet dock street's installation, in the end, was celebrated as a kind of triumph of community engagement, as a revitalization of the community. [EMAIL PROTECTED]<mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Of greater concern is how better to potentate this listserv as an engine for >> more democratic beneficial community development. Apparently, the listserv >> membership is yet interested in gathering verifiable facts about the two >> properties and knowledgeably analyzing the projects as real estate development >> opportunities. yes, I agree. the decision-making about the liquor store move looks more like divide and conquer than community building. which is a shame. it seems our voices are only being used against one another to say yea or nay about a choice not of our making or knowledge, when we could instead be using our voices to determine what these choices are in the first place. and I think until we do that, the press should stop portraying all this as a 'community' thing. in any event, we shall see how the press continues this story. the zoning board hearing which had been scheduled for 28 feb is now march 21 (tomorrow). .................. UNIVERSITY*CITOYEN [aka laserbeam®] [aka ray] SERIAL LIAR. CALL FOR RATES. ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html<http://www.purple.com/list.html>>.
