I have never understood the idea that SugarHouse is a “Fishtown” casino. Somehow Fishtown owns the decisions, jobs, and overall impact because SugarHouse is located just inside and on the Fishtown/NoLibs border of Frankford Avenue (at Delaware Avnenue). Absurd.

As for motivating “Joe Sixpack” types in Fishtown…Sweeney should know that old-school Fishtown only gets super-motivated for keeping one thing out of Fishtown: minorities.

If 90% (my guesstimate) of NoLibs residents are against casinos and 50% of Fishtowners are….that’s pretty overwhelmingly anti in the immediate area.

However, SugarHouse was smart indentifying itself as a “Fishtown casino”. NoLibs is a much glitzier address than Fishtown – and on the surface it seems odd SugarHouse would identify itself as a ishtown casino.

However, this was a savvy move. SugarHouse knew it could never form a viable splinter group out of the NLNA – there would be no support for a splinter group. By calling itself a Fishtown casino – SugarHouse knew it could easily divide the FNA and perpetuate their myth that Fishtown is, in FACT’s words, that Fishtown is “overwhlemingly in support of SugarHouse”.

FACT lays claim to 700 pro-SugarHouse ribbons to back up the claim. However, on my block, I had a LONG vacant rental property with a ribbon on it. Walking around Fishtown, that # never seemed legit.

Sad all around…Fishtown was the lower middle class suckers these casino execs were looking to sucker. I mean, does anyone REALLY believe that SugarHouse CARES about the residents of Fishtown? These guys are nothing but the legalized mob. They’re not in the ‘helping’ business. They’re in the money-making business.

Time will tell the tell. Only in Philly could significant increases in traffic, drunk driving, property crime and pollution be ok.

And the tired nativist/newcomer argument is moot: CasinoFree has membership in both groups. Old-timers and newcomers alike hate the casinos, where they are, and how they were imposed on the city. Defining CasinoFree as a bunch of newcomers is simply repeating a meme the pro-casino forces started. Go to a meeting if you don’t believe.

A more interesting question might be to ask why the pro-casino forces all seem to be lifer Philadelphians? Why aren’t there many newcomers involved in bringing casinos here? What’s in it for the lifers?

Frankly, I’ve only seen the anti-CasiNO crowd succeed at making themselves look like victims, with the exception of the photo in this entry where Jethro looks like a real hard man inside the wire and all. Yes, the crowd has been good at blaming every other factor in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania besides themselves. The “offensive article” was doing a little mirror holding in asking them if they could’ve done something differently. That line of inquiry may actually prove fruitful for the future if actually followed instead of deflected by a pissy note from the man inside the wire.

That said, the whole Philly native vs. transplant thing is a tricky issue. I agree with Paul Boni’s point that people who may have only lived in Philly for 2 years can genuinely care about the place they live in. I know that if I had to move – I would become a fierce advocate of my new community because decisions made in City Hall affect my well-being. Philly is territorial – people have pride, traditions, as all communities and cultures do. I get that.

I have had many problems with the activist community here – particularly the West Philly activist community. It’s too polarized, too self-serving, and too pretentious. The best community organizers – even the white ones from New England who come to Philly and try to change things – are those who admit to their wealth and privilege, and acknowledge the fucked up hierarchy – but don’t pretend to look and dress like homeless people. There’s nothing genuine about MOST of the crust punks who hang out at the Satellite and come up with elaborate demonstrations for the G20 or the SOA.