Going to where?

Update: This letter has now appeared in the Daily Journal


This was in the Sunday Journal here in Kankakee.

Journal story

Here is my reaction to the article ... It should be published in the Journal soon.

I noticed the following quote as I opened my Sunday Journal and had my first spoonfuls of Cheerios on October 19th:

"I would never, never in my life live in Kankakee," said Francis Longtin who lives just outside of the city limits. "I don't care for the politics and the way the town is going to hell," he continued.

My first instinct as someone who was bothered by the comment was to flip to the comics and get a more pleasant start to my day. But, I quickly realized that just wouldn't be in keeping with my mindset and the passions of all the people who are working to make Kankakee better.

It is easier to flip to the comics. Just as it would be easier to not get involved in a neighborhood organization or rebuild an old home or mentor students or help to clean up street corners and plant flowers. After a little reflection … my frustration turned to gratefulness for so many in Kankakee, and the surrounding areas, who, when presented with challenges and some of the unpleasant realities of our city don't, "flip to the comics" but rather, get involved.

I don't know Mr. Longtin. I am sure he and many other Limestone advocates are good natured community-minded people. I don't even want to get into the annexation debate, but instead my hope is that folks in the Limestone area who share Mr. Longtin's views might be open to a shift in thinking that is behind a lot of this.

The idea in Limestone seems to be that people feel there is a need to protect an area from a city and its crime, aging neighborhoods and people who in some cases are not as well off economically. This is all wrapped up into fears, property value concerns and a desire to keep the area "rural".

The reality for people who live in Limestone or other neighboring communities is that you are tied to Kankakee no matter what you do. Kids may go to school elsewhere and you may not do all the shopping in Kankakee the way most did many years ago but a good portion of jobs reside in the city and you are still tied, in a number of ways, to the success or the failure of Kankakee.

My shift in thinking goes like this: "Join us." Not by being annexed, but by realizing that we are all connected. I would be happy to help facilitate introducing people to one another and help people to see the value in efforts being made in Kankakee. My hope is that folks in Limestone might do the same. Sure it may seem naive but the idea is that we should really avoid these awkward Sunday breakfasts where we are insulted by what we read and more importantly people should understand each other better.