Camden New Journal - Letters: Debate

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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 1 November 2007

Forum for debate

• I DON'T agree with the dispiritingly negative view of your previous correspondent regarding the Camden Area Forums (Meetings for the sake of having meetings? October 11).
The Camden Town and Primrose Hill Forum that I have just attended was inspirational. Here were about 40 neighbours of all ages, residents, business-owners, councillors and council officers, who met to discuss local issues and share ideas and solutions.
The worst stereotype of today’s human being is that of the docile subject, someone who defers to the authorities, offers nothing constructive and then moans about the outcome. And there is a trend in today’s Britain towards societal breakdown, meaning viewpoints and feelings often fail to be articulated, heard and discussed. The result is frustration; a mixture of powerlessness, isolation, impatience and downright cynicism.
In contrast, the area forum was deliberative democracy in action. We made it clear that this is our community.
And we made it clear that we intend to protect and enhance it together.
I hope there will be more such events in future and that they are attended by an even greater cross-section of our community.
BEN GREENING
Chalk Farm Road, NW1

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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