http://media.lakewoodobserver.com/issue_pdfs/Observer_Vol_11_Issue_03.pdf
Tuesday morning, 7:55am, and we have survived, survived the “snow of 2015” which we are only 1 month into, but it seems we need these monumental storms these days to help the days go by. Such is life in the 21st Century, nothing like we were promised in “The Jetsons,” “The Thunderbirds,” or even “2001 A Space Odyssey.” Though it does have a the slight flavor of “1984,” it still comes down to a mild version of “The Time Machine” where part of the population, the Morlocks, go underground, while the carefree Eloi stay above ground to engage in games and hobbies that keep them busy, eating, and growing until in time they are enslaved and finally eaten for food by the Morlocks. Yeah that kind of describes the situation we are in today.
It doesn’t matter if the Morlocks are played out by the 1% that have taken a massive grip on the world’s money, and through it, power. Or a select group in a small wonderful community that sits around year after year, decade after decade, thinking of ways to run the less connected lives, making them keep their sidewalks and streets cleared, yards in perfect order, until the day they find out that they are next to a Drug Mart, Family Dollar, Get-Go, McDonald’s, 250-seat sports bar, or a new project springing out of the property that was once the hospital that took care of the Eloi. The Morlocks had moved their healthcare out of the city so as to get life ready for their next feeding frenzy. While the artful, fun-loving Eloi had not even realized it until it was too late!
The Eloi are simple fun-loving people. They want to live their lives, and they want to enjoy their lives. So they miss so many of the things that happen underground, in the deep dark recesses of committee meetings, Council of the Whole Meetings or elsewhere, like the cocktail parties at the cave they have seemingly taken over, “The Clifton Club.” Yes, even the once great Clifton Club has been overrun. The kind and gentle Morlocks of the past rarely came above ground to feed on the fun-loving simple Eloi, they kept to their club, their beach and their cocktail parties, planning things like how to help the Eloi. Then suddenly back in the 80s and 90s, as the old Morlocks retired and took a break, and a new group moved in, well not really moved in, more like took over. Because most of the people at the cave don’t live there and are not really permitted, though they have permits, and instead of thinking about what is good for the Eloi, they have taken to feeding off the Eloi, in huge bites. Almost 1,500 in the first bite. Throw out the poor for a “Cheesecake Factory.” Close McKinley School, another bite. Close Grant another bite, pour money into Lincoln, another bite, free soccer fields another bite, free fields for charter schools another bite, over $100 million into DowntowN instead of neighborhoods, another bite, and now the biggest bite of all, get rid of the City of Lakewood’s Hospital for $2 million while private foundations receive nearly $100 million, that they can siphon off and pour into their favorite projects.
We must take the time to understand the deal, and those making the deal. We need to understand that even the greatest developers of all time made some huge blunders, and this time around, the Eloi must not stand on the side, they must take to the streets, the meetings, the discussion boards and of course the Deck to express their concern and frustration at a city government that has truly lost its way in how it handles the residents, errr Eloi, and that we are not here for food or to be used, but to be partnered with on things that make all of our lives better. Does the concept of no hospital but a new rec center work? The Eloi will never know, until the Morlocks include us in their secret discussions and plans.
“Running a city is not that tough, well, until you get tricky.” Steve Davis
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