> depressing, dumpy quarters for progressive groups are popular with
> many middle and upper class dropouts, who seem to think shabbiness is
> next to godliness and brings the movement closer to "the poor"...
>
> but there is a problem, if the new surroundings induce an npr behavior
> pattern...otherwise, which would you rather visit; a depressing dump,
> or a place where you can sit down without contaminating your body?
Amen to this and what somebody said about shabbiness yesterday.
We deserve better than shitty spaces. We can have nice spaces at affordable rents. The problem is like Frank says, there are many within our movements who see "depressing, dumpy quarters" as a virtue or "keeping it real." At our infoshop here in Kansas City we have a constant struggle with the junk that people drop off at our space. It's gotten to the point where I get a perverse pleasure from tossing this garbage in the dumpsters. I don't know why some people think that an alternative space is in need of charitable castoffs. Buy us a nice fucking rug instead of giving us some ratty thing that you wouldn't let your dog crap on!
Chuck