By Mark David Blum, Esq.

Dear Babs:

Looking down from my perch in Manlius, I spied your letter to the Editor in the Syracuse Newspapers and pecked out this response. There are five reasons why I do not live in the City of Syracuse. First, the schools, second, the schools, third, the failing economy, fourth is the schools, and fifth is the level of corruption and arrogance of City leaders. Probably more important than any of that is that, however, is that my Mrs. was the prime decision maker on that issue.

Because I do not live in the Upper Court Street area or in the City itself does not preclude my knowledge of the City or its issues. Au Contraire; I have clients and friends in your neighborhood. Over the years, I have stood up and worked hard to help progress in the City of Syracuse. Trust me I learned the hard way that Syracuse is its own worst enemy. You can only stick your finger in so many dikes.

Myself, born in the City of Angels, I understand city life and know well the joys and convenience of bus riding. It is a good thing Centro runs a line down Court Street. This will be a great help for those folks who used to just walk to the store. No doubt they will appreciate standing around at the corner in the blowing cold wind and snow and have to spend an extra dollar or two just for staples. This is a good thing you do for your poor; is it not?

The leakage about which you wrote is a sad lament to your parable. Rather than entice folks into the City, it is wonderful citizens such as yourself that probably drives others away. After all, I did not criticize a community but defended it and for that, I suffer your wrath.

Ultimately, the hypocrisy of your diatribe calls into question the integrity of the Mayor, the Corporation Counsel, and the Chief of Police. After all, either yours is a wonderful community and loving neighborhood, or it is infested with gangbangers and hangers-out and drug dealers. I sincerely doubt these folks are commuting to hang out in front of Diamonds Market. These same ‘strangers’ who stood around with their friends in front of that market are your neighbors and the folks you defend with such vigor. A market with a high crime wave of 3 arrests outside in four months, that “sells blunts, papers, 40’s, and undersized clothing” as police describe cannot be the same market that is in a neighborhood of such far thinking and open minded citizens as yourself. Somebody is lying; or as I suspect, something else is afoot.

Now that I too have been in the cross hairs of a resident of Upper Court Street, I have a better understanding of life in that ‘hood. How flaccid is that mindset that permits police to fist your dikes to the exclusion of the United States Constitution? No wonder your neighborhood leaks; who wants to live in a place where markets are as tightly closed as the minds of the residents.

Thank you for sharing.