Itt-Ott, 1982 (15. évfolyam, 1-4. szám)
1982 / 1. szám
P| THE BLADE'S ages of \J • • pinion PAGE 8 TOLEDO, OHIO, MONDAY, SEPT. 21, 1981 The Blade Readers7 Forum Moral Of Poletown To the Editor of The Blade: The Blade is to be congratulated for its objective reporting on the demolition of the Poletown neighborhood in Detroit. Now that the trauma is over and the neighborhood and its churches are destroyed, perhaps a moment of reflection and judgment is not out of place. Why did Poletown have to go? Was it because jobs take precedence over human values? Was it because Cadillacs are more important in our society than churches or homes? Or was it because in this case it was an aging Polish neighborhood rather than a staid Anglo, an influential Jewish, or a UAW-controlled black working-class neighborhood? It is hard to say. However, the results can speak for themselves. In spite of intense opposition, court fights, and numerous appeals to the decency of church and city officials, the neighborhood is no more. Money does take precedence over feelings, history, and neighborhoods. Is this not the most ironic of ironies? The production of Cadillacs, the dinosaur of all cars, is more important than neighborhoods. If this is not self-incriminating for our civilization, nothing is. Of course, the people in Poletown never really had a chance. Most were retired people on fixed incomes with small homes and no political clout. Aligned against them were GM, the UAW, a black mayor, and an Irish cardinal. They never had a chance. Yet even the weak and poor have some power. While their power might not control the courts, mobilize the police, or control the demolition crews, they do have the power to refuse to buy. Most ethnic Americans don’t run around in Cadillacs, but many do buy GM products. Everyone has an Achilles’ heel — even the insensitive and the powerful. ANDREW LUDANYI 423 North Johnson St. Ada, 0. 29
