I've been getting a lot of mail lately from those who say that people need to stop beating up on Erie.

The reasoning goes like this: Yes, some things are bad here, but we're making it worse by complaining about it all the time.

Consider this recent note from Cindy Larson:

"It saddens me to hear and see all the negativity re: Erie and the surrounding area. I think that Rob L. summed it up pretty well. People like to complain. While Erie isn't perfect, no place else is either. Maybe these people should move to "Camelot". Their negativity breeds more negativity which becomes a vicious circle.

"I was upset to read in the "Letters to the editor" section today the cruel attack on the Beach Boys by Ed Miseta. Maybe he doesn't appreciate their kind of music but to describe them as he did was uncalled for. I hope he does stay home and enjoys his Lifetime movie. (Sometimes there can some pretty weird movies on that channel, too.)

"We need to look at the positive about living in Erie. The lake is a natural wonder that I will never tire of, esp. at sunset. Last Tuesday, I had the pleasure of sitting in the Pepsi Ampitheater while listening to the Dave Steven's band. There was place better on earth than right there watching the boats on the water and enjoying the music with the large crowd that came out for it. There is also the Frontier Park Arborearium concerts, ie Jazz festival, outdoor movies. All this is free of charge.

"I think that we need to keep in mind that life in the bigger cities isn't all that great, either. We need to keep the positive attitude and continue to move on to make our city an even better one to live in. There are words to a song that goes like this "LIfe is what you make it,..." So instead of harping about the "bad" things that happen here, we need to work on turning the bad to good. It is up to us to make our lives a better one."

Cindy, you are correct, to a point.

Harping on the bad without recognizing the good can be self defeating.

But ignoring the bad -- especially at a time when so much is going wrong -- is also self defeating.

If we fail to address the fact that Erie is shrinking and the region's income is on a steady decline, none of our current assets will matter because very few of us will be able to enjoy them.

If you are fortunate enough to have a good job in Erie, this is a great place to live.

Sadly, the number of people who fit that description is on the decline.

The best answer is to recognize what's worth preserving here -- the quality of life, the affordability, the concerts on the bay -- while taking steps to fix what's broken.