ANOTHER COMPROMISE ON BIRTH CONTROL – NONE ON ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Once again, another compromise is coming down the pike on birth control. Under the guise of religious freedom, and despite the fact that hypocrisy runs rampant in that many religious institutions of the Catholic persuasion already cover birth control, religious institutions are still fighting to keep women pregnant and in the kitchen.  The “God intended people to have as many children as can be conceived and born” male hierarchies of the more rigid denominations posit that contraception interferes with the natural process of conception, therefore, birth control is a no-no.

The religious purveyors of the notion that God intended conception to be a free-for-all with no interference using pharmaceutical products take just the opposite position when it comes to providing pharmaceutical assistance to the males in our society that will allow them to overcome the dreaded erectile dysfunction that goes with getting older. That is interference plain and simple, yet ED drugs are cheerfully covered by religious institutions.

Perhaps ED is God’s way of letting males know that their days of procreating are at an end.  ED drugs supposedly help keep the hope of procreation alive – even if it has to be done with chemicals.  After all, many still live in the dark days of seeing women as simply child-bearing vessels to be carriers of one child after another per God’s wishes. I don’t see anywhere in the Old Testament that God said how many children are acceptable or unacceptable. In fact, the Bible, in Genesis 1:22, says to “be fruitful and multiply.” That certainly is open to interpretation. Is multiplication one child? Two? Ten?

If the Catholic church and a few other churches see birth control as interfering with the natural process of procreation, they should also view ED drugs in the same way since these drugs interfere with the natural process. And that process includes slowing down as well as the inability to continue to procreate.   And, let’s be honest here, the ED drugs are not really there to enable procreation by men who have reached the outer limits of that task;  they are to enhance the sexual experience.

Watch the ED commercials and one understands that these couples are not looking to have more children. Instead we see youthful looking “older” couples lost in the bliss of each other’s company, happily running along beaches, sitting in bathtubs, lounging on porch swings – you get the picture.  The message?  One of them has a problem, and it isn’t the female partner.  The panacea?  Pop an ED pill, and intimacy can return to the relationship.  Intimacy, not procreation.

But let the thought that women want to enjoy intimacy without the fear of pregnancy cross the minds of the religious institutions fighting coverage of birth control, and the patriarchs of the institutions shudder in horror and run for cover under the faux  argument of “religious freedom.”  Where better to take shelter than in the House of the Lord?

MAKE NO LITTLE PLANS – DANIEL BURNHAM – ARCHITECT AND URBAN PLANNER

Eric Kuhne, world-renowned architect and owner of CivicArts, journeyed from his home in England to present a vision of Fort Wayne river front development at a “Fifth Tuesday” city council meeting on January 29th.  One of Mr. Kuhne’s first projects was our own Headwaters Park, and his vision for our river front used those plans as a beginning point for further improvement, incorporating concepts and ideas that have made Headwaters such an outstanding success.  Make no little plans!

SAN ANTONIO AND FORT WAYNE – A STUDY IN RIVER DYNAMICS – THE SAN ANTONIO RIVER AND THE ST. MARYS RIVER

San Antonio:  Over the years of river front development discussion, opposing views have arisen of just what, how, and where development should occur.  Often leaping to the forefront of the discussions is reference to the San Antonio River Walk.  Many would like to see a San Antonio-style river walk, and rightly so, given its beauty.  But the San Antonio River Walk is not the appropriate overall type of development for Fort Wayne although a limited application of some of its aspects into the proposed Headwaters 2.0 “Garden Rooms” might be feasible.

The San Antonio River, created by about 100 large springs, originates four miles above San Antonio.  Its history is colored by efforts similar to those visible along our rivers in Fort Wayne:  efforts to save through numerous plans, benign neglect of banks and of the river itself, and efforts at flood control.  By the time it reaches San Antonio, it is a mere canal over which one can easily cast stones and hit the other side.  At one time, the San Antonio city planners actually considered sealing over the river with concrete and turning it into a sewer.  It is just that narrow as it flows through the City.

Although the river was small, flooding issues occurred over the decades.  In order to resolve flooding issues, the Olmos Dam and a cutoff were constructed.   The Olmos protects the city itself from flooding and the cutoff diverts the flow of the San Antonio’s regular pathway so that the River Walk is not flooded.   The “Great Bend” forms the basis for the River Walk, thus the cutoff was created to divert the San Antonio River – with its potential for flooding – from its original course so that it would bypass the area that had become the River Walk.

Finally, San Antonio has one river; we have three.  A plan based on San Antonio’s success is not possible for our river front development – not unless engineers plan on rerouting the St. Marys and somehow cutting its width in half.  Even that would not alter the fact that two other rivers impact our downtown albeit to a much lesser extent than the St. Marys.

San Antonio River – note the cutoff which takes the river past the “Great Bend” to allow for the River Walk.

 

Fort Wayne: Fort Wayne is not San Antonio, and the St. Marys River is not the San Antonio River.  The St. Marys – the river which most impacts downtown Fort Wayne and will be the primary focus of development – begins 100 miles away with its source near the Grand Lake St. Marys in Ohio.   By the time it reaches Fort Wayne, 75% of its journey has been through farmland. Farmland runoff – called a nonpoint source of pollution – creates pollution in the St. Marys.

The St. Marys River as it enters downtown. Note the width of the St. Marys as compared to the width of the San Antonio.

As the St. Marys reaches Fort Wayne, it is loaded with nonpoint source pollution – including large amounts of e. coli from manure runoff.  As it enters Allen County from the southeast and makes it turn into Fort Wayne, urban runoff from the numerous subdivisions now add to its load of pollution.

This is in stark contrast to the San Antonio River which has a mere four miles until it reaches the City of San Antonio.  This 96-mile difference in length has tremendous impact on the size and the pollution of the St. Marys.

Note the St. Marys and its source in Ohio.

The Great Black Swamp:  Fort Wayne is at the end point of two incoming rivers – the St. Joe and the St. Marys. These two form the Maumee which flows northeast to Lake Erie.   Another factor that impacts the way in which the river front will be developed is what was once the Great Black Swamp.

The Great Black Swamp was a virtually impassable morass of 100 miles in length by 40 miles in width. Fort Wayne lay at its western-most point.  Although the Swamp was drained and conquered, the nature of the soil remains heavy clay due to the Great Black Swamp. This composition has a bearing on absorption of water when the St. Marys does flood along its river banks.

While it is all well and good also to look at other cities with three rivers – Pittsburgh sports the Allegheny and the Monongahela rivers which join to form the Ohio River in Pittsburgh – Fort Wayne must make its plans and prepare its designs based on the topographic, geographic, and geologic constraints specific to this area. Far too many people eye the river banks and see them merely as plots of land to develop with businesses and high rises and condos.

After all, who doesn’t love waking up in the morning and looking out at river scenery? Or dining by the edge of the water? But the areas prime for development downtown all lie in a flood plain. That will not change, and, we cannot continue to build walls, levees, and berms all around the City which only rearrange the volume, velocity, and overflow location of the St. Marys.

Developing the St. Marys must be done with an eye to the reality of river behavior. Eric Kuhne’s Headwaters Park 2.0 takes into consideration the fact that the area lies in a flood plain. The creation of “Garden Rooms” piggybacks off the Headwaters Park plan of compatibility with the river in non-flooding and flooding periods. Minimal commercial building should be strategically placed in those areas that are least impacted by the flood plain.

One of the earlier architects and urban planners I admire most is Daniel Burnham, often referred to as the “Father of the City Beautiful Movement.” Of visions, he said:

“Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men’s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever-growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us. Let your watchword be order and your beacon beauty. Think big.”

And, while times have changed – we certainly would now include daughters and granddaughters capable of making big plans – Burnham’s words still ring true.   He did not shy from big plans claiming among some of his most well-known works the 1901 Plan for Washington, D.C., 1893 Chicago World’s Fair, and the Plan of Chicago.

We have legacies of Kessler, Robinson, and Shurcliff, all great men with visions and plans – and Fort Wayne is a testament to their plans. We also have the diagrams that never die, and now, just as Burnham said, is the time to “make no little plans.”

BOEHNER BUMBLES FISCAL CLIFF BARGAIN

John Boehner will have a tough time recovering from his latest ineffective fumble at leadership.  In his “Plan B”, Boehner attempted to whip the Republicans into a cohesive group in order to pass what he thought would be a compromise – raise taxes on those making $1,000,000 or more while allowing those under $1,000,000 to keep their tax breaks.  But, come on, the Republicans know where their bread is buttered.

The thought of raising taxes on their primary contributors was just too much.   After defectors started popping out of the woodwork, the Speaker realized he would not be able to muster the votes necessary to do – well, really – anything.  The trek to the multitude of waiting news media microphones had to be terribly humiliating for Boehner, especially since he has not had an exactly glowing term as Speaker of the House.

Raising taxes on those who make over $250,000 just doesn’t seem like it should be a stopper – especially since the number is about 2% of total households.  But that 2% is critical to campaign funding, and, what’s the saying?  You “don’t look a gift horse in the mouth” or wound it for that matter, either.

So, the fiscal cliff is still looming – just over the horizon.  And, Congress wants to skitter home for the holidays and forget about the rest of the country.  Term limits is the only way to resolve this grid lock, and this unending philosophy of entitlement to an office.  But, unfortunately, the branch in charge of imposing term limits is Congress.  The fox guarding the chicken coop?  Not even that.

These are the chickens who have decided to morph into fearless buzzards who do not see any reason to worry about a fox – or the American people for that matter.

BATTLE OF THE HATE GROUPS

The Newtown tragedy has brought out the best and the worst in humanity.   The ever-sanctimonious and freakish group of haters, the Westboro Baptist Church protestors, has indicated they will picket at some event connected with the services or vigils of the children and adults killed this past Friday in Newtown.  Their plans haven’t completely materialized as if yet.

Not to be outdone, the equally hate-inspired group, the KKK, countered that, in its desire to reflect its all-American attributes, it would counter-picket against the Westboro Church.  I wonder if the rest of the world is laughing sadly at us?  The picture of two hate groups battling it out at the funerals of Newtown victims is – well, really more than my mind can imagine.  Just exactly what do we call this match of the bigots?

REDEVELOPMENT COMMISSION TAKES AIM AT WEST CENTRAL HOMES

The Redevelopment Commission has taken aim at an entire block of West Central homes located near Parkview Field.  Twelve of the 13 homes are either rentals or are vacant – owned by absentee landlords who have simply allowed them to fall into disrepair.

The block contains several homes that at one time were magnificent specimens with their turrets and grand designs.  Yet, over the years, speculators have entered the picture, snapping up the homes through tax sales or foreclosures.  And, the focus of speculation?  Betting on the City’s appetite for implementing its “Around the Square” plan initiated several years ago.  According to the media, the plan is to demolish the homes and build new – either condos or rentals.  Not one mention of restoration.

The above home is one of my favorites.  Although I have not been inside to see what it looks like, I have pressed my face against many of the windows to try to see what remains of a once-grand interior.  Hardwood floors, wood trim not found in new homes, pocket doors and French doors.  All will be lost to the wrecking ball and with little notice by many of our Fort Wayne residents.

It just doesn’t seem to matter to many in the City who would rather see cookie-cutter subdivisions spring up than undertake the effort to save and restore these older, once-magnificent, historic homes.  Not one person from the City bothered to communicate with us here in West Central to apprise us of the plans.  I, as president of West Central, have emailed the head of the department responsible for these decisions.  That was last Wednesday and, so far, no response.

Working quickly and without communication, of course, prevents the formation of opposition.   How many times will be subjected to this method of planning?  The bottom line is that our urban core neighborhoods deserve better.

Another home in danger of a rendezvous with the wrecking ball.

NEWTOWN: ANOTHER TRAGEDY; ANOTHER MEDIA FEEDING FRENZY

Just another media day in our lives.  The Newtown mass killing is now generating the standard 24-hour coverage that has become expected of such tragedies.  And, as can be expected, more than likely, a certain pattern will be followed.

Americans will cry, express outrage, stomp their feet, mourn the Newtown loss, call for change, but, just as with so many other mass shootings, the frenzy will soon pass, and Newtown will fade into history – until another mass shooting occurs and the vicious cycle is begun again.

Citizens will go back to their everyday lives, and the tragedy given birth by the American “gun culture” will fade into the background because this country has bought into the fallacious Second Amendment argument made by powerful interests that we are entitled to carry any and all types of weapons imaginable because, by God, the Second Amendment “says so.”

Contrary to gun-rights advocates, the Second Amendment was not passed to provide ownership of guns simply to provide individual, personal protection but rather to ensure protection of the community, in general.  The Amendment as ratified by the States and authenticated by Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State:

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed

The Amendment was established because in the early days of our country, we had no standing Army such as exists today.  Citizens had to ensure that they had to have a way of protecting themselves from invasion or attack from outside forces.  The gun-rights advocates would have all believe that this Amendment passed in 1791 is applicable to all manner of arms and for a reason other than community protection.  Yet, not one of the weapons used in so many of the mass killings existed in 1791.

But, not to worry, our cowardice as a Nation, our impotent responses to dealing with gun control will ensure that the NRA and the gun mentality will survive despite the fact that the writers of the Second Amendment would be appalled at our twisted interpretation of what they intended.

We will continue to have mass shootings, mourning parents and communities, and dozens of funeral services. We will continue to sit in our living rooms riveted by media coverage of devastated parents and families, listening to platitudes paid to the kindness of others, hearing about the bravery of those involved, watching visits by officials, hanging on every word to try to understand the warped mentality coupled with the ease of obtaining semi- automatic and automatic weapons, and, ultimately, turning our eyes upward to murmur prayers.

And, we will continue to hear the tired, worn “saw” that “guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” And, cars don’t kill people, and knives don’t kill people, and baseball bats don’t kill people.  Yet, how many mass killings have involved baseball bats, knives, or cars?

I am not advocating the banning of all guns. Hand guns do provide protection, and rifles are used for hunting.  But the argument that assault weapons and other automatic and semi-automatic weapons should be easily obtainable is absurd. One of the arguments usually made as to why ownership of military-style weapons is necessary is that they might be needed if the government decides to use the military to take over.  Really? Really?

Or, another argument that if a “good” gun owner (however that is interpreted) is packing, that would put a stop to the offending individual. A handgun against assault weapons?  Unless we want to become a Nation of trench-coat wearing individuals hiding rifles and assault weapons, a hand gun is not going to do the trick. Reminds me of the scene from Indiana Jones where the opponent was cutting the air with a whip threatening Jones, and Jones pulls out his gun and shoots the opponent. Not much of a contest.

Arming an entire Nation to become nothing more than a society of “quick-draw McGraws” is absurd.  What better way to lead to chaos and anarchy?

So, as each day passes and the droning of the media continues, I have to wonder, once again, will we learn anything? Or will our citizens retreat from working on a solution, driven by their fear of the NRA and other gun lobbies and the notion that support of gun control is somehow “un-American” and “unpatriotic.”

This country needs an honest and frank discussion about gun control unimpeded by special interests and their money – driven instead by the desire to make this a safer and wiser Nation where we do not suffer these frequent tragedies.

RAINING ON SHINE’S PARADE

Last week had to be a little traumatic for poor Steve Shine and the Republicans.  After all, he and his buddies felt so threatened by our Democratic convention that they sprang for $10,000 worth of air time to try to remind someone – not sure who – how awful the years of Democratic leadership had been.

The weak effort was cobbled together from news paper headlines, a few head shots, and funeral music.  Of course, we had a good laugh at the hypocrisy of the entire situation – especially since the FSSA is still riddled with issues, Charlie White was convicted and removed from office, the Duke Energy scandal popped up, the Republicans “lost” a half billion dollars which had apparently decided to take a hiatus into cyberspace, and the Republicans couldn’t even figure out how to “figure out” what the counties had coming back to them.

But, the commercial wasn’t the only form of sour grapes spit out by the Republicans.  A truck with a large sign paraded through the streets to remind everyone that this was “Republican Country.”   The really sad thing is that Shine and his followers are so shallow that they just had to figure out some way to demonize this convention.  Never mind that this convention was extremely good for Fort Wayne and brought in around $500,000 to our economy and led to greater exposure of northeastern Indiana, which often gets left sitting on the sidelines.  Democrat,  Republican, or independent, this is our City.  Our visitors were very impressed with all the attractions and the amenities we have.

I suspect some of the sour grapes and childish activity was triggered by the impotency of Steve Shine and the Republicans to accomplish what was a major feat – bringing a state party convention to Fort Wayne for the first time in its history.  After all, does anyone remember when the Republican convention was here.  Anyone??