Patrick Ong <marley@mnl.sequel.net> Date: Sun, 07 Dec 1997
Sir,
If someone can understand the rich cultural and historic heritage of Maxwell Street, I believe you can. Maxwell Street was one of the hotspots and breeding grounds for the Blues, perhaps American music's foundation and a sound that has influenced so many different genres of music, from Jazz to Rock. Though I have never been to Chicago(I do plan to study in the city), I believe that it would be a great tragedy to lose Maxwell Street and its heritage. One of the many great qualities of Chicago is its great blues heritage, and if Chicago were to lose Maxwell Street, well, not only would it destroy a great blues district, but would also damage the cultural heritage of the city of Chicago. One of the reasons I would like to study in Chicago is the rich background it has on the Blues, and to lose Maxwell Street to developers would be a big blow not only to Chicago Blues, but to blues as a music. A sound that has probably had the greatest influence on music today.
I hope that this letter has not fallen on deaf ears and I hope that you understand where I am coming from. I am sure that I am not the only one who feels badly about the possible destruction of Maxwell Street, and I hope you do not sacrifice rich culture for cold modernization. Thank You, and have a pleasant day.
-Patrick Ong
-Manila, Philippines
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