A Community United
It will always warm the cockels of my heart to see a community rally together to protect itself from a perceived threat. It is something that rarely happens in todays isolated, apathetic society.
Except in this case, when these community-activists left a horrible taste in my mouth.
There are innumerable real and debilitating threats to our community that these residents could wage war against. Suburban flight and the erosion of our manufacturing base are sending their cost of living through the roof, while their property values plummet through the floor, for instance.
Yet, what is the demon that finally galvanized these residents? A medical clinic that gets hundreds of addicts clean and sober, and ready to resume their lives as productive members of Windsor’s citizenry.
I don’t get their priorities.
As for their reasoning (according to the Windsor Star article) for their protective stance and temper tantrums (see photo), they say they’re doing it “for the children”! (Gawd! If I hear that excuse one more time… One look at their pneumatic offspring waddling to the family minivan for their daily drive to school will show you how our society really care about “the children“!) They say this is the wrong neighbourhood. I can’t think of a better one! This semi-industrial block located within the heart of the city has great access to transit and an empty medical clinic in it!
When the good doctors told them the clinic was “a good neighbour” on Drouillard Road and it’s patients are “very well behaved”, the resident protesters jeered and took the smug and disparaging view that “this isn’t Drouillard Road”. Way to kick an already marginalized neighbourhood when it’s down, folks! I wonder how they would feel if Southwood Lakes residents expressed the same ignorant classism to the media about Lincoln Road? I don’t think they would be very happy.
Unfortunately, these ignoramuses are voters and they’ll likely get their way, especially now during an election year. With the vast number of voters seeing the Lincoln Road NIMBYs point of view, a councillor would kiss hundreds of votes goodbye if s/he took a differing stance.
Folks, this is a medical clinic who are treating patients suffering from diagnosed maladies. If and when they are successful, your city will benefit from reduced social safety net costs as well as lowered instances of crime. How can you be against that?!? Or is it that you agree with this in principle, as long as it isn’t in your neighbourhood? Let someone else shoulder the problem while you enjoy the benefits? I’ve got news for you, the problem is all of ours to bear.
On Tuesday, I attended the Council of Canadians/Labour Council’s “Town Hall” meeting at the Caboto Club (I’m entertained by fanatasism on both sides of the political spectrum) and heard Labour Council president Dino Chiodo speak of community “one-ness”. (yes, I was actually there, unlike Chris Vander Doelen, who apparently writes his opinion pieces by utlizing heresay) There’s nothing I feel this community needs more than to act as one, as Chiodo espoused. However, I feel that the benefitiaries of mainstream societies “one-ness” is vastly different than mine. Most people today look to benefit the individual, whereas I look at issues as they affect the health of my community, which in the end, effects me and my family.
You can’t be happy and healthy in a sick community, and we actually have fellow Windsor residents on the side of sickness.
Post Feedback
Based on recent news stories, this area of Walkerville doesn’t sounds like it would be better than Drouillard Road.
http://www.windsorstar.com/news/Windsor+police+raid+homes+find+192K+drugs+arrest+four/2571367/story.html
http://www.windsorstar.com/Woman+sought+beer+bottle+attack/2583825/story.html
You’re absolutely right and I agree with everything you are saying, and seeing this kind of hateful behaviour in my town makes me sad beyond belief. However, I’m disappointed at your gratuitous stab at fat people and your link to the Jamie Oliver video. Yes, nutrition is a huge problem in our country, but this article isn’t about nutrition. Fat people, many of whom are perfectly healthy and many of whom are decent, thinking people who would abhor the attitudes expressed by this group of Windsor residents, seem to be unfairly taking the brunt of your vitriol.
I don’t think I was being heartless, nor gratuitous, with pointing out the hypocrisy of the fact that we always hoist the health and well being of “the children” when justifying certain decisions, when this generation of kids is the first ever to have a lower life expectancy than their parents. It is clear and obvious that we trot this out the try and end the debate on issues. Who can argue against “the children”?!?!? What heartless bastard would do that?!?!?
I’m sorry you read it the way you did, ’cause that wasn’t the intention. I can’t help but feel you read into it waaaay too much, as that was the only reference to what you called “fat people” in the entire rant (I used to term “pneumatic”, which is much more tongue-in-cheek), and it was instead aimed squarely at our coddled young ones as opposed to a blanket statement against all persons with weight issues.
They perceived a threat and are acting to protect their neighbourhood.
“Unfortunately, these ignoramuses are voters and they’ll likely get their way, especially now during an election year. With the vast number of voters seeing the Lincoln Road NIMBYs point of view, a councillor would kiss hundreds of votes goodbye if s/he took a differing stance.”
I really don’t agree with this kind of attack.
Mind you the comment on Drouillard road was not warrented as the history of Droulliard goes well beyond the recent times.
“Or is it that you agree with this in principle, as long as it isn’t in your neighbourhood? Let someone else shoulder the problem while you enjoy the benefits? I’ve got news for you, the problem is all of ours to bear.”
I didn’t see anyone else including yourself step up and offer a refuge in your neighbourhood and yes it IS a society problem.
Maybe if we said we’re here to help, offer solutions, instead of pointing the finger and complaining, Windsor would be farther ahead in terms of forward thinking.
Break out the google maps……
You know what? You’re right, and thank you for calling me on it. I keep giving Bosco a hard time, and he tries to live by the “don’t drink and blog” mantra these days. I’ve gotta do the same, though my mantra will be “don’t blog while you’re over-the-top angry”. Calm down, Holt…breathe…
I regret, and retract, and and all name calling I did in the rant. It was uncalled for and will never move any issue forward. I am truly sorry if I offended anyone.
The message, though, I will stand by. It is a poor reflection of the compassion we need to build if we are to move beyond these societal problems. These folks, the ones who are in need of treatment, are looked down upon, ignored, and thought to be the cause of so many of Windsor’s problems - not the symptoms. We need to band together and help our entire community get well, not just a select few.
Oh, and seeing that I don’t have an industrially-zoned block in my neighbourhood with a building already zoned for a medical clinic, I don’t think that it is even in the running. To tell the truth, I couldn’t live in that section of Lincoln either. Though my issue would be the ETR trains shunting back-and-forth. That would drive me ca-razy!