Free advice is seldom much appreciated. Cities prefer a high-profile consultant to advise them, paying an exorbitant fee, only to do as the local politicians want to do anyway. In a remarkable number of cases, these politicians have a vested interest in local construction bids/contracts. In regard to the column by Michael Glenn in The Tribune on July 30, here is some free advice from someone on the outside looking in.
We are a family of two people, looking to relocate to escape the existing problems of the larger city we live in. We have eliminated several smaller communities from consideration for implementing precisely some of the changes proposed in your column. However, we continue to consider Hutchinson, making numerous visits over the past few months. We would not be included in your “young professionals” classification. We do, however, have disposable income, and have liberally spent it in Hutchinson at boutiques, coffee shops, bakeries, thrift stores, grocery stores, farmers market, farm stores, and other big box retailers. So the “young professionals” remark is not very inclusive.
What is bringing us back? Your hometown culture. We are leaving “high-density” in our dust and taking our money with us.
Here is something about inclusiveness you mention. There is nothing more inclusive than the Constitution of the United States of America. So if we do not preserve and protect the American culture, we will lose inclusiveness as they did in Hitler’s Germany. Americans are waking up to this, and understanding this is a truth that has been twisted backward by proponents of critical race theory and social justice. Our Constitution is the gold standard of equality and justice for all.
American hometown culture is where it’s at, baby. Kids who crave the excitement of a hip big city can go there and see the results of the perversion of our culture and our Constitution (i.e. New York City).
Ironically, your suggestions to further remove a stigma or penalty on cannibis with a wrist-slap dollar fine, were placed directly above Cat Poland’s remarks, “Alcohol is a drug, it’s addictive to human brains …” It is commendable she used her writing talent to warn the impressionable about the dangers of addictive substances. Cannibis is addictive as well, and destroys the human brain.
Free advice. Preserve and protect the hometown culture which is established and beautifully unique to Hutchinson. It fosters freedom, functionality, and growth for young and old alike. That is inclusiveness. And preserve your historic architecture. It is your trump card for the future game.
– Becky Lehane, Wichita