Kellogg's Gets It

Lighthouse opponents love to take a defeatist attitude. Namely, they claim that the problems Long Island faces are so severe that the Lighthouse will not solve anything, and we should stop trying. This sort of attitude is dangerous, because it allows people to accept mediocrity and too easily dismiss any ideas.

I was looking for a good way to explain this, and then, wouldn't you know, Kellogg's did it for me. A few days ago, while watching TV, I came across this great ad for Nutri-Grain Bars:

This commercial is, to me, a perfect metaphor for the Lighthouse. We know that decades of bad decisions have led to countless problems, including traffic, stretching of natural resources, and younger people taking the expensive, taxpayer-funded education from Long Island and moving to places with a lower cost of living. This has dovetailed with entrenched NIMBYism on Long Island and demagogue politicians who have chosen to demonize anyone trying to move Long Island forward in lieu of any new ideas of their own. To use the same format as the commercial, it would look something like this:

Sprawl

Sprawl

Sprawl

Shopping Center

Shopping Center

Shopping Center

OHMYGODTHOSEAWFULPEOPLEWANTTODESTROYSUBURBIA!

Sprawl

Sprawl

Sprawl

OHMYGODTHOSEAWFULPEOPLEWANTTODESTROYSUBURBIA!

And so forth...

Much like a Nutri-Grain bar led to healthy eating choices in this commercial, the Lighthouse can serve as a catalyst. It will not be a cure-all, but this one good decision could lead to others:

For example, communities could further embrace mass transit on Long Island if they see the positive effects from the Lighthouse. We've already seen this in Suffolk County, where, according to a Newsday article, where the Town Supervisors of Babylon and Huntington are proposing a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor on Route 110.

Maybe other communities beset by blight and abandoned buildings could be motivated to undertake revitalization efforts for their downtown areas. This could make Long Island more attractive for companies and the people they employ.

More mixed-use developments could arise, giving younger people vibrant options for living on Long Island.

Bottom Line

Contrary to the beliefs of some Lighthouse opponents and NIMBY's, there is no one definition of a "suburban" life, and a concept like the Lighthouse can still work in a suburban area.

No supporters are calling it a cure-all, but we all realize something must be done to stand up to the serious problems we face as a community.

While it is not a cure-all, the Lighthouse could be a catalyst for more good decisions that can work in tandem to improve the situation in this special place.

The fact that the Lighthouse will not cure all problems does not mean we should not do something. To me, it is precisely the reason we need to do something. If no one thing will solve our problems, we should start doing many things as soon as possible.

Please share your thoughts in comments. Petition. Email Me.