JW does not think it is as bad as I make it out to be.
I think it is worse.
I think decent people can be caught up in things that are twisted. I see it in extended families all the time. Try as they might, they cannot extricate themselves from their role and from the twistedness while they’re in the system. Step out of the system, and they are different people it seems.
What I described in Leadership Woes is something many people I know have observed and talked about for the 17 years I have been here. I would notice things and ask, “so what is with Greensboro’s leadership” and they would say, “I don’t know, some weird karma, something in the water, some old curse, something, I don’t know.” So, it’s not really about the personalities of the moment to me. They are just the moment’s expression of “whatever it is.”
My theory is that it has something to do with the history of the city, the combination of Quakerism, Scots-Irish Revolutionary fervor, slavery and reconstruction, and the semi-feudalism of the textile industry. But I don’t know. In the evangelical Protestant Church there is almost a total incapacity to attain even a semblance of cooperation and unity of purpose here. That is different than in many southern cities. But so is the constant soap operatic state of our County Commissioners, City Council, and so on.
It’s not that good people aren’t involved in the system. It’s that there is something about the system that seems to work against these good people achieving what they should be able to achieve.
It’s embarrassing, but that’s not really the point. So, for me, after all these years, I’ve concluded it’s bigger then us, more than we can fix by our cleverness and wit and work and wonkish plans. Somehow there will have to be a wave of humility, repentance, love, sorrow, friendship, trust. Somehow our tribalism and pride and greed will have to be crushed.
So, JW, I so wish you are right. I want to trust that you are. I think you are wiser than me. But from where I sit right now I am not there yet.
To me the whole is so far less than the sum of its parts that there is something bigger than us holding us back and keeping us down. The only thing I know to do when facing that is to pray to one that is bigger than that. I just don’t have much confidence in us.
But I’d love to know how your roses are doing JW.
Monday, April 24, 2006
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6 comments:
We're just in a bad spot right now. They'll find their way. They always do, however, I do think that they need to expand their circle of influence.
And whenever I get frustrated, I head out to the rose garden. I have full, healthy bushes full of buds and will post pictures as soon as they burst forth, probably in about 10 days or so.
We all have to find the place that gives us peace. Sometimes we have to be reminded of that.
My problem in analyzing your argument is that you don't really make an argument.
What are you talking about?
You have a vague statement that Greensboro has leadership problems. I would not disagree, in some general sense, that we've had leadership issues for the last generation or so.
But to cast it as something historical or innate seems highly dubious to me, given the success and prospertity of this city for much of the 20th century.
Obviously we have some issues at hand. But you don't even address those in a meaningful way, say where leadership has failed and what should be done.
Without specifics, it's reads an ode to a bad mood.
You're right Ed, I didn't make an argument - didn't intend to. You can take what I have said, or leave it, I don't much care. Whether there is some historical reason for the weird leadership deal here, I'm only guessing. And so you'll know, I'm not in a bad mood at all. Finally, I did propose something to do about the situation. Something very specific. He who has ears to hear let him hear.
"I don't much care."
Noted.
I deleted my other reply because of too many misspelled words. Here is the correction.
OK, Ed, what I said didn't come off right. I didn't mean to say I don't care about you or don't care about what you think. I am sorry for the edge of how that came off. I hope you will note the "I'm sorry" part too. What I did mean to say is that, as you said, I was NOT making an argument, I was NOT going to make an argument, and you could disagree or agree with what I had said as you wish. You are free to do either as you please. That's what I meant by "I don't care." I was writing from my heart, which I am free to do, and you can like what I write or not, that is what you are free to do. I think our problem is bigger than rationalistic arguments and solutions. That’s just my opinion. And there was an action item in my discourse, whether you think that is worthy or efficacious or you don't. Again, you are free to your opinion on that too.
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