Raise the Hammer

If you were serious about your views, you would have made the time for research to find that more urban-centric pieces about Hamilton is not what Hamilton needs in 2011, as much as it needs a better understanding of what constitutes urban-centric & suburban-centric biases; and respectable ways to overcome them.

Once again, an important issue gets brought up, discussed, largely agreed upon, then the attacks begin again. Not that I've really seen anything on here rebut our arguments about Vranich or the Federal Building (or even a word on the topic since WellWisher stirred the pot). Just more arguing over downvoting, "biases" and "agendas".

How exactly is this an urban vs suburban issue? Where do suburban issues come in at all? Another false dichotomy that claims to lump enormous chunks of public opinion into simple categories which are easy to dismiss.

There are New Urbanists, heritage advocates, geography students, anarchists, businesspeople and all manner of people who are far too complex to fit easily into any one category. For most issues, a common preference does show up after thirty comments or so, but if you pay attention, the same people often end up on very different "sides" on different issues (LRT, Stadium, downtown etc). I'll agree, there are certain demographic/cultural/philosophical commonalities, and many voices which are not present, but that does not invalidate the right of those who are here to say their piece.

I'm very tired of hearing about how people are "meddling" by raising these issues. The "buy - neglect - demolish" trend by downtown developers has devastated the core and impacted tens of thousands of lives. Similar properties are available a few blocks in any direction. It IS our business. And it isn't surprising at all that so many people are upset about it.