RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by davidjpayne on 12.09.08 @ 08:23 AM

FOR IMMEDIATE MEDIA RELEASE
DECEMBER 9, 2008

PRESERVATIONISTS SEEK SOLUTIONS

Atlanta is not long known for preserving buildings or sites of historic value, and when Mayor Shirley Franklin fired the Executive Director of the Urban Design Commission (UDC), concerned citizens from all over moved to action.

At their organizing meeting on December 6th, the assembly (tentatively known as The Atlanta Preservation Group) debated issues such as how the UDC could function without their former leader whose expertise and experience was known country-wide. Would and could the UDC continue its functionality of honoring and safeguarding historic and landmark buildings and sites; and conservation, historic, and landmark districts? Sure, the City is in financial straits they all agreed, but how could this important safeguard of our history and sense of place be dropped without notice or clarification? Could City communications with citizens get any worse than it already seems to be concerning important matters that impact the very fabric of our neighborhoods and communities? People at the gathering were visibly concerned about the fate of the future of Atlanta’s past.

Unlike Neighborhood Nazis (NIMBY, MYOTHW)* who exist everywhere, these Community Advocates are motivated to help make Atlanta a full-timeframe environment: respecting the past while embracing the future that responsible development affords. Without these kinds of folks we would not have today the eleven (11) designated and protected Landmark District Neighbors (e.g., Cabbagetown, Martin Luther King, Druid Hills) ; nor would we have The Fox Theatre, The Academy of Medicine, The Castle; The Biltmore, Georgian Terrace, and Imperial Hotels; The Peters House, Randolph House, and Rhodes Memorial Hall (just to mention a few) – all of which were threatened to be torn down so business and commercial developers could further their own interests by debasing our past without knowledge or a care in the world about where we were way back when. What would Atlanta be like today if we still had Union Station, Rich’s, and The Peachtree Arcade? To preservationists, what happened there is just stupid. Look at cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, and others that have respected their history and continue to thrive with the support of tourists and people who want to live along with the fine and wondrous architecture and venues established by thoughtful, significant construction of years past. Atlanta is a major attraction for world tourists who come to see the sights of “The Biggest & Bestest Peach” and our significant historical sites. Historic preservation promotes tourism and tourism generates $dollars$ for Atlanta.

Members of the group presented their concerns to the Atlanta City Council’s Community Development/Human Resources Committee on Tuesday afternoon and stated they recognized Atlanta has severe financial problems requiring immediate action and expressed willingness to cooperate with the City in any way possible. They were seeking, but not expecting instantaneous answers to some critical questions, such as “How can the City meet its responsibilities under Section 106 of the Federal Preservation Act of 1966 that directs how federal money can be used for historic preservation? How can citizens of Atlanta know when and how historic buildings and sites can be identified and protected? How can the City meet commitments required by the Atlanta Zoning Ordinance to guide development activities that threaten our heritage?”

The group plans to organize strong resistance to what they perceive as the City’s abrogation of historic preservation and they have the horsepower and capabilities to do just that. Some of the organizations that have expressed interest or already signed on to helping the group include the Atlanta Preservation Center, Community Resource Network, Grant Park Neighborhood Association (GPNA), Payne Warren, South East Atlanta Business Association (SEABA), Druid Hills Civic Association, and others.

*Not In My Back Yard, My Way Or The HighWay

END

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT
PAYNE WARREN INC.
PWIATL@COMCAST.NET
404.627.0435

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by jcorn on 02.26.08 @ 02:01 PM

I tried to leave a contact but I'll try this:

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RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by James E. Egolf on 12.02.07 @ 08:52 PM

This lad should have told the FBI clowns is none of their damned business. He should have told them to get a specific warrant or get the hell out and to consult his atty.

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by Lou Jones on 11.01.07 @ 02:12 AM

Keep hard copy records of what you wrote here. The names of those agents, the date, time, everything that happened. Because they're not going to stop there. Wait until you really annoy them, and you go to your job, and you know before anyone says a word to you that they've been there, talking smack about you. You leave one day, all is well, you come back next day, and the 'patriots' are snarling mad, and everyone else is measuring you for one of those jacks with the arms that tie in front. Don't let them beat you down. But don't underestimate them, either. This is only the beginning. And keep telling the truth. Anything that fears the truth must be beaten back into the darkness where it belongs.

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by l on 10.11.07 @ 04:32 PM

I remember seeing local groups arming themselves to the teeth because the Federal government was supposed to be in some conspiracy with the UN . . .or some such garbage. Well some idiot named Timothy Mcvay then killed over 180 people because he bought into that logic. I would rather have the Feds checking leads no matter how stupid they seem than going back to just focusing or organized crime and high profile murders and abductions cases. So 5 minutes to clear a stupid call in from a clerk is not a hardship. The responses from this blog have been unbelievable. Whether you like it or not the CEO from SUN said a decade ago - the Internet has killed privacy. The gov if they aren't already, scanning email with algorithms which is designed to tell them when terrorist activity in underway. So this was a walk in the park compared to what is and what will be. But given the choice between nuts who are armed to the teeth be they US citizens and some Jihad group or the US reading my stupid emails - I will take them reading the emails and chatting with me. The truth will set you free. If you aren't doing anything illegal you will not suffer.

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by ann on 10.06.07 @ 02:31 AM

I can't believe how simple it is for someone to be interogated by a government agency. I guess I should be careful reading, saying or writing what I please for fear of having someone report me for possible terrorism.

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by gg on 09.05.07 @ 04:41 AM

Whether this incident happened or not, recent history warns thus...when citizens blindly inform on their fellow man [as mohammed rama-rama ding-dong is allowed through airports with a machine gun while a WWII Medal of Honor awardee is denied boarding 'cuz he is told by TSA idiots their CMOH society penkinfe and actual CMOH is a potential weapon--this REALLY happened--sorry I digressed], but are too wrapped up in "reality TV" and other nonsense without ignoring real tyranny and will to destruction to liberty by evil men and systems...as German poet Heinreich Heine commented regarding Hitler's evil plans for total Will to Power, Death, and total War: "Where books are burned, men are burned too" ---Heine....sounds eerily like Gestapo-like "Nacht und Nebel" is slowly setting up shop here as well...lose freedom of expression, freedom to live free soon follows...i think that's the point here, REGARDLESS of personal and political views..just a rambling thought repeating its tyrannical self here now...just a matter of trading a swatiska for "patroitism"...read W.H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939"....hope i made some sense...

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by The Crapture on 08.27.07 @ 04:36 PM

"Jsfeller" tries to refute the claim in the article by claiming that his "brother works in counterterrorism" and then follows up with "this isn't how WE follow up leads" so which of you is a pretend secret agent, you or your brother?

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by myiq2xu on 08.24.07 @ 03:51 AM

What did you expect? You were reading! And you work in a bookstore! Lucky for you that you're not Arab or black or one of those other troublemaking races. From now on, stop reading and keep your television on Fox News. As for those commenters who bragged about how they would have acted, my advice is wait until it happens to you.

RE: Careful: The FB-eye may be watching

Posted by Will on 08.19.07 @ 01:59 AM

You put up with that crap? Do the words "First Amendment" ring a bell? When he leveled about why they were there, I would have said, "I was reading whatever I damn well felt like, and it's no business of your's. If you're not going to arrest me, we're done here."