Neighborhood activism doesn't work in Kansas City, at least not with allies like Mayor Funkhouser!!!

The New Red Bridge plan seems to be an inevitability.

I drive by Red Bridge all the time, honesty I think everybody knows that something has to be done about the road that's no longer a scenic backwoods drive but more akin to a major thoroughfare.

In my heart of hearts I want to support every neighborhood movement in Kansas City but it seems to me that what happened to the Red Bridge Crowd is indicative of how most community movements are marginalized . . .

A plan to widen Red Bridge Road — replacing the existing bridge over the Blue River with one that is significantly higher and longer — vaulted over one more hurdle Wednesday.

The Kansas City Council’s transportation and infrastructure committee voted unanimously in favor of the plan, which has provoked much debate and acrimony.

Two members of the Friends of Red Bridge spoke up in favor of a more modest plan, with a bridge that would cross the railroad tracks at-grade, as is now the case.

However, the Friends were outnumbered by about two dozen people who said they’d come to support a larger road and bridge.

It's a simple formula really. To beat a community led effort in Kansas City only three easy steps are required:

Call them crazy.

Claim or demonstrate that they have little support.

Upstage them or with alternate public press conferences or demonstrations.

And while the Red Bridge crowd wouldn't admit it for a second, the same thing that happened to them during their struggle was also endured by groups who opposed the Minutemen, urged the recall of Mayor Funkhouser and others that continually advocate for increased crimefighting efforts and point out disparity in "the black part of town."

The only difference is that minority focused groups in Kansas City are accustomed to being marginalized and have developed strategies and alliances to counter the inevitable and predictable attacks . . . In the case of the Red Bridge Crowd, middle-class white people were genuinely surprised that there demands were not immediately met.

The blame has to fall on their leadership somewhat . . . Strangely, they stood by Mayor Funkhouser when it was clear he would sell them out, as the plan moves forward the Mayor has forgotten his promises for sidewalks and to listen to the concerns of the neighbors that he made during the campaign. Funkhouser isn't talking about this issue and he probably won't come to the rescue of the group. Still, strangely, they remain his loyal subjects and would rather spew bile about their council people whom they haven't seemed to be able to cooperate with . . . It was a missed opportunity because the 6th District reps Cathy Jolly and John Sharp are probably the best and most popular in Kansas City. Also, I've noticed there's a general lack of diversity in the group given that their lack of minority representation in an area that is home to many people of color.

Nevertheless, the point here is that there's a formula for challenging and destroying any kind of community/grassroots effort in Kansas City . . . The only surprising aspect of the Red Bridge story is that this time it was employed against white people.