The third comment is not attributable to me. I have never left an anonymous comment on this blog.
But, I don't have a problem with others leaving anonymous comments. I have found over time that those comments are usually very reliable. People leave anonymous comments, because the information may be sensitive to their livelihood and subject to retaliation, so I don't mind anonymous comments that bring further context and dialogue to the discussion at hand.
Mr. Ewing, I don't believe that the person who posted this comment intended to besmirch you. I also know that besides yourself and Joe Brannock, that Steve Ivester was on that commission and so there were definitely aviation experts on board. I would love to hear about your notes. I certainly want to get together with anyone that will make themselves available to me, so that I may better understand this issue and the reason why our community's airport is being allowed to continue to flounder.
Just look at the common thread of most of the task forces that are created in this city. There are always people with great knowledge and passion associated with those endeavors, but in the end the people at the helm of the Whitener building do what they want to do, which I have heard many times runs contrary to the findings of the task forces.
As Joe stated, "the City had already decided what it wanted out of the Task Force."
Here is what I understand and believe. If the people at the helm of Hickory City government want your opinion, they will ask you for it. They know where they want to take us and they don't care to have people that they feel lack proper knowledge having any input.
I don't believe that it is about the city reacting versus acting. They act on what they consider to be their priorities (lifestyle issues, such as Graffiti and Drinking). The reason that they don't act on tough issues (usually dealing with economic growth), unless it is laid in their lap, is because it might be risky and there may be negative political consequences associated with any failures.
The general practice does not involve conservatism or conservative values, because lord knows how many times that they have been all too willing to interject themselves into issues of personal lifestyle and preference.
This city follows a route of austerity. They are very frugal and risk averse in practices of economics and social engineering. Austerity is associated with strictness, sternness, forbidding and uncompromising character. That describes this city in many ways. They tend to pigeonhole people and ideas. They have a playbook that they adhere to and do not deviate from.
I will not name names, but those who pay attention know them. They have one person that they go to about Economic Development. They have one person that they go to about statistics and demographics. They have one person that they go to about commercial real estate. They have one person that they go to about real estate development. They have one person that they go to about banking issues. And if you aren't one of those people, then basically you have no input.
The issue is about control of outcomes. And therein lies the problem. You cannot have creativity when you live in such a static world. The world is complex and ever evolutionizing and unpredictable. A world of such unknowns demands creative, "outside of the box" thinking. You cannot harness individuals (or concepts) with that type of mindset and ability.
We seem to have city leadership that refuses to accept and participate in this principle (of an exponentially changing world). Therefore we are stuck and cannot move forward from what have become dark ages for our community.
It's like a person that is standing still on the side of the road, while the car they were riding in drives off into the sunset. We may as well be moving backwards. It's a risk to hitch that next ride. We want to get to our destination, but we ain't gonna get there, if we don't trust ourselves to hitch that next ride. So let's get goin' people.
I have been told that I am too political. Well, I see things that just aren't right and I refuse to accept that "that is just the way things are" mentality. I have been told a lot of stuff that I don't want to believe, but it all keeps adding up.
I just want people to do the right thing. We have all made mistakes, but if we can move past where we are right now, and get back on the right track, I would be happy. All I ever wanted was what was sold to me as the American dream. Well, we aren't going to get there on the path that we are presently on.
I am an outsider and I don't want to be a member of a cabal. I truly want to see equality in justice and the pursuit of happiness. I want everyone to have a chance to succeed in this community. I am tired of seeing a rigged game!
2 comments:
Mr. Ewing hits the nail on the head -- many qualified and intelligent folks no longer serve on the City's boards and commissions because they've come to realize that their expertise and honest input isn't really wanted; instead, what's wanted is someone to rubber stamp what City Hall has already decided will happen.
Here's the question I'd put back to Mr. Ewing -- knowing what you do now about how all that effort was for naught, would you serve on another City Commission?
And you're right, Hound, anonymous comments are necessary because some of the people with the most knowledge work in or with the people at City Hall and, while they may not agree with what's happening, need to keep their jobs to feed their families.
In your blog on Chicken Salad, you made the comment about most people just skim over the contents. The blog is read, probably agreed with but nothing ever done. I firmly believe the majority of citizens are of the "Ignorance is bliss" mentality. As long as they are not in jeopardy of losing their way of life, and the behind the scenes do not directly effect them immediately, then they have no concerns.
We recently had a battle with the City and have won this skirmish. I have no doubts but what it will occur again. Until this came about, I was never concerned with politics in the area either. They did not directly effect me in my every day way of life. The future is still to be seen but in the present, I was the turtle hiding in my shell, happily moving about my life with no concerns for the actions around me.
We had to hire an out of town lawyer for our fight against the City. He made a comment that really brought home to me what is holding this City back.
His statement was,"Hickory is 5 years behind the rest of the world, and as long as the citizens of Hickory keep the City Council members they have, at least the majority of them, as well as the mayor, they will remain 5 or more years behind."
I have never been one to debate politics, but I found myself in a discussion at my child's school recently with a member of the school board. I had made the comment " I may not be college educated but this is what I think..." She simply smiled and said it did not take a college education to see I was correct in what I was seeing going on. As we were talking, Jay Gaither's son came by with election propaganda wearing a shirt that said "Vote for My Dad"
"Politickin" at its best is what I see. Money, power and connections, that is all you need to be politically successful in Hickory. Absolut power corrupts absolutely and Hickory is the role model!!!
Post a Comment