Today's flap provides, among other things, a useful test of the drawing
power of anonymous postings.
Attendance at today's First Thursday meeting was normal. My god, did we
enjoy an unexpected show! But at least we all fit in the room.
Of the 70-odd attendees, at least 90% were familiar, organization-affiliated
attendees. A half dozen at most could be said to have been drawn by the
publicity.
Another fact of note: the individuals who voted against UCD's interests with
near unanimity were leaders of the civic associations of West Philadelphia.
For years now we have been reading furious posts by a small number of
UC-list subscribers that all civic groups around here are helpless lackeys
of Penn and its supposed dragon UCD. Without exception, these posters had no
meaningful experience in civic groups and no record of competency in these
issues. Yet they love to heap nonsensical slurs on their neighbors, merely
because their neighbors belong to civic groups.
Today, the civic groups of West Philadelphia spoke out, spontaneously and
with one voice. They are quite diverse in terms of interest and class and
ethnicity. So the amazing thing was how much they agreed on this issue.
I think they also agree they don't need the second-guessing of inexperienced
wankers to speak for our community. These activists are the folks who have
been in the trenches; they know what they're talking about and they know who
has walked the walk.
-- Tony West
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