There is no way of telling people that they are all walking around shining like the sun. —Thomas Merton on an ordinary day in Louisville, KY
Freedom in a free society is supposed to be for all. Therefore, freedom rules out imposing on the freedom of others. You are free to walk down the street, but not to keep others from doing so. –George Lakoff, “Why Hate Speech is Not Free Speech”
One of the most beautiful experiences in any city is the street scene, with all kinds of people moving around. When we are missing that, we lose a certain sense of community. That’s why it is so essential to design our streets around a social operating concept. Streets can imbue human beings with a sense of dignity. They are one of our most interactive spaces.
When UNM President Chaouki Abdallah first visited Albuquerque, he thought “it looked like a Third World Country”. Then he woke up the second day, saw the mountains, and thought “this could work”. As we reimagine our city, remember the environment we build is human habit, natural habitat, we live here. And our streetscapes are a product of our collective imagination.
When people are walking and cycling about, shining in our streets, a sense of buoyancy abounds. It’s uplifting to all of us, our common humanity. Let’s encourage more of that with planning and designs. And make sure we integrate everything we need to live with conviviality, including all of nature. Our streets help us become native to place. We can feel at home here. Imagine living happily and healthily on safe and peaceful streets, for us, and for our children.
Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race. — H.G. Wells
References:
UNM President on an unlikely journey, https://www.abqjournal.com/1012754/journey-4.html
