Talking Trash

There seems to be a little fallout from the recent Northeast Kansas City Fall Festival. While the Festival was touted as a "green" event - whatever that means . . . Complaints from nearby residents have not only fallen on deaf ears but also earned some pretty harsh responses.

Here's an excerpt of an e-mail complaining about the cleanup efforts after the festival:

Actually, the park was left in very poor shape and you should be ashamed of yourself and everyone else involved. Perhaps your organization could utilize the extensive contacts you have in the business community to lobby neighborhood association or city to SHAPE up our parks without cost to the ones who've destroyed it? You make me ill.

Now here's the response:

You ARE ill, very, very ill but not because of the Fall Festival.

I suggest you get professional mental help and move if you are so dissatisfied with the area.

Nobody needs a neighbor like you bashing the efforts of those working to improve the community. You ARE a part of the problem.

I refuse to continue any correspondence with an anonymous writer. Without your legal name and address you have absolutely NO credibility in your comments. I have been patient, truthful and accurate in my answers to your questions and comments. Henceforth I am putting your address in my SPAM file.

Any further letters from you or alias will be forwarded to the police department.

Nice! And probably just a small sample of why so few people get involved in neighborhood politics, activism or improvement no matter which way you look at it.