08/02/04  On the brink of collapse

As someone who continues to enjoy and learn from DallasArena.com with its many, varied but concerned voices, I especially appreciate your take on things.   I know it takes a hell of a lot of time for you to keep all this going, but the service you are providing our dysfunctional community called Dallas is absolutely invaluable.

These creeps would be getting away with even more if it weren't for you and your compadres.  To the point.
 
I am traveling quite a bit these days, especially back and forth to Houston.  I have lived there before twice.  Although I enjoy Houston very much, I've always considered Dallas my home.   I don't dislike Houston at all, but it does have many problems.  Still, I really enjoy the place -- clutter, crazy traffic, politics and most of all, it's spirit!

In addition, I really have come to love Galveston -- the ocean, the city's history, architecture and its potential for the future.

Still, my silly heartstrings always tug me back to this screwed-up place that has been my home for so many years now.  Dallas wasn't always screwed up, but it wasn't OZ to me upon arrival.  When I first moved here in 1976, this was the cleanest, friendliest, nicest, best functioning big city I'd ever seen.  I had seen many cities.  I love cities.  It's my work.

In 1976, Dallas was great! It was fun! It was courteous and upbeat and ALMOST EVERYTHING worked here!  If a streetlight was out or there was a dead animal at the curbside, you just called city hall and later that day or certainly by the next afternoon the problem was handled.  And Crime--never thought of it. 

In 1976, the parks had Park Police and cops did their job with traffic offenders as well.

The 2004 Dallas we know is unrecognizable from that incredible place of 1976.  Dallas has become increasingly horrible in almost every respect and in all geographic areas of the city.  

Despite the endless *@X!!** from BELO (The Dallas Managed News) and so many Dallas officials, things are trending down and for the worst.  A person with any brains at all would need to be deaf and blind to not be aware of this.

Call it a possible parting shot as I consider a move to another city, but I have really been racking my brains lately to figure out a way for all of us who love Dallas to help it through these dark days.   I scheme and plan and dream about it.  Obsessing constantly.   Screaming and yelling (to myself, of course) about these selfish, greedy, arrogant, obnoxious *@X!!** who for years have raped, pillaged and plundered this city for their own ego trips and 'projects'. 

I might differ with DallasArena.com as to who's acting 'liberal" (limousine or otherwise) or 'conservative' (fiscally or socially), but the truth is they have ALL sold Dallas down the river of no return if something doesn't change soon.  Labels don't matter now.  Dallas is what matters....

We can't wait for these inept Republicrats (on the one hand) and the too many 'don't give a care' citizens (on the other} to change the course.

There ARE people here and outside Dallas in the suburbs (who left for one reason or another.  They are not evil nor are they villains.  Many would still care and would stay (or return) if things can be mended.  Many would willingly participate in a true renaissance with their time, effort and money, if asked. 

I believe the City of Dallas is on the imminent brink of collapse in the next few years if something isn't done.   A while back a DallasArena.com piece called "Dallas -- Heir Apparent to Detroit' piece got my attention. 

I sense our highly-touted 'return to the city' will turn into a rout of thousands of fleeing people if crime isn't stopped and services are not forthcoming NOW.  The prices Dallas landlord/developers are demanding are by comparison with reviving other inner cities, outrageous. 

It's quite clear they seek only one income level of resident, and it ain't the middle class!

What to do?  Keep talking, that's for sure.  We can never give up, but we must realize our odds of turning this thing around are quite dicey and getting more so by the week. 

No one here ever seems to grasp the big picture.  They never connect the dots to this big city and its challenges, just as they never connect Dallas neighborhoods to one another.  People here are always talking about their OWN NEIGHBORHOOD but not often, the city as a whole. 

Dallas is delusional in its image consciousness.  It probably has something to do with how it reacted to the Kennedy assassination and subsequent beliefs that it needed to 're-invent' itself to the world in a more 'modern sense' and certainly to make that image one of 'sophistication', and not that of a bunch of right-wing hicks out here on a Texas prairie. 

Our 'image' became our reason to exist as a community, but what a narrowly defined image that turned out to be.

Now the window is closing.  Our city leaders (DallasArena.com calls them the ODB) have this place by the cahones.  Laura Miller is a sellout (or maybe she was in on it from the beginning.  Miller's 'Trojan Horse' act is
working. 

A friend of mine always says, there's no more devoted ideologue in a cause than one who has been converted from their previously-held opinions.

Anyway, it doesn't even matter to me anymore.  We've gotta get going creating new leaders across the board from Mayor on down through the council AND elsewhere throughout the community as well.  Focusing on this goal and Dallas itself, will succeed over time. 
 
By bringing better people back and on board -- one person at a time-- it can be done.

How naive is that?  But I really do believe it.