Comments on: Today, I wish I was a bird

By: Anne Curtis

Anne Curtis — Sat, 26 Sep 2009 04:27:00 +0000

Faith–My very best wishes for a good and speedy recovery for your husband. The consensus seems to be “Why are all these people–diplomats and protesters–keeping us from living our lives as best as we can?” We will go on because we are Pittsburghers! Adopted, in my case, but I’m doing the best I can.

My sister commented that she saw on TV residents of Lawrenceville high-fiving and clapping for the police as they herded the demonstrators away from Downtown. I also got a kick of the lady in Bloomfield who approached (not confronted) the person who took a hammer to the bank at Liberty and Mathilda. She said “I told them–we wouldn’t do this in your neighborhood; why are you fricking (I think that’s what I heard!) doing it in mine? This is BLOOMFIELD!”

I can’t wait until they get the fences out of Schenley.

Anne

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:22:37 +0000

This pretty much sums up how Pittsburghers are feeling about the “protesters” who break things:
http://angrydrunkbureaucrat.blogspot.com/2009/09/open-letter-to-g-20-protesters.html

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:24:35 +0000

Weirdly it's only a few hooligans (maybe 50-100) who call themselves anarchists and cause all the trouble. I think they get an adrenaline rush from picking fights and breaking things. Apparently many of them are from out of town. Oakland is VERY quiet this morning - almost empty. I walked to the edge of Schenley Park at CMU to look at the barriers, then to Craig St to see the damage. The damage is similar to post Super Bowl damage - that is, not much is broken but it is totally senseless. Most Pittsburghers I talk to are really disgusted by both the anarchists and the police state imposed on us for the G-20 summit. I took a picture of the barriers around Schenley (click here) because they affect me the most - can't go birding in Schenley. Each fence section is as high and wide as a door, all linked together by pins on the back. The fences extended for more than a mile to encircle the park.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:33:09 +0000

Kate, I am thinking of you and all your City. I saw it all on the news. The garbage dumpsters through the streets and the tear gas. It is all so unnerving to say the least.

By: faith Cornell

faith Cornell — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 08:21:54 +0000

My husband has been in hospital since August 13th. So I was advised not to go in on Thursday or Friday because of all this goings on. He is on standby for another surgery today so I sit here in the outskirts while others talk about our wonderful city. On one of the lower roofs from the hospital room tho after the rain a few days ago one of the hawks was up there in a huge puddle enjoying himself immensely with the water. It was a wonderful thing to see & he was so unaware of the “human” watching him. But the ciry was shiny clean & I travel to & from hospital thru Ft. Pitt tunnel & the lights are so shiny clean now. So we all envy Dorothy up high. Thanks for the picture. Faith C.

By: Diane

Diane — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 03:17:45 +0000

When I read your blog I was initially amused. But after seeing the news and photos on the internet I can understand why you wish you were a bird! I think you should all come to Delaware for the weekend and enjoy our wonderful birding sites.

The G20 stuff is so boring to me. I have tried to read the articles but my ADD quickly kicks in!

By: Robin

Robin — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 23:06:43 +0000

There’s practically a Hooverville around the Fence at CMU. All these different groups have built weird little shacks around it in protest of G20.

By: Kristen

Kristen — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:31:52 +0000

I teach at Pitt. My building was shut down and barricaded off because of its proximity to Phipps. I’m sitting in my apartment listening to police sirens and helicopters dealing with protester activity not to far away from me. I am all for free speech and the right to protest, but not violence. I wish there was an easy solution to it all.

By: Patsy

Patsy — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:27:20 +0000

That is certainly attractive.