RE: (Neighbors were also supposed to have private "coffee meetings" if they had concerns about the 11 story hotel...) I can attest to this because it was me that this happened to. When I was speaking out against the hotel at 40th and Pine, Tom Lussenhop contacted me off list to discuss the hotel "over coffee". I replied to him onlist that I had nothing to say to him that was not said in a public venue in front of witnesses. I also ran into him accidentally in Dock Street pub and he tried the same thing...I walked away. I was not going to be used, fed spin, have my words distorted. Karen Allen
Date: Thu, 5 May 2011 11:41:20 -0400 From: [email protected] CC: [email protected] Subject: Re: [UC] Facts on the Clark Pk restoration On 5/4/2011 11:24 PM, Anthony West wrote: There has been a lot of hooraw on this list of late about Clark Park, which began with a recent post of misinformation on this listserve from a well-known source of nutty falsehoods. The latest round began with his "report" on chemical treatments involved in the rehabilitation of the North Park or "A" Park, between Baltimore and Chester Avenues. Questions about such subjects are completely justified, always. That's one of the things Friends of Clark Park looks into, whenever it gets community feedback on concerns that matter to this community. We want this job done -- but we want it done right. People who want the real facts on this process -- the restoration of our belovèd, but heavily damaged, North Park -- can swing by FoCP's table at the Spruce Hill May Fair this Saturday. The weather bids to be fair and you'll have a great time! So come to the park and meet your neighbors. They'll tell you everything you need to know. --Tony West Of course, Mr West didn't just give any facts on this public list. The years of FOCP officers' ad hominem laced refusals to PUBLICLY answer ANY questions, fully confirms the years of reports about the DELIBERATE exclusion and secrecy behind the Clark Park privatization. The fallacious attacks that we've seen recently are not new. What must be communicated to newcomers in the area was that the complete redesign of Clark Park was overwhelmingly rejected 7-8 years ago and PUBLIC MEETINGS were the reason it was stopped! (The importance of public meetings to both neighborhoods and democracy is fundamental, as careful study of the Clark Park history demonstrates.) Over the past 8 years, the FOCP leadership has insisted that the public must check the FOCP web site, give all feedback to an FOCP table(West/Siano), and give a $20 fee, as the only participation or information neighbors are permitted in important community decisions. To insist on such a ridiculous position should make people angry! It's condescending to all of you expected to swallow it! (Neighbors were also supposed to have private "coffee meetings" if they had concerns about the 11 story hotel, or about secret deals with SHCA and UCHS leaders.) Newcomers may believe something about the attempts to portray them, and everyone else, as unobservant disinterested cranks, waiting to cause trouble until the FOCP insiders did their hard work . Don't! It has long been a civic association trick to mask secret processes by blaming the victims! People are told that any comments are far too late, when the grabs for power are disclosed (e.g. the phone line to nowhere). The deceivers claim that civic association leaders had a "democratic process" among themselves, and neighbors were too stupid and disinterested because they missed it. Neighbors are supposed to blame themselves quietly and slink away in awe of the power of civic association leaders. Your "input and suggestions" are never going to be considered by any civic association that uses this big lie against you. Neither can you watch the misinformation delivered to your neighbors, nor the dissent coming from them as they are privately insulted! Part of the reason I publicly reported about the secret meetings for so many years, while I was always personally attacked, was so that neighbors could see how important EXCLUSION was to the mission of FOCP, acting to protect the corporate, Penn led, privatization! No you weren't unconcerned and stupid, you were excluded from an illegitimate process! Neighbors need to ask each other, are we going to continue to be silenced by the big lie of the FOCP/UCD bullies??? Do you understand that everyone has lost citizen rights regarding public spaces, and that much more has happened in Clark Park than comments about a little maintenance???? Glenn PS: I'll be in Boston during the May Fair. Don't deal with those bullies unless you bring your friends and neighbors! Don't take their bullshit anymore! Power to the people! No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.894 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3616 - Release Date: 05/04/11 14:34:00
