Hi, Wilma,
I think you accurately summed up my arguments, and eloquently expanded upon
them as well. Thanks.
> Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2009 17:30:12 -0500> Subject: Re: [UC] Penn-gemony receives
> its next Mayor> From: wil.p...@verizon.net> To: anthony_w...@earthlink.net;
> univcity@list.purple.com> > Tony,> > I won't begin to speak for Karen, but MY
> take on what she wrote is that> quite a few (not all), of the alleged Campus
> Inn supporters have been> positing themselves as leaders of community
> associations and institutions,> to which many of us belong or have belonged.>
> > All the while they have been using their credibility as community
> activists> and representatives for self-serving purposes with, as you put it,
> the> economic engine of Penn, while spinning another agenda to the community
> they> purported to represent to keep others working and engaged.> > The most
> egregious is my opinion is the organizations who claim to want to> preserve
> the historical integrity of the neighborhood, while their friends> neighbors
> and members vehemently oppose this project.> > It also must be hurtful that
> so many of the neighbors immediately around> this project have put many
> hours, years and dollars working in these> community groups who ultimately
> failed to advocate their interest.> > Granted, there will proponents and
> opponents on any issue that concerns the> community.> > Disqualifying people
> from supporting it doesn't quite ring true for me.> Rather, a sense of
> betrayal is felt by those who believed these community> leaders actually
> stood for what they said they did.> > Karen can correct me if I have misspoke
> any of her arguments here and you> may do the same.> > -Wilma> > On 2/9/09
> 4:13 PM, "Anthony West" <anthony_w...@earthlink.net> wrote:> > > This is a
> real concern. Indeed, it has to haunt any attempt to foster> > community
> institutions in University City. Many people don't feel the> > town-gown
> process has been well handled in a lot of cases.> > > > But the issue is
> deucedly complex.> > > > Given the size of Penn the economic engine, lots of
> people in UC are> > bound to do business with Penn. So ruling all people out
> of public> > discussion who have Penn connections would give a bizarre and
> lopsided> > look to any neighborhood debate, wouldn't it?> > > > To be
> neutral, one would have to dismiss all Penn-affiliated neighbors> > *on both
> sides* of a debate about Penn. You can't have a situation where> >
> disgruntled Penn affiliates are applauded as oracles when they attack> >
> Penn, while contented affiliates are disqualified from speaking up for it.> >
> > > In truth, I know many real-estate agents and property owners who freely>
> > oppose the Campus Inn. So there has to be a way for other real-estate> >
> agents and property owners to freely support it, if that desire should> >
> enter their hearts.> > > > -- Tony West> > > > > > > > KAREN ALLEN wrote:> >>
> That's where our neighbors who feed at the Penn trough come into play> >> on
> behalf of Penn. It would seem that few people think (or, at> >> least, will
> say out loud) that it seems odd that the most strident and> >> outspoken
> supporters of Penn Real Estate's hotel proposal just happen> >> to be mostly
> real estate agents and large property owners who rent to> >> Penn students.
> Nor does it seem to be odd that those self-same real> >> estate agents,
> property owners, and the hotel developer were the same> >> people who all
> somehow ended up being named to the steering committee> >> which tried to get
> Penn's UCD BID proposal passed into law. Now it's> >> been revealed that a
> local community association has had board members> >> quit in disgust over
> its zoning committee seemingly ignoring their> >> members' loud and clear
> objections to the hotel.> >> > >> All of this is to say that "the community"
> can be hijacked by those> >> with self interests who are willing to throw the
> actual community> >> under the Penn bus. "Pay no attention to my blatant
> conflicts of> >> interest, and to near-unanimous opposition from everyone
> else. I am> >> the Community, and I am here to rubberstamp anything Penn
> wants!"> > > > > > ----> > You are receiving this because you are subscribed
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