Soft, Smelly Underbellies
In 40+ years, I have lived in five states and three countries, and paid multiple visits to at least half of the remaining states in the continental U. S. Gee, not once did I think: "My heavens, what WAS the mayor thinking when (s)he let them build that?" or, "I'm sure glad the mayor gave the go-ahead for that office complex." (Joe Tarr's "Architectural Wonder," Vol. 10, No. 21).
I have thought that some buildings look like futuristic multi-level glass prisons (Denver and Cincinnati), and admired Old World German (Dallas and North Texas), Victorian (Knoxville), and French (New Orleans) architectural influences. To me, it has been a city or an area as a WHOLE that has had the foresight to retain and renew their architectural heritage, and hold property owners, the architects, and design engineers as being the accountable parties for "good" or "bad" design elements. If one of "Mayor Ashe's buildings" were to collapse, how quickly would he step in to claim responsibility? Does that fall under the liability of the legacy? I have simply not associated the mayor with structural design and implementation—neither with vision nor as folly.
I must applaud the Metro Pulse for continuing articles exposing the soft, smelly, underbellies of our city and county governments and "planners" as ruled by King Victor. The King's mindset is apparently one of absolute power, ignorance, and extreme short-sightedness. Has the mayor forgotten that he is not personally "paying the bill"?
The complacency of the citizens of Knox County, including mine, must cease if we wish to end the progressive destruction of an era gone by, only to be replaced by progress as defined by the prevailing pompous greed and power quests demonstrated by some of our current bodies of "government." We have no one but ourselves to blame for continuing to allow the big kids on the block to act in their own interests, and not ours.
More kudos to the Metro Pulse for a very entertaining "Best of Knoxville" (Vol. 10, No. 17) and a well presented Dish (Vol. 10, No. 21)—well done. I look forward to more of whatever has prompted the subtle and not-so-subtle changes in the Pulse of late.
Yolanda Snavely
Knoxville
To the Future...
Maybe I'm just sentimental. I felt something when I compared the last paragraphs of the "Truth of the Moment" [by Stephanie Piper] and "Knoxville: Summer 2000" [by Greg Siedschlag, Vol. 10, No. 23]. The ending paragraphs of the two different articles both wondering what would define life and the feelings we all live today—as seen from the future.
One sought a definition by going back to friends and places. One was inspired by the century-old photo of a child; this writer wondered if her own image would make it to the future, to define the past.
Both were great articles.
Going back to the past or freezing the present does seem to somehow affect the future, like we tidy up and give a noble feel to places we've been and thoughts we've had. Knoxville and life change so fast, I wonder if kids will have the places to visit to measure their lives, see the places they endured to a childhood victory. I don't mean 40 years from now. I mean five years from now.
But humans do overwhelm change. I was exploring an old farm now being paved as a business park and saw a young man practicing driving with his mom. If a photo was made of his practicing, the smile on his face would speak to the common experience and to the future more than any use of land.
Larry Pennington
Knoxville
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