Finally, Abbie gets a question from a real reader! (Not that those other questions from readers were fake... um, uh, look over there at that thing!) -Ed.
Dear Abbie Hoffman,
I am an urban dwelling Midwestern liberal homeowner in a multi-unit condo building in Chicago. Eight months ago, the unit downstairs from me from me sold to a middle aged couple who turn out to be supporters of the Tea-Party. The whole building found this out after they moved in.
During an association meeting they began to question the relevance of being charged an assessment every month to help toward the maintenance, upkeep and well being of the building. They feel that they haven't seen any major improvement in the building in the short time they lived there or any improvement in the "quality" of any of the new homeowners who moved in after them.
As the condo association President and an American born minority I am having great difficulty in getting them to understand that I'm not a "benevolent dictator" that directs their assessment fees into affordable housing and real estate growth opportunities to "border jumpers". All of us are gainfully employed professionals in diverse fields who take great pride in the place that we live.
Why are they in the city of Chicago living among us? How should I go about explaining to them that assessment fees are for the steady upkeep of the place that we live? I get called "socialist" when I attempt to explain that these fees help us all live harmoniously in a quality environment and that major changes to the building should happen incrementally and require great pragmatism.
- Why Do They Always Find Me
p.s. All words in quotes belong to them.
Dear Why,
You measure a democracy by the freedom it gives its dissidents, not the freedom it gives its assimilated conformists. Maybe your new brother and sister have a point about the way you do things. QUESTION EVERYTHING.
If, however, you truly believe they are not living up to their responsibilities as citizens of your community, remember this: The key to organizing an alternative society is to organize people around what they can do, and more importantly, what they want to do. Maybe Mr. and Mrs. Tea Party enjoy working in the yard. Ask them to cut the grass (but not smoke it all!), plant your garden, maintain the compost pile, etc. instead of paying association fees.
By the way, I have many fond memories of your hometown.
Yours truly,
Abbie
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