Some people think I am writing this blog because I am somehow lacking for attention. Honestly, I will relish the day when this blog is no longer necessary. I remember a lunch I had with a local leader five years ago. I expressed my concerns with this person who I have known for 30+ years. This person expressed empathy towards my issues, but in the subsequent year I saw no action being taken that would alleviate those issues of concern.
As I have stated in the past, Harry and I went to several city functions and we were summarily ignored and one could see if you didn't belong to the inner circle, then you weren't going to play any role in the city's methodology. The labelers would ask, "Who are you? Who are you with?" I guess if you don't have a title, which I never thought much of titles anyway, then you are a non-person to these people. That in a nutshell is why people don't participate and that is the reason why we moved forward with this blog.
Five years and a couple of days ago my Uncle died -- March 31, 2007. He knew what was happening in this community. We talked about some of it. He was always direct and to the point. Those conveyances about where things were headed were eye-opening to say the least. He was pretty much on target about the trends. He understood the energy issue and the economic competition we face with China. He had been an executive in the furniture craft, furniture, and hosiery industries. He was one person that was an executive that I actually saw hustle.
Alex Moore was a computer genius and helped me a lot and taught me a lot. He would run satellite programs on his laptop at his bed, while he slept in bed, that went directly to his business all night. He taught me how to put computers together and troubleshoot programs. This man went to work before sunrise and got home after sunset and worked many Saturday mornings. He would come help us at 1859 in his time off and he always found a way to spend time with his kids. He had a Purple Heart from Vietnam. And yet, he spent a year and a half out of work, because of what happened with our local economy. He was looked highly upon by many people in this community, but he was stressed out because he wasn't finding permanent work and he was a Number 1 Class A Executive.
He didn't toot his own horn and you would never hear him brag about himself. He was low key, but when he said something you listened. Whenever I talk to people about Alex, who knew Alex, they tell you how they revered him. He was a class individual. He was the Real Deal. If he had lived, I believe in my heart of hearts that he would have figured a way to make things work out, but I don't know that it would have been in Hickory. Hickory doesn't seem to offer opportunities to people who aren't in the inner circle.
Many of you don't like what I am doing. I don't have a problem with that. It's a mutual thing. Sometimes I don't like doing this. This isn't about ego. When I had lunch with that person five years ago, I told them if I didn't see certain things start moving forward that I had things that I could do. I waited and bided my time, but eventually you figure out when people are pacifying you and playing you off as someone who is insignificant, even when they are long time friends. I don't think my concerns met with their agenda.
Some people have insinuated that I and others who have the audacity to speak on this forum don't know what we are talking about. If that is the case, then why don't we hold a Town Hall meeting sponsored by the Hickory Daily Record and WHKY and discuss the issues related to this area. If we are truly the most open local government in North Carolina, as the Mayor stated this morning on WHKY, then let's have an open ended forum where people can ask public questions and get public answers.
I have proposed this in the past. I'll go back to when Patrick McHenry had the healthcare forum in the Summer of 2009. I thought it went pretty well and a lot of people attended and a lot of issues were addressed. You can argue about whether it was a show or not, but I truly believe that the people that left that auditorium that night felt a little bit better about their partnership with government.
If our form of government is truly a partnership, then let's do things that empower individuals. I understand that a Town Hall meeting won't resolve many issues, but I do think it would help with moving issues of trust and understanding forward and to me that is always a good thing.
I honestly believe that a government that has good communication with its constituents is the most effective form of government. How can you not believe that?
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6 comments:
To critics of this blog:
This blog is, and has been open to all regardless of their stand on the issues. Criticism has been posted, read and considered, new information has been gladly shared. Except for obscenities, anyone can say whatever so that Hickory has a place for City government reporting and commentary.
The City is not going to have town hall meetings where they can't control the agenda. They are control freaks and don't really want to listen to the public. Any public forum will be a single topic affair like, pools, land use, etc. General discussions won't happen.
The HDR is a high school level paper and will not do investigative journalism. WHKY has often said they only provide the microphone for people to use. they are not going to do investigative journalism or weigh in from an editorial board with opinions on issues.
So if you want in depth reporting on City government and a discussion of issues and topics, where do you go? There isn't another forum like this that I'm aware of and I'd like to see someone else do as much for as long as the Hound has.
Some of you wimps that don't have the guts to state an opinion and stand behind it publicly (yes I am talking to all you "anonymous" chickens) need to start your own blog if this one is not to your liking. Hickory can handle it and I'd like to see someone crawl out of the timidity and apathy we have around here to do better.
i read this blog on a daily basis. where else can you hear about local important issues. IT SURELY IS NOT IN THE HDR. i would welcome a public forum where local leaders might tell the truth. this town and i do not say city is going nowhere. there is so much secrecy and coverup, the average citizen does not even care. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK JTS. i believe if ,more people knew about the real public issues we could get something done. why not get a few people who care more than thier personal issues running the government around here we could move a bit forward. we are not about a couple of little ladies running their personal issues about downtown...EXPAND YOUR IDEAS AND LET THIS CITY GROW. WE ARE STAGNANT AT THIS POINT. LET SOMEONE STEP FORWARD WHO CARES ABOUT MORE THAN THEIR OWN SMALL AGENDAS. hickory needs more than pansies downtown and a $285,000. tent. i personally will boycott this years farmers market because it is not a local enterprise....go to shelby and lincolnton and other areas and give them your money..they will get none of mine...i will try to grow my own.
At the risk of beating a dead horse, I will point to the previous piece and indicate the thesis of it by George Carlin. It may be a bit cynical to some, but that bitter cynicism belays a truth we often ignore. Sure, in a Town Hall meeting everyone in attendance gets to take their shots at the elected officials present. The official gives a superfluous answer full of nothing of consequence and the discussion moves on. The citizen can boast about how ‘he/she told them’ and got their say. The comment is forgotten as soon as the meeting closes and life returns to the same as it was for the official. People want their say, not their way.
For communication to occur, effective communication that is, listening is just as important as speaking. Active listening is perhaps more important to two way communication than speaking. When what you have to say falls on deaf or ignoring ears, then there is no communication there is only talk.
In the paradox that is Hickory, there are two, perhaps three, ways to make sure you are heard. You can be part of the big club, you can make your point through legal action and the word of law, or by voting and denying them what it is they seek. As an individual, you have no say unless you are a member of the big club. As a group with clout, you are going to be heard if you are willing to push back on these nefarious little issues that irritate like a splinter under the skin as a united voice. Under those same auspices of a group at the polls, you are going to be heard. Two of those three involve being a member of a socially elite group that most of us will never be a member of, although some may aspire to. The other two provide for an equaling under law and exercise of rights. We can all speak, but to be heard is better than the incessant utterances that fall on deaf ears.
We’ve talked about the tactic of divide and conquer here and heard it spoken of elsewhere by other people. The simple things are often the most successful. And that is a very simple tactic. One employed in a Town Hall style meeting. It lets your adversary know precisely what is on your mind and what may be a majority stumbling block or hurdle to overcome in the future. The words are heeded insofar as to develop a strategy to counter and neutralize them. You can’t negotiate from a position of weakness and expect to prevail or break even. You’re going to lose, the question is by how much. Unity of purpose and voice is the only way to gain what it is the people seek.
I read this blog and refer to it often as a source of reliable reporting on the city of Hickory. No one else has been as persistent in pursuing the issues of importance to this city. HDR and Charlotte Observer are only interested in selling ads and "eyeballs" providing "feel-good" stories. "Playful city" what a joke HDR, did they know about the recreation department complete lack of concern for the swimming pools they bull-dozed. How about the saving from new loan rates touted in the paper today. Could have fixed the pools and built the tent from that "savings". No let's hire a "branding" specialist and do some more surveys of the citizens that council will ignore. Another made up organization title, not much different than the "All-american" city title. This is vital blog and platform, Keep up the excellent journalism! Don't stop it has never been about you, you should be proud of the work you do!
What a joke. You are a reporter wanna be. When did you last "interview" anyone that can give answers? You and your buds find it easier to throw shots behind a blog than reallly do anything. Grow a pair and do rather than blog.
I am not reporter. Bwahahaha, that is hilarious. I am an advocate. This isn't the bought off media. I have no interest in being a reporter. This can be considered a journal of sorts. A journal of advocacy. Open your mind folks.
Thanks for reading the Hickory Hound. Please introduce yourself to me when you have the opportunity.
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