Hyde Park Progress is a blog devoted to promoting reasonable economic improvement in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. It is a forum for members of the community who want to end the artificial isolation of Hyde Park from the larger economy of the City. It calls for the improvement of neighborhood retail and commercial amenities, safety, and liveliness.
Based on the findings of the report, my conclusion was that this idea was not a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious.
I'm a married U of C grad student who owns a condo in East Hyde Park. I've found solace, sanity, and more than a few chuckles in this blog. Below is a reply from Alderman Hairston to my email pleading for public opposition to the dry vote. Some hope, perhaps-though I don't know if there's enough hope to go around this election cycle.
Thanks for keeping on top of this and all the other issues. (Email reply below)
Thank you for your email regarding Pct. 39. I have voiced my opposition and will have people outside the polling place on Election Day.
Good question. I didn't expect a response. Maybe it's because I made my appeal saying that I have a child. Maybe that's the alderman's soft spot on this issue: keep the 39th precint wet, if not for the economic and social wellbeing of Hyde Park, then for the sake of it's children!
Thanks again to this blog for bringing the issue to my attention. Here's the orginal email:
Dear Alderman Hairston,
I am a married University of Chicago graduate student with a child who owns a condo just outside of the 39th precinct in the 5th ward. I am writing to urge you to please come out in firm, public oppostion to the referundum to vote the precinct dry. The passage of this measure would have disastrous consequences for the neighborhood, chilling any future, grand-scale economic development in Hyde Park as a whole. In times of such great economic uncertaintly, killing a project that would provide jobs both directly in the hotels and indirectly in the increased patronage of local business is more than irresponsible. It is patently destructive.
It is an insult to democracy to allow the whims of a few to override the interests of the many. I, like most Hyde Parkers, desire a safe and vibrant neighborhood for my family. Voting the 39th precinct dry is one of the clearest ways to undermine that goal.
Ah, but it could be glorious.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQP91_fPgkI
Brilliant!
ReplyDeleteI love it.
ReplyDeletethat is my all-time favorite movie.
"major kong" is Jack Spicer. Greg Lane is General Jack Ripper.
But, I'm being unfair, "you can't condemn the whole program because of a single slip-up."
Based on the findings of the report, my conclusion was that this idea was not a practical deterrent for reasons which at this moment must be all too obvious.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1KvgtEnABY&
ReplyDeleteI'm a married U of C grad student who owns a condo in East Hyde Park. I've found solace, sanity, and more than a few chuckles in this blog. Below is a reply from Alderman Hairston to my email pleading for public opposition to the dry vote. Some hope, perhaps-though I don't know if there's enough hope to go around this election cycle.
ReplyDeleteThanks for keeping on top of this and all the other issues. (Email reply below)
Thank you for your email regarding Pct. 39. I have voiced my opposition and will have people outside the polling place on Election Day.
Leslie A. Hairston
Oh my gosh, Mateo, you got an actual e-mail response from Leslie Hairston! That has never happened to me. What's your secret?
ReplyDeleteGood question. I didn't expect a response. Maybe it's because I made my appeal saying that I have a child. Maybe that's the alderman's soft spot on this issue: keep the 39th precint wet, if not for the economic and social wellbeing of Hyde Park, then for the sake of it's children!
ReplyDeleteThanks again to this blog for bringing the issue to my attention. Here's the orginal email:
Dear Alderman Hairston,
I am a married University of Chicago graduate student with a child who owns a condo just outside of the 39th precinct
in the 5th ward. I am writing to urge you to please come
out in firm, public oppostion to the referundum to vote the
precinct dry. The passage of this measure would have
disastrous consequences for the neighborhood, chilling any
future, grand-scale economic development in Hyde Park as a
whole. In times of such great economic uncertaintly,
killing a project that would provide jobs both directly in
the hotels and indirectly in the increased patronage of
local business is more than irresponsible. It is patently
destructive.
It is an insult to democracy to allow the whims of a few to
override the interests of the many. I, like most Hyde
Parkers, desire a safe and vibrant neighborhood for my
family. Voting the 39th precinct dry is one of the clearest
ways to undermine that goal.
Thank you for your time.