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Barack Obama may be on his way to the White House, already appointing key staff members and promising a presidential puppy to his kids. Provincial cabinet ministers may be predicting that an Obama presidency will be good for Ontario’s economy. All may suddenly seem righter and brighter with the world now that John McCain has made his concession speech, Sarah—"It's not my fault he lost"—Palin has gone home to Alaska, and George Bush is finally on the skids.
But Washington’s bunker mentality is unlikely to change much, and the reinforced concrete barricades outside the U.S. consulate on University Avenue won’t be coming down any time soon. They serve as a reminder that the world’s opinion of America hasn’t yet changed much either and that someone somewhere might still want to drive a truckload of high explosives through the front door. Those planters full of red and purple blooms are probably the toughest flowerpots in the city. If the time ever comes when they can be removed, it won’t be a quick job. And the demolition crews will doubtless need security clearance. You think it's easy being the world's last superpower?
Photo by Bill Taylor/Torontoist
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They put up those barriers when Regan was in power. Stayed up for Clinton's years and beyond.
a) Did you actually ask anybody?
b) Who cares if those concrete things stay or go?
c) Do you live in some dreamworld of unicorns and lollipops?
d) what the f are you talking about?
a) U.S. consular staff soooooo don't comment on security matters.
b) I do. They're ugly, both physically and metaphysically.
c) You have something against unicorns and lollipops?
d) Good question.
I watched them putting those barriers up right after 9/11. While they were being constructed, they had temporary concrete construction barriers out in the right lane. I don't remember barriers there before, and maybe there were, but those particular ones are newish.
I second Marc's observation of them; I even remember having a conversation with the night guard about the change from the temporary concrete barriers to something more permanent.
I dunno if I really begrudge them some industrial-strength flowerpots, though. Maybe they can benefit from some midnight mural-painting.
After 9/11 all the federal buildings in Chicago got planters as well though they are much more, uh, better looking than those things.
Also if those planters are really from the Reagan era the point being made in this post is kind of moot. No?
Don't think of them as concrete barricades, think of them as Freedom Planters.
I heartily encourage all spacing writers to do some midnight mural painting at the US consulate. Actually, go to Washington and do a revamp on that tired white house. Please.
But thanks for reminding us that terrorists only attacked the US because they don't like Republicans. I'm sure you'd feel really stupid if the US or its embassies had been attacked during the Clinton administration. Thank god nothing like that EVER happened.
Does anyone here have an IQ over 10? Do you bother googling anything? Do you even know when the new US Embassy was built or what its security features were prior to 9/11? http://www.state.gov/www/publications/statemag/statemag_jan2000/feature1.html But somehow Obama winning will take the security measures down from Toronto's consulate?
And by spacing I meant Torontist. Same bunch of annoying leftists with no clue.
There were barriers before 9/11. This stuff is pretty standard for buildings of a certain riskk level. I think the flowers bring the barrier much more closer to unicorns and lolipops than, say, naked concrete and razor wire, and if the barriers discourage people from choosing Toronto as the location of an international incident, they may actually be good for the city. The place definitely has a chill about it though. I don't think it adds too much good to the public space at street level. I sorta wish they'd gone the underground-lair route instead.
"But Washington’s bunker mentality is unlikely to change much, and the reinforced concrete barricades outside the U.S. consulate on University Avenue won’t be coming down any time soon. They serve as a reminder that the world’s opinion of America hasn’t yet changed much either and that someone somewhere might still want to drive a truckload of high explosives through the front door."
You're joking, right, Mr. Taylor? Do you really think that these security measures are necessary because "the world's opinion of America hasn't yet changed," as if the threat to the US--and its allies, including Canada--were simply a vague international reaction against George W. Bush? Your vacuity and lack of moral seriousness are stunning. And if you think that this is some kind of left-versus-right battle, you're wrong. The fight against Islamism is and must be the left's fight even more than it is the right's. So spare us your cheap anti-Americanism.
Those types of barriers are sadly required due to the continued actions and intentions of those who would use terror to overrule democracy with dogma, and to try to equate their existence to some cheap point about some supposed "bunker mentality" is particularly irritating.
I think what was there before were only bollards.
All government buildings have more security, not just American ones.
I wish I took a tour of the R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant before 9/11. You think if I wrote them a letter saying Bush is gone they'd open it up again?
I didn't even make the connection that those were there for security. Hah! You learn something new everyday.
The closing of the Waterworks building to the public is a lot more unfortunate than those concrete planters on University, which I've never thought twice about.
I remember seeing an art installation at the Waterworks wayy back in the late 80s. The building is so awesome it was sometimes hard to tell what was part of the installation and what was just part of the building.
Also, if you ever saw In the Mouth of Madness, all those cool-looking control panels and stuff are actually part of the building, not props.
One reaps what one sews.
Svend asked the question: You think if I wrote them a letter saying Bush is gone they'd open it [R C Harris filtration plant] up again?
---------------
It was a direct result of Bush's bad decision and the undercurrent for regime change that brought about the whole security that we're now seeing.
All of you people who think the world is suddenly going to change because Barack won are fooling yourselves. Yes, Barack was simply the better candidate, but it took Clinton around six years to fix the mess from Reganism. Dubyaism has been even worse and I'd imagine fixing the mess we're in now is going to take a lot longer.
Think about it. The last time the world was this messy, it took ten years to get the economy fixed; and it was only fixed by everyone going to war.
"One reaps what one sews."
Sure, rek, the innocent never suffer.
And David, what bad decision of Bush's was it that led to the terrorist attack on the WTC's while Clinton was president?
"I heartily encourage all spacing writers to do some midnight mural painting at the US consulate. Actually, go to Washington and do a revamp on that tired white house. Please."
Do you even read Spacing? That great blog discusses initiatives to beautify and refine the city, improve quality of life, and make transit more efficient. They look at what other cities are doing, and their passion for urban Toronto is inspiring. What they discuss is a nonpartisan issue: how to improve the city. Unfortunately, many right wingers don't care about anything besides expanding expressways, and encouraging people to leave rather than addressing problems.
friend68 - Which side was innocent again?
AR: Apparently spacing isn't good enough to Now readers.
http://torontoist.com/2008/10/torontoist_named_best_website_and_best_blog_by_now.php
See! Apparently lefties love to award lefties!
Wow.
If the thread can be followed from increased security measures for the American Consulate flowing from terrorist attacks, I was speaking of the innocent as those who got killed. They did not, presumable, reap what they sowed or receive the results of their own actions.
Come on now, two very large skyscrapers didn't stop the terrorists so I hardly think some ugly planters are going to be the insurmountable obstacle in their way to causing havoc.
I don't suppose terrorists would be likely to attack a three-storey building with a hijacked airliner. A very large skyscraper would surely be a much easier target than a low-rise consulate. It would be difficult to get a vehicle loaded with explosives past the barriers on University Avenue.
And, if you'll forgive the pitch-black humour, those two skyscrapers DID stop the terrorists. To the detriment of all concerned.
Good point, they did stop the terrorists...sorta. It really just brought the battle closer to home for them.
Three storey buildings are probably better handled with rockets anyways. The car bomb is passe.
friend68 - The US consulate needs security barriers because the threat against them is real, but that threat isn't creatio ex nihilo. Innocent people were killed on both sides going back decades before 9/11™ and still are (very asymmetrically) today. The US wasn't picked randomly.
matt1256 - That was hilarious and in poor taste. But I laughed. Shame on you. Ha.
I'm sorry. It was in bad taste. Much love for the US. I agree with your other comment that the threat against the US is real.
Now that Obama is in. And everyone in Canada loves him, perhaps it's time we start thinking about joining the United States and becoming the 51st state.
Based on the demographic shift, the USA and Canada should become one very happy country.
Based on the demographic shift, the USA and Canada should become one very happy country.
Shiz man, if that happens we will have to rename poutine because the name would confuse Americans with this guy, and I am sorry sir but that change is unacceptable!
Isn't poutine that awful cheese sauce the french pour on their food? I can't imagine it would be all that popular anywhere outside of the " Latin Quarter " aka Quebec. Speaking of Quebec if Canada and the USA become one nation, I wonder if Quebec would join or finally grab their independence.
If you had actualy bothered to check out the wikipedia links, you would have answered you own question. L2internet.