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Mary, you make a lot of assumptions about where people's sentiments/motivations come from, and that is biggest reason we are having an argument on this thread.
You're her friend, explain what her motivations are.
1. Are the people at the corners legally allowed to be there. No one has posted any info on this other than my comments about calling City Hall to see if there is a permitting process for said charities on street corners.
2. The attitude of privilege. This is where my last post came from. If it's legal, and I am assuming it is, then maybe you should keep your snobbishness (is that a word) behind the gates of your neighborhood (I'm presuming that a person that thinks they shouldn't have to see the less fortunate lives in a gated community to keep the rubbish out).
Just because a person is arguing point #2 doesn't make it any less relevant, it's just a different argument completely.
On the City of Plano's main website on the main page they have a list of "permits": Building, Garage Sale & Alarm. Since there is no "permit" listed for Panhandling or charity public street functions (which would include the local high school group doing a car wash) I'd assume they DO allow such. You can even apply online for a garage sale permit so you would think they would have an online app for the charities????
If #2 is the case for the OP maybe she can find an area that is gated that has all of their shopping needs w/in the walls of such. OR, you would think that some of the businesses in her area do like to serve the "elite" of the area and could offer personal shoppers to pick up their "wants and needs" and hand deliver them to their doorstep. If the "shoppers" feel the need to "get out" from behind the gate they could always rent a limo (or just buy one) w/ VERY dark tinted windows so that they don't have to see such lowly trash.
Gosh, now are y'all are making me start to feel bad. Here I was the other day sitting at the red light at Park and Preston in the Porsche and some junker of a car pulled up a little too close for comfort Maybe Boardwalk Porsche can build a dealership closer to me so that I don't have to drive thru that part of Plano and be exposed to sooooo many cars with drivers that probably don't have insurance.
The OP wasn't trying to get anyone in other towns to believe what she does, yet many are trying to force their beliefs on her. If it really bothers someone that badly, then for God's sake, move to that town and try to change it. Otherwise, your passionate, semi controlled rants, your insults, and your attempts to force others to subscribe to your values are all in vain.
No one is trying to force their beliefs at anyone -I have better things to do than tilting at windmills.
That being said -I do want her to stop and look at that "eyesore" panhandling and and see them for just a split second as a person -however fleeting that may be.
*Mary, you make a lot of assumptions about where people's sentiments/motivations come from, and that is biggest reason we are having an argument on this thread.
**You're her friend, explain what her motivations are.
That's my point. I can't. No second or third party can. Which is why we all try to tease out nuance and meaning out of some quickly dashed words. Having a typed discussion is tricky. Sometimes there's no way to say something that doesn't automatically sound bad regardless of the true feeling/motivation behind it. We have a choice - whether to automatically assume the worst or give benefit of the doubt. I see you favor the former. There's not much I can do about that.
So if non-Plano residents should not chime in with their opinions, perhaps Rachie should not have posted here in the first place. After all this is the "Dallas" forum, not the "Plano" forum
Ty I really do not have a problem with you. You made a post several pages back that I agree with totally, and that is that posts such as the original one do more harm than good for Plano.
What if someone from out of state came to this forum and was thinking about moving to Plano. All someone would have to do is point them to this thread and they probably would not want to move to Plano. Dallas in general has a bad rap the precedes it, this stuff only perpetuates a negative stereotype.
I can only hope that the OP's sentiment stems from some belief that if she doesn't see it, she can pretend it does not exist. To say that certain people "don't belong" in her area is nothing short of segregation.
You and Rachie may not like seeing those things, and may not like it in your area, but you can't say they don't belong.
That is incorrect. You can not only say they don't belong, but you can change the law to make them not belong if there are no laws in place currently.
As to posting in the forum, that's somewhat of a rhetorical question, as you know it is. Nobody said that anyone from anywhere can't post here. What is being said is that if someone from Plano wants every house in Plano painted purple, they get a say in their town if they pay taxes and if they vote.
They aren't trying to say every house in Garland or anywhere else should be painted purple. Yet even though they aren't forcing their values on you (you being anyone outside of Plano), you feel the need to ridicule them because they don't share your values.
Nobody is saying others can't post their opinions, I'm just saying that from a purely technical point of view, they don't matter if you don't live there.
Like I said last night, we're going to agree to disagree. But if rachie and enough people like her want it the way she wants it, they're going to get it, despite all of the gnashing of teeth anyone on these forums does.
And again, you're absolutely correct. Personally, I think the OP should check into it if it bothers her so much. That's pretty much going to be a black and white issue, and if it's legal, and she is still bothered by it, then she can work to try to get it changed (we can only hope she has better things to do).
As far as attitude, go back to my post early on in the thread. Every town is going to have citizens with different levels of expectations. Always been that way, always will. It's their town, not yours. They get a say, you don't (of course I mean 'you' as in anyone who doesn't live there).
The OP wasn't trying to get anyone in other towns to believe what she does, yet many are trying to force their beliefs on her. If it really bothers someone that badly, then for God's sake, move to that town and try to change it. Otherwise, your passionate, semi controlled rants, your insults, and your attempts to force others to subscribe to your values are all in vain.
Yes, instead of ranting on here with her beliefs of what she feels she expects in WEST Plano she should have called the city. However, with her tone I do hope that when and IF she does call she does not refer to JUST "WEST Plano". Hopefully she can see the city as a WHOLE and not segmented. Something that yes even in my own city I do try to see the best for the WHOLE and want the best for everyone in the entire city. Heck, I want the best for the ENTIRE Dallas Metroplex. I wish parts of areas I travel thru or visit were in better shape. Even though I might not live there or own a business there does not mean that I don't care for it to be better than it is.
While this is the case for EVERY city, state, town and nation it does not always work that way. Look how many outsiders stuck their noses into the elephant situation going on with the Dallas Zoo. Look how many outsiders stuck their noses into the recent exectution of a Texas murderer. How many people travel to other areas to protest a cause. Me personally, those types have WAY too much time on their hands .
If she REALLY wanted just those that live in HER area to respond then she should have started a petition drive. Lets hope that when SHE goes door to door or stands on street corners to get the required signatures SHE gets a permit if one is needed. Funny thing is.......... she would be doing the exact same thing that those she sees as beneath her just that she is looking for a signature and not money.
We can also hope that when and IF she does do such she DOES include people from ALL parts of Plano. Those over in the lowly "East" side of Plano may very well feel the same way she does. Who knows she might find more people sympathetic to her cause on the other side than she will her own. Just saying it IS possible.
Yes, instead of ranting on here with her beliefs of what she feels she expects in WEST Plano she should have called the city. However, with her tone I do hope that when and IF she does call she does not refer to JUST "WEST Plano". Hopefully she can see the city as a WHOLE and not segmented. Something that yes even in my own city I do try to see the best for the WHOLE and want the best for everyone in the entire city. Heck, I want the best for the ENTIRE Dallas Metroplex. I wish parts of areas I travel thru or visit were in better shape. Even though I might not live there or own a business there does not mean that I don't care for it to be better than it is.
While this is the case for EVERY city, state, town and nation it does not always work that way. Look how many outsiders stuck their noses into the elephant situation going on with the Dallas Zoo. Look how many outsiders stuck their noses into the recent exectution of a Texas murderer. How many people travel to other areas to protest a cause. Me personally, those types have WAY too much time on their hands .
If she REALLY wanted just those that live in HER area to respond then she should have started a petition drive. Lets hope that when SHE goes door to door or stands on street corners to get the required signatures SHE gets a permit if one is needed. Funny thing is.......... she would be doing the exact same thing that those she sees as beneath her just that she is looking for a signature and not money.
We can also hope that when and IF she does do such she DOES include people from ALL parts of Plano. Those over in the lowly "East" side of Plano may very well feel the same way she does. Who knows she might find more people sympathetic to her cause on the other side than she will her own. Just saying it IS possible.
Didn't you hear? They set up a satellite City Hall over on Parkwood to serve only West Plano! They call a separate number and the receptionist answers the phone, "West Plano, how may we serve you".
Anyway, I hear you on the rest of the post. It's clear that people from all of the different suburbs come over here to try to link up with others in their towns, simply because they don't have separate forums for the different cities.
I have never seen anyone who has been so arrogant as to expect people from outside their town to not chime in, but you're on here enough that surely you can see how people get tired of hearing the same old tired cliches, every time a topic comes up about their town.
You've been around DFW long enough to know that every single town is going to have citizens with vastly different levels of expectations. Insulting them isn't going to change them.
That's my point. I can't. No second or third party can. Which is why we all try to tease out nuance and meaning out of some quickly dashed words. Having a typed discussion is tricky. Sometimes there's no way to say something that doesn't automatically sound bad regardless of the true feeling/motivation behind it. We have a choice - whether to automatically assume the worst or give benefit of the doubt. I see you favor the former. There's not much I can do about that.
Generally I agree with you - we should all try to read posts as if our favorite person wrote them because we tend to project attitudes and intonation that may or may not be there. However, language is amazing, there are so many ways to say the same thing, and how you phrase something and the words you chose, especially when quickly dashed, may reveal more about your attitude than you realize or intend.
When I see street corner charities, I do not give them money because I wonder about the legitimacy of their cause also. While, as a Christian, I do have a difficult time with not helping someone in need and therefore I do feel guilty - I do not believe the resolution is to simply not allow people to do so - if it is done in a legal manner (with the hope that the legal process would weed out the bad apples). Disallowing someone the ability to ask for charitable donations for the sake of me not feeling guilty is not a socially responsible reason.
The biggest hurdles in my NOT giving to intersection charity drives? I don't carry cash.
I have stated on several posts that what I said is what I meant. I am STILL entitled to my opinion, like it or not. I don't want to see it in any part of Plano, but especially not the part of Plano I live in and drive in every day. You may have a problem with my statement and whatever sentiment you feel it conveys. I do not.
I'd say we can all see exactly what the OP means.
1. Yes, she is entitled to her opinion. Does that mean the rest of us are not????
2. While she may not want to see it in any part of Plano she REALLY only cares about WEST Plano. If the city passed a law just for WEST Plano she would be perfectly fine.
3. She does not care if the people in other cities nearby or even in other parts of Plano have to deal w/ "trash". As long as it is not in HER area. Those that are in other areas are not entitled to the same respect, cleanliness and order that she is.
4. That the OP ONLY visits, shops and drives in WEST Plano and does not venture much out of her bubble.
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Maybe Boardwalk Porsche can build a dealership closer to me so that I don't have to drive thru that part of Plano and be exposed to sooooo many cars with drivers that probably don't have insurance. 
