Dear Editor,
Lately I have heard several local officials use the term “activist” in a most pejorative sense. This is an unfortunate and ugly trend that should be nipped in the bud.
It was not elected officials but concerned activists that pushed for investigations of the fires that killed people in the late 1970s here in Hoboken. If not for concerned “activists” both Pier A and the 14th Street pier would be high rises, not parks. It was “activists” not elected officials that fought for the riverfront walkway that truly defines the magnificence of our city’s proximity to the grand views of the Hudson River and New York City. Without “activists”, Hoboken would more than likely resemble the Newport section of Jersey City or parts of Fort Lee and would be a very different city than the community it has evolved into.
Marginalizing our most active, concerned and involved citizens (defining activists as “obstructionist) is a trick politicians use when they truly fear government by the people, of the people and for the people. We should not forget that many of our nation’s founders, Franklin, Payne, Jefferson, Adams, Hamilton et al were labeled “activists” because they too felt that citizen involvement in the political process was better than tyranny.
When I first moved to Hoboken it was a local activist who registered me to vote on Washington Street – much more convenient for me than having to take time off from work to go to city hall. It was activists, not elected officials who founded several of our local private schools and both charter schools here in town to foster school choice for the families of Hoboken. I think this is a good thing and that we should be thankful so many private citizens care so much about the public good that they spend time to learn about the issues and volunteer their time and resources to improve so many aspects of the quality of life in our fair city. Without them Hoboken would not be as family friendly as it is nor as architecturally beautiful nor as safe for citizens of all ethnic and economic backgrounds as it is.
Please think before considering “activism” a negative attribute. To maintain a free and democratic society we need activists. Thank you.
Sincerely,
John Stevens Keim