Letter to the Editor

Mr. Mayor, Now is the Time to Develop a New Strategy

Dear Editor:

Before things get totally out of control, it’s time to adopt a new strategy, maybe a new philosophy. The Boston Common is probably the most important part of The Emerald Necklace, yet it is being given over to homeless derelicts, drug addicts, and the criminal element in general.

The Methadone Mile is out of control, overrun with the same element. The bridge to Long Island is in limbo. This is not the west coast, not Los Angeles, not San Francisco. This is what used to be Yankee Blue Blood Boston, the very epitome of conservative thought and appropriate behavior. Why are there so many unfortunate, misguided individuals inhabiting the public areas of the city? Could it be because religion is no longer popular, morality has become relative and values have become flexible rather than fixed? Perhaps! Nevertheless, we must do that which can be done to alleviate the problem, as it exists. Clean up the Common, staff it with Park Rangers and have a police presence. Eliminate the Methadone Mile in its present form.

The city should stop being the enabler of derelict and inappropriate behavior. Why should the quality of life of law-abiding citizens be unjustly impacted by an unfortunate population of people created and enabled to exist because of misguided philosophy that tells them that it’s alright not to try to self-rely?

Of course there are people who are mentally or emotionally comprised that need the assistance of effective government programs to help them survive. Actively providing that assistance would be an important part of the solution. It’s time to stop building new buildings on every available square foot of real estate that exists and to start cleaning up the real estate that we have. A new strategy, a new philosophy, call it what you will but its time to act before all is lost.

Robert D’Amelio

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