FW: Reclaim Downtown

[Lee Cassutt]

I apologize if it was not clear but I merely forwarded an e-mail that I
received in a roundabout fashion (from a former head of the Downtown
Business Association) to give a hint what was going on in the hearts and
minds of the powers that be in Seattle.  I was struck by the attempt to
claim "real" democracy for the downtown Business folks and to "vote" with
their dollars.  Downtown business is now adding up the "cost" and is
certainly hoping to bill the rest of us.  
--Lee 

Lee Cassutt wrote:


>   Now it's time to reclaim downtown and let the merchants and
> businesses who were vandalized (usually, an uninsurable loss) and whose
> revenues evaporated, know that we're there for them.

It varies from time to time and from city to city, but in most cities
the "downtown merchants" are one of the more important pressure
groups at the municipal level, and it is not illegitimate and perhaps
desirable that they should be held responsible for the actions of
the city government (which in turn should be held responsible
for the actions of the police).

I certainly would not favor (were I a resident of Seattle) any
collective action to further harm the downtown merchants,
but I certainly would not go out of my way to help them either.

All and all this is a strange post.

Carrol