THE IMMOVABLE MOVER

A BAD DEAL FOR EVERYONE

"The state released data last week showing that nearly 40 percent of the state's urban students...need more than four years to complete the courses necessary to graduate high-school.  More than one-fifth of them drop out"

"[the South End residents] are feeding the obnoxious cliche of the entitled, overbearing busy body who cares more about parking privileges than public education."  - Susan Ryan-Vollmar, South End News- 8 February 2007.

In a recent editorial concerning the big parking controversy, Susan Ryan-Vollmar, Editor-in-Chief of the local neighborhood rag, The South End News laments the fuss we snooty, entitled Worcester Street residents are raising regarding a proposal to turn a blacktop playing field, which doubles as a 55 space parking lot in the evenings and weekends, into a "soccer field" for Hurley School.  In doing so, Ms. Ryan-Vollmar misses another opportunity to focus on what is really happening here on Worcester St.

I live directly across the street from the parking lot in question.  I have seen the children playing in the lot, and I have long contended there should be an alternative for them.  In fact, when I first heard about the proposed field, I was 100% behind the proposal.  However, after reviewing the facts of the proposal, and looking beyond the smears the parents have thrown our way, I have come to the solid conclusion that this soccer field will be bad for the neighborhood, and not a good alternative for the students.

First, I want to address the outrageous suggestion that we, the residents, property owners, and tax payers have no right to raise our voices in this issue.  It's true that we have no right to access the private property of the school. It's true that we can not coerce the school officials in this matter.  But to suggest that we do not have the right to voice our concern is ludicrous.  All we did was ask to be heard on this issue. The residents of Worcester street have done exactly the right thing- they approached the school and city officials and asked them to discuss an issue that will impact the neighborhood significantly.  The school wisely obliged, and revised the plan to address neighborhood concern.  The school can hardly afford to lose neighborhood support.

My opposition to the current plan, which is getting worse instead of getting better with every iteration, is the trade-off. Hurley School is proposing replacing a 55 space lot, which doubles as a parking lot, into a "soccer field" for the children.  The soccer field would not consist of natural grass or soil.  It would consist merely of artificial turf covering a layer of dirt and asphalt.   In my mind, replacing the lot with a legitimate  park, or playground would be worth the loss of the spaces.  A park or playing field would be maintained by the residents as well as the school, as the parking lot is now.

In the winter, after the major snowstorms, it is the residents who help dig out the parking lot- mainly to get to their cars out and to keep the lot from icing up.  The relationship is symbiotic.  Once the artificial turf is installed, what motivation will anyone have for helping to maintain the field?  Surely, a few residents will help maintain the area, but they will never be able to equal the strength of 30-40 residents shoveling the lot.

The school has also not answered the question: how will funds be raised to maintain the field? They are having trouble raising money to build the field. How will they maintain it?  It's my humble suspicion that the field will deteriorate quickly in the severe weather conditions of Boston, and will become a blight in the neighborhood.  The current lot is not the most attractive feature of the street, but it serves a valuable purpose.  Again, I don;t believe the trade-off is worthwhile.

The loss of 55 spaces (I count 60) is a legitimate concern for our neighborhood.  The South End News's contention that the lack of parking is a fake issue is nonsense.  The lot serves as overflow and fills up slowly, but most evenings it is full to capacity by 10 PM. I witness this nightly. The effect the loss of parking will have on the area is not trivial, and should be discussed.  Additionally, every Sunday, the streets fill up with double parked cars driving to the three churches on our street.  The lot helps ease a lot of that congestion.  Without it, the aggravation toward the church-goers will grow considerably.

Finally, if there is to be any reasonable debate on this issue, people like Ms. Ryan-Vollmar need to listen to what the residents are saying and doing, and stop accusing us of putting our petty parking spaces before public education.  This lot will not in any way help solve any of the public education issues at hand.  I realize that it's easy for simple minds to make that assertion and feel good about themselves, but it's a dishonest and disingenuous approach.  What is wrong with civic discussion and debate?  While I am not happy with the direction of the plans for the field, I am pleased to see the school and the neighborhood residents discussing the issue.

My Response to THESOUTHENDER

"The mass exodus of lower income residents ... is caused by outrageously discriminatory zoning laws that prevent new buildings from being erected, and a city council so out-of-control that they will tromp on the rights of private citizens and their private property (as with the smoking ban)-- both of which artificially raise the price of real estate in the area, in turn causing the obscene price increases we have seen." - James Henry Bailey

THESOUTHENDER's response to my post identifying him as a Miserablist can be read in full here. My response to a few of Mr. Ender's assertions follows:. 

I CAN offer proof that a good number of my 21-year-old spoiled rotten and inconsiderate neighbors did in fact have their condo's paid for by mummy and daddy. As if the fact that they are college students alone isn't proof enough, then the deeds that list mummy and/or daddy's name (via the City of Boston tax assessment office) should be even better proof.

Now we're getting somewhere.  I think a perfectly reasonable argument could be made for what a lack of independence can do to a person.  Doing so, however, requires facts and figures that would support the hypotheses that young adults who do not earn their income or property are poorly behaved.

Good for you that you worked hard to get what you have. So did the artists, dancers and musicians who lived here prior to the yuppie influx (back when interesting people lived here).

What exactly makes the artists and dancers and musicians more deserving to live here than the stockbrokers and marketing directors and entrepreneurs?  The latter are every bit the creators and drivers of the world as the artists- more so, in fact.

Rest assured that I do in fact lament the decline in "diversity" in our neighborhood. But, it's not the yuppies and baby strollers and heirloom tomatoes that are ruining the area.  The mass exodus of lower income residents (those that can't qualify for a government subsidy) is caused by outrageously discriminatory zoning laws that prevent new buildings from being erected, and a city council so out-of-control that they will tromp on the rights of private citizens and their private property (as with the smoking ban)-- both of which artificially raise the price of real estate in the area, in turn causing the obscene price increases we have seen.

you are completely lacking a sense of humor.

I admit, that misunderstood your blog and missed the "wise-ass" aspect of it.  However, I did not miss the racist and classist statements you make on the blog.  I remember when Margaret Cho was funny.  She was a VERY FUNNY.  Then, she stopped performing comedy and started screeching about the President and all things Republican. The audience still applauds thunderously.  But they don't laugh anymore.  Don't confuse those thunderous applause with laughter.  Your blog is not funny.

One more thing: You would be absolutely shocked if you knew who I was. We've met. A few times.

I have no doubt that we have met. As I mentioned in my brief comment, the South End is a small, insular place. You have the upper hand.  My smoldering, pouty face is emblazend on my blog!

THESOUTHENDER, Miserablist

"What is this neighborhood coming to when South End residents are denied their God-given right to convenient city parking?!! Do you know how difficult it'll be to drag a folded up Maclaren stroller, a Whole Foods bag, a Caramel Macchiatto Frappucino and an infant or two those extra blocks when we could have just parked right across the street from the brownstone for which mumsy and daddy so nicely gave us the down payment?!!" -THESOUTHENDER

For the past 5 months, the anonymous blogger known only as "THESOUTHENDER" has been spitting and sputtering about all things foul in Boston's largest historic neighborhood, the South End.  Is  crime? education? protection of private property that concerns THESOUTHENDER?  Nope.  The anonymous hyper-curmudgeon is concerned about about (gasp) Uggs and the people who wear them, and how the SOWA area has become a haven for Severely Overpriviliged White Assholes.  Mostly, he hates all the white, straight people with or without children, and the college students.

More recently, THESOUTHENDER has been using the blog to decry the neighborhood backlash against a proposed plan that would eliminate 60 parking spaces from the area and replace it with a soccer field for the students at a local school.  Full disclosure, I am against the project for many reasons that I will not go into here. THESOUTHENDER seems to be for the project, based solely on the understanding that all opponents of the project are over privileged white (he reserves all overt hatred for whites) yuppies whose parents have provided them with the money to buy their homes. You can see the posts here, here, and here. At no point does THESOUTHENDER provide any bit of evidence that "mumsy and daddy" bought anything for anyone.  In the corrupt mind of TSE, if the haves have it, they didn't get it honestly.

I have lived in the South End of Boston, on Worcester Street (directly across from the proposed soccer field) now for 7 years.  The neighborhood has changed drastically since I moved in.  I can only imagine the changes someone who has lived there 10 years or longer has seen (less crime, cleaner and safer streets, more parks!!!) Additionally,  I've never asked for, nor received a penny to purchase property.  I work hard to produce a product that is of value and worth the trade it elicits, and subsequently helps me live the life I want to live. Many of my friends live in the South End, and none of them have received any money from mumsy and daddy.  We have all worked hard to obtain what we want, as is undoubtedly the case for most property owners. THESOUTHENDER should provide some amount of evidence to support the assertions made.

Since THESOUTHENDER remains anonymous, it is impossible to find out exactly what causes such a mind to become so utterly corrupt and devoid of reason that a person feels compelled to attempt to tear down and criticize the hard work, determination and happiness that is displayed through the wealth that has blossomed in the area.  Apparently "THESOUTHENDER" views wealth, commercialism, and material goods as evil, while reserving his harshest criticisms for those who obtain them.

Furthermore, throughout the archives, in addition to the blatant classism, racism abounds.  Check this out:

What appeared to be the very blonde and white offspring of some over privileged yupple (yuppie couple) in a very high-end stroller being pushed by an African American young woman who was probably the nanny. As the woman pushed the little tyke, she yelled into her cell phone just about every obscenity I've ever heard (and I've heard 'em all).

This is by no means a criticism against African Americans or any other minority. In fact, I'd probably choose to spend my free time with the above-referenced nanny rather than a yupple that didn't seem to think careful interviewing was necessary in their choice of child care professional.

On the other hand, I can't wait for next summer's Ropes & Gray family summer outing when junior shouts "listen, motherfucker" to the managing partner. On the ride back to West Canton Street, I'll bet you'll be able to cut the silence in that Range Rover with a knife!!

Speaks for itself, doesn't it? There is much ore where that came from.  And yet, both THESOUTHENDER and groupies accuse those of us who oppose the soccer field of being racist:

who are these interloper bilingual parents who live within walking distance to the school, yet can't afford to live on the more gentrified Worcester street?...Could they be those Latinos from Villa Victoria...Dios Mio!! Mmm that's good old fashion racism you're smelling--just like grandmama used to make.

Not one opponent to the project has even hinted at such an obscene attitude!  Yet the racism and classism are blatantly evident in THESOUTHENDER's hateful rants.

THESOUTHENDER, corrupt, vile, Miserablist!