My town of East Grand Rapids has made the national news lately. First, Reeds Lake neighbors convinced East Grand Rapids city leaders to keep a newly constructed home off the Parade of Homes:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/10897265/
Might this be the first time that a Parade home has been turned away from a neighborhood? One of the neighbors was quoted as saying that the parade would draw a “criminal element” to her neighborhood.
And this week a few dozen of our high school students were reprimanded after some parents discovered photos of underage drinking on their blogs:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/08/tech/main1296738.shtml
It’s not easy being portrayed by the media as snobby and drunk. Most of us who live here are neither, and the community is more diverse than other affluent suburbs in West Michigan. The culture in EGR is totally focused around schools and family, which helps explain my take on the common thread between the two news makers listed above: Parental concern about childrens safety.
Speaking from experience, the overwhelming urge that parents feel to keep their children safe is incredible. It makes you crazy, and then causes you to adopt parental behaviors that you always despised as a teenager. It is true, EGR is not perfect, but we are doing the best we can to raise our children in a safe and healthy environment.
I didn’t read about egr in the news, but what you said about your passion to preserve family is the heart of the matter. It’s a crazy world and your first responsibility is to protect your family. Good for you!