Viewpoints
Being fair
By Chris Elliott
August 31, 2007
Friday PM
Suzan Thompson's letter contained an interesting exchange: "We
remember Alaska. Lots of jewelry stores with mountains in the
background," and the reporter's comment is: "Be fair.
That's only Ketchikan. There's also Anchorage---lots of t-shirt
stores with mountains in the background." What will replace
the jewelry stores? Why are the sponsors targeting only jewelry
stores? What is it about the downtown area that really irks
Ketchikanites? So long as the locally owned stores stay open
year 'round, we apparently aren't bothered by the postcards,
t-shirts, stuffed animals, fake totem poles, coffee cups and
other ticky tacky items that crowd their display windows. Because
of the tourists, residents have to wade through all this nonsense
to buy aspirin, Pentel pens, Dansko shoes, and Carhartt jackets
from our local merchants. If the initiative passes, the jewelry
stores will be replaced with jewelry stores operating within
the parameters of the ordinance, complete with Last Frontier
shot glasses. Personally, I see no difference between the "jewelry
stores" and these other stores. Neither represents the
best of Ketchikan, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the rights
of property owners on the altar of my personal preferences. Are
you?
Chris Elliott
Ketchikan, AK
Received August 30, 2007 - Published August 31, 2007
About: "Pre-Statehood
resident"
Related Viewpoint:
 Jewelry
store initiative By Suzan Thompson
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