Passage 1
In a letter to the city council, a neighborhood organizer writes: "Our park has been called a luxury, but for many residents it is the only free place where children can run, elders can sit in shade, and neighbors can speak without buying anything. When we close a park, we do not merely close grass and benches; we close a daily habit of trust. A city that can afford banners and consultants can afford trees and lamps. The question is not whether we can maintain the park, but whether we believe public life is worth maintaining."
The central claim of the passage is that the city should
In a letter to the city council, a neighborhood organizer writes: "Our park has been called a luxury, but for many residents it is the only free place where children can run, elders can sit in shade, and neighbors can speak without buying anything. When we close a park, we do not merely close grass and benches; we close a daily habit of trust. A city that can afford banners and consultants can afford trees and lamps. The question is not whether we can maintain the park, but whether we believe public life is worth maintaining."
The central claim of the passage is that the city should