An interesting contrast

It's really interesting to see City of Salem kowtow to the "nonprofit" Salem Hospital over the hospital's demand to destroy the last standing piece of the state School for the Blind, the charming Howard Hall.

Compare the city officials' contempt for Salem history (the same contempt that brought us an ugly parking lot where the old city hall was) with the money being spent on a far less historically important structure at the train station.

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/COMM/Pages/SalemRRBaggageDepot.aspx

This is not criticizing the baggage depot project, which is worthy. This is only to point out that demolishing Howard Hall -- for even more parking -- is a reckless, thoughtless act of official vandalism. Doing so while saving and restoring that baggage depot only underscores the point.

In 2001, the Taliban destroyed the Buddhas of Bamiyan and the world recoiled.  In Salem, the Sprawl Talibanis are equally zealous and happy to sacrifice our historical treasures for more sprawl furnishings.