We want to say first that we do have many friends at the News. ~ Our
restoration effort has been reported on, positively, many times over the years
and we have received very much, good, public exposure from the Buffalo News
since the project commenced. ~ Earlier Editorials were supportive and called for
public and government assistance in bringing back the Canadiana. ~ In addition;
we have recently been told by significant individuals at the News that they
support the project and would like to see the Canadiana brought back.
The current problem seems to have started about the time a new Editorial
Editor arrived on the scene. ~ This new person seems to have an itinerary of her
own. ~ She uses her pulpit to make her things happen and the public still tends
to believe a "newspaper" such as News. ~ Unfortunately, in this case, the public
is being fooled. ~ The News is the only major newspaper in the area and it
apparently has lost its fear of "contradiction". ~ It can say what it wants to
and who is to dispute them? ~ We lost a great deal of factual "insurance" and
newspaper "self-regulation" when the old Courier Express went under.
Our
paper now seems to spend an inordinate amount of time on attempting to run down
the town, or run the down-town as the case may be. ~ The Editorials are like
thinly guised threats, in their attempts to run the city government. ~ It would
be nice to see Buffalo's newspaper get back to the roll of "standard bearer" and
watch for things such as misconduct, improper actions and other potential
problems from elected officials. ~ Otherwise, stop trying to direct them. ~ Let
them do the job they were elected to do, to represent their constituents and
not the Editorial Editor. ~ She was not elected to her office.
We want the entire world to understand we are not alone in this
thinking; the previous Mayor would not even speak to nor read the News. ~ He
gave all of his statements to newspapers in the suburbs.
We would hope
that some day, the News would stop trying to squash projects such as ours. These
things of which they know nothing about; that are being accomplished by public
support and citizen involvement, which in itself benefits everyone. ~ We have a
community that wants to work together but we have a newspaper that tries to
stifle most everything worth doing. ~ We have come to believe they use the
Darwin Martin house as a tool to veil their negative ness. ~ Even being complete
fools, they must know that they need at least one alternative if they are
to be constantly attacking everything. ~ They know they must support
something or people would certainly see them for what they are.
The News regularly puts down Buffalo; the city government, the weather,
the industry, the sport fans, and so on. ~ They are so bad, in fact, that we
have found humor; even in this sad situation. ~ We have put together a little
anti News webpage. ~ Its at the bottom of this page. ~ Take a look before
you leave.
For their own reasons, they struggle to create negative
feelings against the Canadiana succeeding. ~ Such things as..., "The
Canadiana project (I.S.T.E.A. award) is pure pork." ~ Well, even if "pork"
never did anyone any good; according to our dictionary's definition of
it, and with the information we know they have, that statement appears to be an
outright and purposeful lie!
Private citizens, from all across the
state, determined the funding should come to the Canadiana and W.N.Y., not
politicians.
Does the News do this kind of thing often??? ~ We have
heard they do... ~ We know they feel they have a right to say anything they wish
but we would expect a major newspaper like the Buffalo News to have some
ethics.
There is much more to point out but won't; we don't want
you to just take our word anyway. ~ If you don't already know, go downtown and
ask any business person what they think of the News.
The fact remains,
their accusations and statements are just plain drivel. ~ They have not
presented a single worthwhile reason the Canadiana should not be restored. ~ The
person at the News who is making all this noise is a "journalist" with
absolutely no knowledge in the fields of which she speaks. ~ She proves that
with every sentence written.
Nor did anyone feel it necessary to obtain
the facts. ~ We were not asked a single question before being dumped on in her
"Editorial". ~ When you're in a hurry to blast something, apparently there is no
time for that. ~ When we tried to refute the trash, even within the limitations
that were first imposed, we were, in the end, refused space to do so. ~ The
facts we presented seem to have cost them their confidence and so we were
stonewalled.
A word about Editorials...
A top level Editorial was used to do
us in. ~ It succeeded in making everyone hide. ~ All those who exist by the will
of the News and its spotlight. ~ Unhappily, we have found this type to be in the
majority.
We were under the impression that Editorials were major
pronouncements newspapers put forth for the betterment of society. ~ That they
were well researched statements arrived at only after much discussion and a
clear understanding of the facts and alternatives, and done by at least a few of
the entire Editorial Board. ~ How many Editorials are now being produced by one
person, with opinions on everything, in less than 24 hours; full of inaccurate,
misleading statements on technical, economic, social and anything else in
which they have no real understanding? ~ We're certain the Buffalo News is fast
becoming an embarrassment to the entire newspaper publishing industry. ~ Do you
think they care? ~ Not when they are sucking a million dollars a week out of the
local economy.
We would again suggest you print these pages to read them more easily
when you have your feet up.
We know we are the underdogs here and we
have been advised to not go up against the News. ~ It's our feeling however that
it is the Editorial Editor of the Buffalo News who should not be putting herself
and the News up against the future happiness of all the children of Western New
York or against a real economic development opportunity which can bring people
and action back to the city. ~ Not to mention, saving such a beautiful
and historic ship such as the Canadiana. ~ After all, everyone says they
want the waterfront developed. ~ We would be a major jewel in that new showcase.
~ Who can't or doesn't want to see that?
The Canadiana is one of
the nicest things that Buffalo can have happen and yet we have been grievously
and viciously attacked for no decent reason at all. ~ We're sorry for them but
we can't keep quiet while they keep trying so hard to do us in. ~ We hope others
can see what's going on here and give us some support in this direction. ~ Mr.
Lipsey; can't you sell the same number of newspapers without your help putting
the screws to Buffalo all the time?
In response to their standard
alternative to everything else. ~ The I.S.T.E.A. money would not be better spent
on (their project), the Darwin Martin house. ~ We certainly agree the Darwin
Martin house should be saved but we want to make it clear once again; something
which the News is well aware of; the Darwin Martin house does not qualify
for these funds, it did not apply for these funds and our award can
not be diverted in any way, shape or manner to the Darwin Martin house. ~
Let's hope the News will stop using that deserving object of F. L. Wright's
architecture as a hammer to kill off this and other worthwhile projects in the
area. ~ It should not and can not be the alternative to everything else.
Yet they blatantly tried to do us in, knowing there was no hope
of gaining any of the ISTEA funds for the Darwin Martin house. ~ The State will
eventually take over the entire operation of the Darwin Martin house so the
complaints the News has about taxpayer dollars being spent on the Canadiana
applies even more so to this great structure. ~ The News is doing it no
justice at all.
By attacking the Canadiana, they are trying to deprive
everyone of all the good it can bring. ~ They are in effect trying to send the
I.S.T.E.A. award out of Western New York to some other NY city. ~ They would
keep it from coming to Buffalo where it could do this area and the people in it,
so much good. ~ They would deprive the downtown area from reaping any of the
benefits from the broad spectrum of activity and attractions the Canadiana can
provide. ~ While they acknowledge the happy times if provided in the past, they
don't seem to want the children and families of Western New York to have the
Canadiana back again. ~ To have it provide again, these same beautiful times and
the memories so many of us have.
Affordable sailing for entire families.
~ Parents and children enjoying exciting and wonderful days together. ~ Rounding
out the lives of our children with unforgettable experiences of sailing on the
lake. ~ What is so terribly wrong with that? ~ They say it happened once but it
is not meant to happen again. ~ They'll see to that if you let them. ~ Mr.
Lipsey; please get another Editorial Editor.
The Canadiana can easily be
rebuilt to current U.S. Coast Guard specifications. ~ Read the Engineering Study
and the Feasibility Study if you have a questions. ~ No one would deny you can
build a boat from scratch and it's just as possible to do so with used parts. ~
We will replace the bad ones as needed. ~ Our organization has done most
of the work to date through contributions and support of many individuals and
businesses in this area along with our members initiative and effort. ~ The News
should be very suspect for trying to keep us from finishing the job. ~ Even more
so because they are making such a concerted effort. ~ Apparently someone is
taking it personally and has lost their objectivity. ~ Not one real fact of any
significance in anything they say. ~ Come on Mr. Lipsey, get a real
Editorial Editor.
We'll say again: there are many good reasons
for the historic Canadiana, a fantastic example of Buffalo's great shipbuilding
past, to be restored. ~ The sole surviving and still viable steamship from
Buffalo's history. ~ She should be saved for that sake alone.
Buffalo is
sorely in need of some fixes. ~ People who are satisfied with the Miss Buffalo
boats and who don't want to see anything more come of the waterfront or
downtown, or who don't want to see affordable cruises on the lake provided for
all the families of Western New York, should butt out and let us get on with it
for those who do. ~ We want to create this great downtown attraction. ~
Something grand, amazing and wonderful. ~ We want to preserve our history and to
bring about all that the ISTEA Review Board saw in the Canadiana's potential. ~
They are the people who know what is possible. ~ Mr. Lipsey; hire one of
them. ~ They care about Buffalo and W.N.Y.
Thank you.
Floyd Baker President, The S. S. Canadiana Preservation Society, Inc.
