"We've had an awful lot of gang activity, many deaths of young black men in our community. We've had a lot of black males in prison because of drunk driving"... [More]Gina Hawthorne-Hill and the Driving Park Civic Coalition.
Their mentality makes it all possible.
Oh, and do read the whole thing.
A great way to demonstrate their hypocrisy. Since they have no real idea of something that would work to solve the problem, ban it! Ever throw a bucket of water on a dog to make it stop chasing it's tail?
ReplyDeleteI've read this through a couple of times to make sure I didn't miss anything, but am I right in understanding that this group is against a car dealer opening a dealership in their 'hood, because...it may contribute to drunk-driving?!?! Really?!!
ReplyDeleteok, I'm an idiot, I should have read on after the "fold"...
ReplyDeleteImagine that - a merchant attempting to accommodate an inadequately met need in a neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteIf the neighbors felt so strongly that there were other inadequately met needs, then they should have secured the capital and invoked the risk of accommodating those needs.
If they did not have sufficient capital, then a food cooperative could also have been started.
Oh, wait a minute, that takes initiative and organizational skills. Never mind. It is much easier to blame than take responsibility.
Personally, I think a community should be able to regulate the types of industry within it's boundaries.
ReplyDeleteI suppose most of the people on here would be dissatisfied if an adult store specializing in male homosexual sex toys opened in their neighborhood. If the neighborhood wants a grocery store, they probably need a grocery store.
Moreover, I have no doubt that the guns purchased in that store would be bought legally, and then the guns would be privately sold to criminals. Even if only 10% of the firearms sold at that store make it into criminal hands, that would still be objectionable if I had a family in the area. The people seeking self-protection can drive across town, just like the criminals do. Does anyone doubt that the business owner is attempting to capitalize off of gang violence?
In place of the dealerships, the community plans to open several liquor stores, all of which will carry
ReplyDelete"afro-centric" libations.
What ever that is.
@fidelity
ReplyDeleteNo. A community should not be allowed to regulate the types of legal businesses that open in their neighborhood. The tax burdern to enforce such regulations would be prohibitive, especially now when communities all across America are on the verge of bankruptcy.
If an adult store catering to homosexuals opened in my neighborhood I would not like it at all, but I would not try to drive them out of the neighborhood on the basis of an imaginary collective right. Besides, in my neighborhood they'd probably be out of business long before any legal action could work its way through the courts.
But if not, if they managed to survive and turn a profit, they would have every right to that profit and to continue earning it. Just because I am morally opposed to something does not mean I should have the legal means to prohibit it from my neighborhood.
We are either a nation of laws or we are not. If we are not, then there is no hope for us.
Greyhawk,
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from - I think we share a similar libertarian ideology. You are correct that "the market" will decide if the business should stay open.
"the basis of an imaginary collective right." That is where I disagree with you - the collective right of communities determines public policies through the act of governance. It is through the collect right that government is formed. Because of non-responsive governance, the Driving Park Civic Coalition formed. I do believe, through libertarian ideology, that they should be able to influence local decisions and selectively make decisions within the scope of their community.
Of course, we know the business will turn a profit with proper management, and continue to operate - at the cost of a few weapons making it into the black market.