A tale of two cities: a city without guns versus a ‘gun toting’ city

(This image is located at: http://locationreservoir.wordpress.com/2012/07/20/when-hollywood-takes-over-a-small-new-england-village-pt-2/ .   I selected this image to represent a small village or city as referred in the narrative below.)

As a trickster and provocateur, I am proposing the juxtaposition of two hypothetical cities: one which prohibits guns and another that requires guns to be carried by all people.  In light of the current gun control debate brought about by the tragedy of Newtown, Connecticut, a discussion as the one below is warranted. The metaphors of utopia (or dis-utopia) is useful when discussing issues.  The most concrete way to discuss utopias is within the context of a city, which has been used by urbanists for centuries (i.e., Plato, Sir Thomas Moore. )  I will discuss this within a fictional situation of the two hypothetical cities.

At the beginning of 2013, the city council of one city in the U.S. decided that the ultimate solution to violence was the arming of all people above the age of eighteen in its jurisdiction.  Even visitors would be required to carry a gun. Those opposing it had no choice, but to either abide by the ordinance or to leave the city.  This seemed like the perfect solution.   Later, they determined that there must be mandatory gun training.  What about people who were elderly? Should they be allowed to carry guns when their vision and some had mental stability was questionable?  Also, what about people with some form of mental illness?  In turn, they enacted a regulation to screen those who were mentally incapable of owning a firearm. Then, one day a person came into town with a machine gun and killed about fifty people.  The council decided maybe everyone should now have machine guns so that they would be equal.  What about those who could not afford machine guns?  It was concluded that that this was their problem.  The premise was that things could be resolved with guns; no matter the level of conflict.  This resulted in more gun tragedies related to domestic violence.  When one man was fired from a job, he shot his boss before he could reach for his gun.  Of course, he was killed by other workers.  It was resolved that even though there was increased violence that everyone was safer.

Another city, not too far away from the ‘gun toting city’ passed an ordinance to ban all guns from their city.  The city council resolved that no one could have a gun, even law enforcement.  This required gathering all guns and disposing of them.  Anyone caught entering the city with a firearm would be jailed, fined and sent out of the city.  Those that opposed to this ordinance would be required to leave the city.  This was not a problem as a nearby city allowed guns for everyone.  There were organizations formed on counseling people how to resolve issues without violence.  Everyone was happy with the situation.  Police were able to solve problems of burglary, domestic abuse, and accidents without using firearms.  A sense of community based on a culture of non-violent resolution of conflicts.  Then, one day a person with a gun was able to come into the city and managed to rob a store, killing the manager and some of the customers.  Citizens were shaken as they thought that they had done everything to prevent violence.  They began to reconsider their banning of all guns.  Would they have to go back to the armed security guards, gun ownership etc.?  Ultimately, they resolved that there would have to be walls with barbed wires around the city; and restricted and guarded entry gates with armed police, even at their small airport.

This hypothetical situation is symbolic of the division that our country is enduring.  No one could dispute that the ever reoccurring mass killings is a tragedy.  Yet, it also goes on in smaller cases almost daily. We have on one hand a radical segment that would ban handguns, automatic weapons, and assault weapons and make stringent regulations on buying a gun to those who want greater freedom to purchase guns. Both sides interpret the Second Amendment in two diametrically different manners. 

Urban areas are where the majority of gun violence occurs. It is the responsibility of the Federal, State or city/county government to curtail gun violence at the local level?  What is the right mix of regulations that curtain gun violence and be acceptable to most people?  What is apparent is that we as a nation are polarized on this issue to the point of paralysis.  Differing opinions vary by households, neighborhoods and cities within different parts of the U.S.  But, we have to develop a dialog and not one of bullying one opinion over another.  “Shouting matches” never resolve in good solutions.

2012 Volume of Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy Now Published

2012 Volume XIII

(Click on above image for commentary)

2012
Volume XIII
(on-line first)*

Richard Hartwig and John Bailey
JOURNALISM & ORGANIZED CRIME IN COLOMBIA AND MEXICO

Regina Laisner
THE ROLE OF INTERNATIONAL CITY NETWORKS IN THE SUPPORT OF LOCAL PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE IN LATIN AMERICA

Ivani Vassoler-Froelich
CITY GIFTS: A BOOK REVIEW OF TRIUMPH OF THE CITY: HOW OUR GREATEST INVENTION MAKES US RICHER, SMARTER, GREENER, HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER.  EDWARD GLEASER, PENGUIN PRESS, 2011

Michael A. McAdams
IS JUSTICE IN THE CITY A QUIXOTIC DREAM?:   A BOOK REVIEW OF PLANNING AS IF PEOPLE MATTER : GOVERNING FOR SOCIAL EQUITY.  MARC BRENMAN,AND THOMAS W. SANCHEZ, . ISLAND PRESS, 2012.

*Articles will be published  first on-line and later selected articles will be published in printed form.

 **If using Mozilla Foxfire as a browser, it may be easier to download documents by pointing on the link for the article and right clicking on ‘Save link as'.

Copyright © 2011 Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy

It’s the infrastructure…Stupid!

(Pot hole in New Orleans: found at : http://librarychronicles.blogspot.com/2010_07_01_archive.html .)

At the present moment, in Washington all talk is focused on the “fiscal cliff. “  However, something bigger is looming; our crumbling infrastructure and insufficient Federal funding.  Well-maintained infrastructure is essential for the economic health of the nation and particularly for urban areas.  Bridges, roads, transit systems, airports, water/sewer systems, and electrical grids are in grave need of repair and expansion.  The problem with our highways and bridges has been known for a significant amount of time, perhaps more than 30 years. This is not a complicated issue.  When you build things, you must maintain them or eventually see their deterioration. This is very evident in the aging Interstate and Defense Highway System, of which many miles are located in urbanized areas, leaking sanitary and water systems; numerous deteriorating bridges in all states and cities, and worn rapid transit tracks. 

Recently, hurricane/tropical storm Sandy proved the vulnerability our urban infrastructure.  It will take months to rebuild all that was damaged in just a few hours. However, some of the infrastructure was in grave need of repair before this natural disaster.  Although denied by some, Sandy was a wakeup call to many that global warming is a reality and not some ‘leftist’ propaganda.  The rebuilding of infrastructure along coastal areas due to Sandy is merely to return to status quo.  What should be in process is rebuilding of infrastructure in accordance with possible erosion, sea water rise and the possibility of possible future storms of the same or greater magnitude.

Those in Washington and in the media are in a panic if we “fall off the fiscal cliff. There will be tax increases, and program reduction across the board.  The Republicans seem to be obsessed with not letting the tax rates rise to that during Clinton era.  Obama is pushing increases to taxes above $250,000 and keeping the social net intact. Republicans want to cut social programs.  All these issues are ignoring the obvious that major infrastructure improvements such as the Trans-Continental Railroad and the Interstate and Defense Highway System were far more important that gaining more revenue or cutting expenditures.  They created jobs, brought about additional development and led the U.S. to be the largest economy in the world.   Other major infrastructure improvements also occurred during the1930s related to the Works Project Administration.  These were not ‘make work projects’ but damns, bridges, public park improvement and other physical structures that are still among us. With infrastructure failure and the needs of new infrastructure not being met, reducing the deficit will be least of the concerns of the U.S.  Urban areas will be gravely hurt by failing infrastructure.  Job creation, social welfare and revenue generation all pend upon maintaining and expanding infrastructure.

The prescription for prosperity will not be found in financial manipulations such as raising debt ceiling, taxing the top 2% more, or cutting programs; although the failure to address them will stifle our economy in the short term; but, creating the necessary support or infrastructure for job creation, economic prosperity, security, health and better quality of life for all the citizens of the U.S.  In the short term, the U.S. will experience higher debts as major building programs are initiated.  But, in the long term, it will lead to an era of greater prosperity.  However, these programs should be tempered with sound knowledge and in the context of sustainability, energy resources and a highly interconnected world.  

Rivers, canals and harbors: a resource for cities

(This bleak image of a woman washing her clothes in a polluted river in China with a pile of garbage in the background was found at : http://factsanddetails.com/china.php?itemid=391&catid=10&subcatid=66  This site is also an interesting one on the state of rivers in China.)

In a recent entry of The Urban Flâneur Guidebook, I featured some intriguing photographs by Hamish Stewart, the blog author of Le flâneur: the random urban photographer, of the Regents Canal in London. His photographs portrayed how a canal or any water body can be a delight to urban residents.  However, many waters bodies in urban areas are not places of beauty, but often resemble a vision of hell, as seen in the picture above.

In the Industrial Era, lakes, rivers, bays and canals were perceived not for their intrinsic natural value, but for their economic use and waste disposal.  In this present transition era, this situation can be found in numerous cities around the world, particularly those in developing nations.  Many rivers, harbors and canals are lined by industry, derelict buildings and receive a significant amount of pollution from various sources.  One does not have to look far to see the destruction that humans have caused to these valuable resources. 

Water is the actual lifeblood of all living things right down to the microscopic level. Our bodies can not survive without water. Plants and animals rely on it for their existence. Other human related processes are intrinsically dependent on water (i.e., manufacturing, hydroelectric generating, agriculture, etc.)   Yet the present global economy and their associated actors are humming along, treating water resources as relatively inconsequential. 

Presently, the focus is on the worldwide economic crisis with myriad discussions on fiscal policies, reducing debt and  reviving sluggish, erratic, unsustainable economic growth.  Our political leaders and other key decision-makers seem to have put environmental concerns far down the list of important agenda items. They drive around in limousines, sit around tables, arrange numerous conferences, fill up resorts and hotels discussing financial markets which have been made extremely complicated by their own design, and expect the ‘magic market’ to take care of things. ( The World Economic Conference (although a private conference) held annually in Davos, Switzerland  is probably the pinnacle of such elitist conferences.) Despite present decision-makers apparent lack of attention on these issue, there has been major national and supranational legislation and the creation of environmental  organizations whose responsibility lies in monitoring and improving the environment, including water bodies. A growing amount of NGOs are also involved in environmental actions.

Substantial improvement of the environment, including water resources.is not going to happen unless the focus of discussion starts to change through being forced by the grassroots/bottom-up and informal networks, such as emerging city networks. Cities must lead the way and not wait upon our lethargic national and supranational organizations to take action. Cities have at their disposal untapped resources, particularly their citizens and local industries/businesses, that can improve water resources.  They can also leverage a vast amount of public and private and network with other cities and NGO’s (as referenced below.)  It all starts with a vision of how water resources can be improved; forming formal and informal groups who are committed to this vision and making it happen. (An example of how city networking is developing can be  found in Regina Laisner's article, "The role of international city networks in the support of local participatory govenance in Latin America in the online journal: Urbana: Urban Affairs and Public Policy.)

Water bodies can be the ‘jewel’ of cities in many aspects. They are of value in many aspects: clean drinking water, recreation, aesthetics and quality of life.  Some cities have started to recognize the value of water, but not enough.  However, we wait around for the right time, we will find that this resource will be in extreme danger.  It has been said that the next wars will be fought over water.  This could occur if sufficient action is not taken to correct this problem on numerous scales. 

There are numerous resources that give further substance to this discussion.  Here are a list of just a few:
UN Water

A Blueprint to Safeguard Europe’s Water Resources

U.S Environmental Protection Agency Water Home

International Rivers Organization

American Rivers Organization

The implosion of cities

(image located at: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/03/the-next-slum/306653/?single_page=true )

In some of the past blog entries, I have discussed the decline of cities in the Rust Belts of both North America and Europe.  Some of the entries were directly related to Detroit, the ‘poster child’ of the Rust Belt and its implications for other Industrial Era cities.  The decline of these cities can be directly attributed to the globalizing economy and the restructuring of most developed nations.  This has left behind vacant buildings and derelict vacant land.  At the same time, there are examples of redevelopment of some of these areas into mixed used areas.

The global economic crash of 2008, is a watershed.  The economies of developed nations will not bounce back to the level that they were before.  There are underlying socioeconomic changes that are also occurring that affect this situation.  There is increasing number of people retiring, smaller families, more people living alone, struggling young adults, increase of the number of the underemployed and a shrinking middle class.  This is compounded by the increasing number of foreclosures, stagnant wages, and sputtering economy.  All these factors are having far reaching urban consequences.

The suburbs are in slow decline, although looking at them superficially you would not know it.  In my suburban/exurban surrounding one can see the elements of this: large houses standing vacant; properties that were once single owners subdivided and mobile homes put on the parcels; subdivision that were begun and now have large number of vacant lots; smaller pockets of more dense development composed of smaller lots and condominiums; for sale signs on larger older properties, vacant or partially occupied shopping malls and 1960s-1980s era suburban neighborhoods composed largely of ‘empty nesters.’  The unraveling of the traditional suburbs is happening right in my backdoor and probably of many readers that live in the suburbs.

At the same time, there is a slow redevelopment of the central city area of many urbanized areas. Many former industrial and dilapidated areas are being transformed into mixed used development.  Older neighborhoods are being gentrified.  Former downtowns are now being filled with small shops, restaurants, cafés, and individual offices.  Although, this is not new, it appears to be an rapidly increasing trend that was once encouraged by government, but now is one driven by a developing market.

What should be construed by these trends?
1. The traditional suburbs have changed and the pre-2008 level of growth is gone and will not rebound. 2. Central cities will continue to become the focus of growth.
3. Surburban areas will start to have financial problems with subsequent reduction in services with some suburban cities and other regional intituions (i.e., schools, water/sewer districts)having to declare bankruptcy.
4. Increase in poverty
5. Transformation of suburban/exurban areas with greater density, more mixed used development,

What should be the actions that local/regional goverments take?
1. Begin a dialog among all stakeholders on the present and future condition of suburbs.

2. Consider consolation of smaller cities and regional services.
3. Develop alternative suburban public transportation modes for low density areas (i.e. subsidized shared-ride taxi, fixed route flexible services etc.)
4. Development transit-oriented nodes in suburban areas.
5. Comprehensive change in subdivision and zoning codes
6. Conversion of former urbanized areas to agricultural areas or allowance of small farms
7. Redevelopment of suburbs to mixed used and walkable neighborhoods.

Further References:
Kaid Benfield. “How history killed the suburb.” The Atlantic, 25 April 2011.

Christopher B. Leinberger. “The Next Slum?:The subprime crisis is just the tip of the iceberg. Fundamental changes in American life may turn today’s McMansions into tomorrow’s tenements.” The Atlantic,  March 2008.

Lisa McGirr. “The new suburban poverty.” The New York Times, 19 March 2012.