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Last week, I said that what downtown Seattle needs is a display of courage from people willing to go back to the stores and restaurants they used to support.

And several listeners really felt I had no business saying that.

A few examples:

鈥淵ou’ve been the water boy for politicians whose policies have destroyed the city for over 12 years, now you are asking for ‘a little courage’ 鈥�”

“You have been working from home for the last two years. During which the City of Seattle has deteriorated into a place where law abiding citizens and business owners are under siege, overcome by [the] mentally ill and drug addicts. So now you ask us to have courage 鈥︹��

鈥淕oing to downtown Seattle is like taking your life in your hands, 鈥� you don’t know if you’re going to be accosted by a mentally ill person or a drug addict. We have been season supporters of the Aquarium, the Ballet & Opera but no more! 鈥︹��

So that鈥檚 how listeners feel.

Here鈥檚 my experience:

I went downtown yesterday for lunch, walked along Third Avenue between Pike and Union, and yeah 鈥� that block is ugly. The biggest problem is that every store on that block is closed. So there were disheveled people hanging out, a guy smoking dope, a disturbed person screaming at no one, and a destroyed bus shelter with the standard obscenities. But there were no tents, and there was an Seattle police car with two cops in the middle of the block.

So I walked two blocks west, where the Pike Place Market was open. There was a line outside the Original Starbucks 鈥� clearly tourists. I bought a turkey bacon sandwich and a Tunisian Donut. Piroshky Piroshky was open. was closed because they take Tuesdays off, but they will be open today selling their delicious lamb stew with lentils. There were no campers in Steinbrueck Park, and without the viaduct the view is unobstructed and quiet 鈥� except when a train passes.

On the negative side, the stretch of Lenora Street that leads to the market garage (where I parked) was like the surface of the moon, and a half hour of parking cost $8, but I felt pretty safe.

And as for Seattle Center 鈥� I鈥檝e been to the Ballet, the Opera (twice), and the Rep (twice) with no problem. We get there early, have coffee at Zingaro, and since you can walk directly from the parking deck to the theater, that doesn鈥檛 take ANY courage 鈥� just a willingness to pay $20.

The point is: For years I鈥檝e heard people talk about how much they love small business and how it鈥檚 the city鈥檚 job to make sure business and arts organizations thrive.

And I鈥檓 sure the city could make it a lot easier to run a business. But even if the city eliminated ALL its rules and ALL its taxes 鈥� if customers don鈥檛 walk in the door, or audiences don鈥檛 come to the show, those businesses will fail.

SAYING you support business is easy. Also, meaningless. Unless you actually do it.

Listen to Seattle鈥檚 Morning News with Dave Ross and Colleen O鈥橞rien weekday mornings from 5 鈥� 9 a.m. on 成人X站 Newsradio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the聽podcast here.