Raise the Hammer

Anders:

I'm really not sure what it is you're trying to say. You make a statement about an area after admitting you know little about it, what you state is, at the very least inflammatory...and then follow up with "...we don't know a lot about quality of life in Charlotte if we're going to say companies are leaving here for there."

Huh?

You're contributing to a discussion, one that's taking place on what can easily described as the most amazing information resource imaginable, the WWW...and you're still feeling a little impotent regarding being able to form a qualified opinion? Ten minutes' worth of research about Charlotte would have helped you get closer to that Holy Grailish notion, a 'qualified opinion'. Crime rates. Poverty rates. Standard of living, local economic issues... It's all there. Google it.

It's incredible; so much mud is slung about here at politicians being uninformed. And yet RTH readers seem loaded for bear when it comes to launching a diatribe when they themselves haven't done any homework.

We're all better than this. Everything we need to be better informed is right here, in the background, ready to be accessed. There's no need to be tossing stuff about that's insulting to the people involved, to their neighbours, to everyone else here on this site. Disparate opinion? Cool; let's hear it. Vitriolic disagreement? Great! Let 'er rip! But come on; if you're going to declare something that is NOT subjective, then at least show some respect for all those involved. Including yourself. (I shudder to think about how Hamilton could be talked about by outsiders in this way...although I know all the pro-Steeltowners here would be up in arms and ready to burn effigies.)

As for the 'quality of Life' element of this situation: it was a BUSINESS DECISION. Siemens is looking after its own concerns. Is anyone surprised? We live in a free-market, capitalist system. People engage in it to benefit themselves. (All of us included.) If we're going to discuss the evils of corporate strategies, fine. But let's be really clear on what discussion we're having, because when conflation of topics unfolds here on RTH, nothing is gained. In fact, it sets us back tons.