"...a typical Rochesterian psyche, less civic boosterism than civic dumpsterism. Indeed, last June a number of local organizations offered a "Reality Tour" of the city's poorest neighbourhoods.
Ms. Miller offers her own blightseeing tour. At the ferry docks, she points out abandoned buildings. "The beach is polluted," she says over the roar of front-loaders."
-Janet Wong (of Toronto Globe & Mail)
Historian Blake McKelvey points out in the preface to the second edition of his influential book Rochester on the Genesee that this is a long standing characteristic of our city, though with an entirely different interpretation. He qoutes a September 1910 article from American Magazine that comments "If Rochester to-day possesses any preeminence over other cities of its class, it is due not to any material prosperity, but rather to the extent and earnestness with which this spiritual dissatisfaction has been expressed."
"Rochester is last in jobs and first in homicides. Rochester is last to rebound from the recession and first in (school) dropout rates; Rochester is last in state aid and first in child poverty rates."
-Mayor Bob Duffy (of Rochester, New York) [context]
Comments (3)
Not sure whether you missed your point or not as it is a bit cloudy to me. Are you suggesting Mayor Duffy will foil Rochester's sour mood or that the sour mood will foil him?
Posted by Seth | March 28, 2006 6:11 PM
Posted on March 28, 2006 18:11
Neither. I think Duffy's statement is an example of our characteristic 'earnestness with which this spiritual disatisfaction has been expressed.' Duffy presented the reality of our situation to the state government in no uncertain terms, words in no way flattering with regard to the state of our city, and largely through his efforts Rochester may very well have succeeded in obtaining $18 million extra in this year's budget. I think what Jan Wong refers to as 'less civic boosterism than civic dumpsterism' is actually a longstanding virtue of our city which Duffy has embodied through his actions. It is the difference between facing your problems or not.
Posted by Robert Polyn | March 28, 2006 7:36 PM
Posted on March 28, 2006 19:36
This is an interesting idea. I'm not sure that heading to Albany for what may turn out to be a one time shot of money (I'm not suggesting that Duffy didn't deliver or that the $18 million is undeserved or unwelcome) is "facing our problems." I would agree that Duffy appears to be a straight shooter, as much as a politician can be, but labeling a city as anything seems a stretch. Reeks of marketing to me. I'll have to check out McKelvey's book.
Posted by Seth | March 28, 2006 9:15 PM
Posted on March 28, 2006 21:15