Editor’s Note: The following is a column from Jeff Stein, editor of the Ithaca Voice.
Contact me anytime at jstein@ithacavoice.com to submit an alternative or dissenting viewpoint.
[do_widget id= text-55 ]
ITHACA, N.Y. — Mayor Svante Myrick told The Ithaca Journal this week that he’s excited for thousands of Cornell students to begin making the move back to Ithaca today.
From The Journal’s Kelsey O’Connor:
“Having the population about double overnight, there are some growing pains that come with that,” Myrick said. “But every time the students come back … I’m just thrilled.”
Myrick said he is happy for the uptick in business and for the culture and creativity students bring the city.
Mr. Mayor: I respectfully dissent. I am not looking forward to having thousands of screaming students filling the city’s streets like the wild, ungainly toddlers of Toy Story 3.
(See the 45-second mark for what Collegetown Bagels will look like this weekend.)
Obviously, as a Cornell graduate myself, I recognize there’s quite a bit of hypocrisy in this viewpoint. And I know mine is certainly an uncharitable view.
But I also don’t think I’m alone. So, please take our (statistically meaningless) poll: Given the chance, would you rather the Cornell students not come back for a few weeks? Are you actually happy the students are returning?
[socialpoll id=”2290048″]
Some important notes for this thought-exercise:
1) Imagine, just for the purpose of this poll, that there would be no corresponding change in the local economy or to your business. (I know, of course, that this is not the case — but humor me here.)
2) Don’t vote no just because you want to prolong the summer. The two issues — whether you want summer to last vs. whether you want students to come back — are different.
[do_widget id= text-61 ]