In a message dated 10/5/07 5:38:19 PM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes: > ...the other day al posted something about individual > responsibilities vs group participation. the idea that one > need not join a group in order to be considered an equal > urban dweller. > > yes, I think this is where people get confused about 'who is > a stakeholder' and 'who is not a stakeholder.' some think > that stakeholders are those who have affiliated themselves > with some identifiable group; others think that stakeholders > are the unaffiliated ones these groups represent or serve. > so it gets confusing. > > here's the deal: we're all stakeholders. > > and we're all free to volunteer and join whatever community > group we'd like (or not), to accomplish whatever we want (or > not). we just have to remember that, volunteerism, like > religion, isn't a pre-requisite for being a citizen > (neighbor), nor does it entitle anyone with greater or > lesser rights as a citizen (neighbor). and all this is true > even when the volunteerism is institutionalized (ucd); state > religions cannot compete with citizens' rights in a secular > democracy. > Doesn't this also mean that we also have to remember that non-joiners are not the superior group of citizens either; they don't have the greater right to berate joiners and the groups they join?
If I appeared to be criticizing non joiners last week, that wasn't my intention. I was expressing concern that without groups, there would be no eyes & ears on the street to add to our safety, keep the sidewalks clean, and take care of community "housekeeping." I was afraid that without organizations to help them out, the citizens who take these projects on would, like me, eventually get tired and "retire." I was saying that I was glad that there are now even folks whose PAID jobs it is to do some of these things - it provides employment, and it lets the rest of us who would otherwise feel obligated to shoulder the responsibility for areas larger than our own, to have more free time. I think your response, Ray, was something like, "it's okay if nobody does this work." That concerns me, since cleanliness, safety and housekeeping are important to me. Everyone has his/her own opinion about that, of course. But we live close together in an area which is more workable when not chaotic, it seems to me. In cities, the need for city services - trash collection, police, street lights, the fire department - seems well established. In some cities, those departments are not stretched as thin as ours, and they can handle the details our city cannot. I think we differ, you and I, Ray, in our thoughts about whether or not any further services are needed, after the city does what it can. Also, I'm not sure it's always clear that the constant criticism on this list of joiners and the organizations they join, seems just as heavy handed as the reverse, the criticism of those who don't join and don't like organizations. Melani Lamond Melani Lamond, Associate Broker Urban & Bye, Realtor 3529 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19104 cell phone 215-356-7266 office phone 215-222-4800, ext. 113 office fax 215-222-1101 ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com
