Patterson Irrigator

I have been reluctant to weigh in on the contentious PCCP West Park development, but I feel compelled to do so now — and, frankly, it’s probably far overdue.
 

Elizabette Guecamburu

For those of you who have no idea what I’m talking about — and who clearly need to pay a little more attention to the newspaper — the PCCP West Park development plans to turn the Crows Landing airbase, just south of Patterson, into a ginormous transport depot with oodles of trains and trucks and about 37,000 jobs.

I’m not afraid of progress. In fact, I am contemplating ditching my ordinary camera phone for the new iPhone so I can shop online, order a pizza, answer e-mails and listen to music all at the same time. But progress must be logical, and it must be suited and crafted for those doing the progressing. After all, an iPhone isn’t for everyone — especially those who don’t like to do 14 things at once, as I do.

Speaking as a Patterson native, West Park isn’t the kind of progress we need. It’s like giving an iPhone to a person who hates cell phones — fellow columnist Ron Swift, for example. I have no doubt Mr. Swift could surely turn an iPhone into a stunning projectile — but I digress.

To be frank, the progress envisioned by West Park developers seems about as suited to the West Side as a weapons factory to Disneyland. A development of this magnitude requires an infrastructure overhaul I can only begin to imagine — roads, railroad tracks, etc.
 
And, let’s not forget that the water needed for the development won’t just magically appear. Don’t ask me to conjure up that much water — my wand is still busted after my recent run-in with Harry Potter. Besides, if water could be made to magically appear, one of the millions of dehydrated folks in Africa would have figured out a way to do it by now.

The public relations blitz run by Mr. Gerry Kamilos and his cohorts reminds me of the “relocation” and “rehabilitation” campaigns the U.S. Government pushed against American Indians in the late 19th century. To cover up the fact the government was forcing the tribes to change their entire way of life, good old Uncle Sam sent out minions whose sole purpose was to lie and manipulate the tribes into accepting their way of doing things.

Those public relations aficionados forced the tribes into giving up their land, taking jobs they didn’t want and eating what they didn’t want to eat, all while telling them their lives would be better for it. Now, 150 years later, we consider the government’s treatment of American Indians during the late 19th century to be one of the most shameful eras of our history.

It is important not to neglect the past, for we can learn a great deal from it. Perhaps the American Indian tribes couldn’t stand up against the U.S. government in the end, but the residents of the West Side still have a chance. It is up to us to protect our way of life. After all, once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. 

Elizabette Guecamburu is a writer and native Patterson resident. She accepts e-mails at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  

Comments (2)

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Finally...someone with a resonable review of the West Park fiasco
written by Louise D. , September 02, 2007

Now if only the editors of this paper would get off the "diplomacy train" and inform the community of the destructive nature of this project. Where exactly will the 37,000 future employees live? Here in Patterson? Is that what you want? To be a city of 100,000 or more? What roads will the 37,000 employees take to get to Crows Landing? Hwy 33, Sperry, Ward? Look around folks, this will change our city forever.And not for the better. The real question you should ask yourself is: Why did I move here? Wouldn't it have been easier to stay in San Jose.At least you would have a salary that you could live off of. Don't fool yourself about the quality of jobs or the pay scale they will yield. The only simalarities to Silcon Valley will be the paving over of fruitful land and conjestion. This project will bring jobs one step ahead of field work. I doubt you or I will be jumping for joy and applying for anything that the project has to offer. So why support something that will ruin our quiet way of life and give us nothing of value in return.

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Native Ameicans
written by Jaoquin Murieta , September 02, 2007

Ms. Guecamburu,

Many Native Americans would take offense to your analogy. Why stop at us, why not compare his meetings to Jews being tricked into thinking they were merely being relocated instead of heading for the chamber. Please use better judgment. Mr. Murieta.

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