Thursday, July 06, 2006

My Apologies

It seems that I have a few readers who are missing me. I appreciate the sentiment and I apologize for my absence. As it is, I have been busy at work and with other considerations, and my mind has not been on the Racine scene to much. But it is very nice to know that there are some people who value my point of view.

I will share a revealing exchange that I had with one of my off-the-deep-end-Bush-is-the-devil liberal friends of mine. We were attending the parade on the fourth and he was making his usual anti-American comments as he prepared to verbally assault the Republican politicians that walked by. I wondered aloud whether the 4th of July was really the day to express hatred for the United States. His response was that he was not proud to be an American. I asked him which country he could proudly be from. He dodged the question and I pressed him to answer. Finally he told me. He is a citizen of the world and is only proud of the United Nations. In other words, every nation is bad, unless we combine them all together and have one world government. Yikes!

4 comments:

George B said...

I ran into your site by "next" blogging along. I used to have a boat in the harbor at Racine. I spent many a summer weekend enjoying the harbor with friends. You taken up quite a challenge in your blog. Too much of that city is going down hill. No more businesses and no growth. The harbor was to be a savior for the town but that failed. The "Johnson's" keep trying to dabble in downtown businesses; but, if no one comes, it doesn't matter.

I will check back on your blog from time to time. You ought to get some pics of the city; good an bad so that readers get to know Racine a little better! Hang in there. Being a conservative in liberal city is tough!

Denis Navratil said...

Thanks for your comment cranky. You correctly noted many of the challenges facing Racine, but I have to disagree about downtown. Downtown Racine has improved tremendously in the past several years. Main St has very few vacancies. People who visit have a very favorable impression of the downtown. I know this because I have a business downtown. One of the reasons that I moved my business to Racine is because of the Johnson family and their influence. By no means am I in lock step agreement with all of the political objectives advanced by the Johnson's and their satellite organizations, but I think that their efforts downtown have been mostly positive. May I suggest that you visit Racine again and see the many positive downtown improvements. Thanks again for your post.

George B said...

I have to appologize. My recollection of Racine is 6 years' stale. I should have told you that. I am glad that the Main Street area is doing well. Again, I'll be back! Both to your blog, and someday, Racine; but, never in the winter!

Denis Navratil said...

No apology is needed. Six years ago downtown Racine was a ghost town. But it is much better, even if the surrounding areas are struggling.