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Brian McGrory is an idiot
By adamg on Wed, 04/25/2007 - 11:40am
There. I said it, and after his column on Easton today, I feel better.
Now, one could make the argument that Easton's objections to a proposed commuter-rail line through a swamp are completely bogus, especially since - as, yes, Bri points out - there's already a rail bed through the swamp.
But is it through the same location as the proposed train tracks? The divine Mr. M. doesn't say; that would require using some of the space he put aside for his Shaughnessy-like eternal grudge against the entire town of Hingham.
No matter. What got me was this bit of harrumphery:
John, it's a swamp. Aren't swamps supposed to be filled in? If it were a nice place, worthy of protection, wouldn't it at least be called a marsh?
So, dear Mr. McGrory: You're an idiot.
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Comments
I'm not sure why you're
I'm not sure why you're insinuating vague semantic games with that quoted statement. Mr. McGrory is absolutely right. And by the way, I had a wonderful time last year vacationing near the Okeefenokee Marsh.
Filling In Brian McGrory
Ah yes, fill in all the swamps. If you believe that's right, I've got a dry basement house for you in a nice filled area of New England, and a house in the Ninth Ward with only "minor" flood damage.
Funny how all the people who think like this are the first to bemoan repeated flooding of their houses. All that water's got to go somewhere - swamp or basement (or neighborhood), your choice.
Exactly
Let's compare the hydrological effects of last Fall's torrential rains on the areas around the Merrimack River vs. those around the Charles River. Here's a hint: the Merrimack has a scarcity of wetlands in the area and little to no floodplain around the river itself.
With that said, if the Town of Easton is simply using this to try and escape the construction of a rail line, they're idiots. But as former Easton resident whose basement flooded virtually every time it rained, the concerns they have voiced over filling in these wetlands are well founded.
Ah, the Charles
Why the Charles doesn't seem to flood as much as other rivers.
I think McGrory lives in the Back Bay, so, of course, somebody in his position who just wants to snicker would be all in favor of filling things in (although, ironically, that neighborhood now has its own unique water issues).
The Wetland Ruse
I agree - these folk aren't so keen on saving wetlands when it comes to tax producing projects. The rail line is there and only needs a redo.
Transportation, housing, and zoning are regional problems and should be planned and created at the regional level. Letting it happen town-by-town is what is ruining Massachusetts.
This is nothing more than restoring an old rail line
I believe that passenger trains ran along this route as recently as the 1950s. Since the rail bed already exists, why not lay track on it again and resume that service?
i really think that you
i really think that you should let people know that you work for the globe when writing about globe releated topics. maybe you can post some sort of disclaimer or something.
I don't work for the Globe
Never have, probably never will. Why do you think I do?
He's not referring to you, Ron
It's my pal, the anon poster, who thinks I never get tired of him (her?) reminding me of the time I put my newspaper disclosure on every single newspaper-related post I did. Why don't I, anymore? Come on, do you think if I worked for the Globe fulltime I'd keep publicly expressing my distaste for the Man Who Would Be Metro Editor?
Good idea, Ron!!
Bravo!!