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Reading Bill McLellan's (sic?) column and another few recently it struck me that this 'woe is me' stuff is still rampant in St Louis.
A lot of us seem to find it almost a sign of being 'honest' about our city to talk about it in a sort of negative way. We go on about its provincial aspects ("what high school did you go to?") and the perceived conservative aura of this place.
Apparently some downtown-devoid California 'expert' recently said that ours "sucks.'
THAT really hit home to me. Not about our downtown so much (it's NOT such a vibrant place is it?) as it did about the decades long misconception we seem to have about this town.
Several weeks ago I spent a few days in Amsterdam with my son. It's a famous place isn't it? Do you know what the metropolitan population is? I read the magazine in my hotel. It's 1,700,000 people. We've got almost a million more than that in our metropolitan area. The magazine listed their most famous inhabitants..........all 55 of them. Other than the obvious impressionist artists and composers, not only did it pale in comparison to St Louis in world-wide ‘celebrities’ but in the numbers of prominent historical figures.
I've lived for years outside of my hometown and it always amazes me how misguided people are about it. It's OUR own damn fault! My goodness, we have SO much history here (far more than stupid places like Miami, Denver, L.A., S.F. and on and on..........including Chicago).
I've lived in S.F., L.A. Chicago, N.Y. and London and the ONLY place I've ever lived in that is comfortable (both from a weather and cultural climate) is Sweet Home St Louis. Did anyone check out the temperature in Chicago today?
As objectively as I can be I simply reiterate what a lot of my African American friends have said to me and that I have come to believe also, Chicago is the most racist city in the country.
We underestimate our town. We have some of the greatest architecture in the country, great schools, decent people, affordable housing, and every conceivable kind of entertainment and cultural institutions.........not to mention history.
We're our own worst enemies. I hope that somehow, someway, we get this right in my lifetime. I DON'T want a bunch of people moving in here as I like it the way it is. I just wish that those of us who do live here understand and appreciate just what we do have here.
The grass ISN'T greener on the other side. You CAN come home.
A lot of us seem to find it almost a sign of being 'honest' about our city to talk about it in a sort of negative way. We go on about its provincial aspects ("what high school did you go to?") and the perceived conservative aura of this place.
Apparently some downtown-devoid California 'expert' recently said that ours "sucks.'
THAT really hit home to me. Not about our downtown so much (it's NOT such a vibrant place is it?) as it did about the decades long misconception we seem to have about this town.
Several weeks ago I spent a few days in Amsterdam with my son. It's a famous place isn't it? Do you know what the metropolitan population is? I read the magazine in my hotel. It's 1,700,000 people. We've got almost a million more than that in our metropolitan area. The magazine listed their most famous inhabitants..........all 55 of them. Other than the obvious impressionist artists and composers, not only did it pale in comparison to St Louis in world-wide ‘celebrities’ but in the numbers of prominent historical figures.
I've lived for years outside of my hometown and it always amazes me how misguided people are about it. It's OUR own damn fault! My goodness, we have SO much history here (far more than stupid places like Miami, Denver, L.A., S.F. and on and on..........including Chicago).
I've lived in S.F., L.A. Chicago, N.Y. and London and the ONLY place I've ever lived in that is comfortable (both from a weather and cultural climate) is Sweet Home St Louis. Did anyone check out the temperature in Chicago today?
As objectively as I can be I simply reiterate what a lot of my African American friends have said to me and that I have come to believe also, Chicago is the most racist city in the country.
We underestimate our town. We have some of the greatest architecture in the country, great schools, decent people, affordable housing, and every conceivable kind of entertainment and cultural institutions.........not to mention history.
We're our own worst enemies. I hope that somehow, someway, we get this right in my lifetime. I DON'T want a bunch of people moving in here as I like it the way it is. I just wish that those of us who do live here understand and appreciate just what we do have here.
The grass ISN'T greener on the other side. You CAN come home.
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