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Dealing with the abuse on my own terms: Last night, I decided to scale back my participation on the Cenla Antics blog for a number of reasons. First, I was receiving mean-spirited letters and responses, and I simply don't have enough time to personally deal with every little letter. Second, I don't think the blog truly facilitates the type of open forum that we need in order to affect real change in this city. And third, I am working on a project to renovate the downtown Weiss and Goldring building, and some may perceive that my work on this project somehow conflicts with my objectivity, even though I believe that if one is committed to downtown revitalization they understand that we have to start with projects like this one. I am not an elected or nominated official. I write as a concerned citizen. Furthermore, Mr. Silver owns the building, and our company has an option to buy this building from him, pending feasibility studies and the ability to attract outside investment. If people believe there is a conflict of interest in doing business downtown as a private citizen and also speaking up about the nature of downtown revitalization plans, they're totally missing the point. But still, I am going to respond to criticism here on my own blog: Disappointed but not surprised said...

One has to have resided in the city or district, depending on the office, for 2 full years at the time of qualifying. If Lamar has been in Dallas for a couple years that rules him out. Also, if Lamar has deals going with Harry (30 pieces of) Silver and other downtown "interests", there are potentially conflicts of interest which I hope will become a thing of the past on the new and improved council. In other words, looks like Lamar is already at the trough. Maybe he will get the water park deal - he could call it "FOR WHITES ONLY".

___________________ Wow! Someone is a mean-spirited racist idiot! I do not want to run for office. And I have lived in Houston for the past five years. Not Dallas. Your belief that my "deals" with Mr. Silver conflicts with my ability to objectively understand the plans for downtown are ridiculous. I've read the new plans for downtown; I have a copy sitting right here on my desk. By your terms, the only people eligible for office are those who don't want to work with as a private citizen in order to affect change... and there is a big difference between brokering a conversion deal and setting your friends up with an awesome long-term lease on land that belongs to the city, which, by the way, somehow snuck into the city's plans... or at least the most current draft of them. So no, I don't like YOUR water park deal, and the pun on my last name is stupid. "For Whites Only?" If the water park deal ever goes through, I think it should be called "Slippery Slope," because that's what it is indicative of.