One of the few "facts" Hayworth and Collins put forth in their attempt to justify their opinion that neighbors shouldn't complain about development threating the peace and sanctity of their homes is this:
"We didn’t want FedEx but it is one of the reasons our economic losses weren't greater during the recession."The recession lasted from December of 2007 until June of 2009, ending the very month in which the hub opened — and worse for Hayworth's and Collins' assertion, it opened by transferring some 160 existing airport facility jobs to the new hub.
Name-calling, supposition and fantasy do not make a persuasive argument.
This opinion piece has an unsavory tone to it. I'm not sure this was the best way to make the argument by Hayworth and Collins.
ReplyDeleteBut the overall point is valid, in my opinion. 14 households decided for an entire city the fate of a new and pretty swell corporate citizen.
Also did you not think it a bit ironic that one of the big voices against the Trader Joes was none other than former mayor Keith Holliday, who never met a new development deal he didn't like?
Thanks for commenting, John. I wasn't aware that Kieth Holliday was among the opposition. Was he among the fourteen households of which you speak?
ReplyDeleteWas Holliday against "Trader Joe's", as you write, or against commercial development on that spot? That's another problem with the discourse surrounding this matter, it's been disingenuous in its characterization of the opposition and their reasons.
Nonetheless, yes, I'll acknowledge the possibility of some hypocrisy among the opponents. Certainly Keith Holliday had no qualms about subjecting neighborhoods to encroachment for years previously.
Still, that's not my point which is this: We seldom have these kinds of discussions based on facts and reason. Too often the narrative gains traction around some tangential misconception or fantasy. Shouting "MIMBY" is a common method of deploying such distractions. Doing so while pretending one's opinion is based on some "fact" contrary to reality, as did Collins and Hayworth, just makes it worse — it calls into question the knowledge and credibility of those who spout the nonsense.
In what opium-fueled dream is the Friendly/Hobbs area in need of "renewal"?
ReplyDeleteLet's not forget that the trebic cartel has been stacking the deck on zoning commission for a very long time Cindy and tony.
ReplyDeleteThat argument of the need for "urban renewal" of the area escaped me, but it too is ludicrous.
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the downsides to not listening and understanding your opposition. You end up arguing against phantoms and straw men, with arguments that make no sense in the context of the situation.
Rock, Keith Holliday was quoted extensively in a N&R article protesting the development along the Friendly/Hobbs corridor. He was against any commercial development, as I recall.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
ReplyDelete