Arcata Chamber Opposes War Resolution

The Arcata Chamber of Commerce took a poll of its membership and it looks like most don't approve of the City Council passing a resolution opposing intervention in Iraq. They cite the usual reasons and I'd say I agree although I think resolution sponsor, Dave Meserve, makes some good points, as well.

I wrote here earlier that I opposed it, if for no other reason than I don't like any council passing resolutions that not all people in the city may agree with. Looks like they changed the wording to something like "most of the people oppose...". Fair enough, but at this point it looks like they're just beating a dead horse bringing this up over and over again.

Some Chamber members, and others, feel such a resolution may be bad for business in Arcata. That might well be, as I know of a number of people who pretty much boycott Arcata for political reasons. I have a brother in law that won't go there for anything but to use the Community Recycling Center and he only does that cause, in his words, "It costs them money cause they subsidize the Recycing Center...".There are certainly others, as Meserve suggests, that go to Arcata for political reasons. I wonder how many of them hang out on the Plaza? :-)

Myself? I've never liked Arcata for the entire thirty plus years I've lived here. Not sure really why. I'm sure some of it is, or was, political at various times. Now, I only go there if I absolutely have to. If shopping takes me outside of Eureka, I'll likely go to Mckinleyville or Fortuna rather than Arcata (Mckinleyville probably being my favorite town in Humboldt although I liked it much better thirty years ago).

It's good to see some in Arcata worrying about the business community, though. Maybe there's hope for Arcata yet but I really feel as long as HSU is the centerpiece of Arcata culture, it will have a tough row to hoe.