THE TIME FOR ACTION IS NOW
I’m reading a fascinating book that details events in Tallahassee in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s of the last century that transpired as a result of growing frustration in the African-American community at the seemingly hopeless fight for equality. I’m struck by some of the lessons of this history, the strongest of which seems to be the large numbers of missed opportunities.
When we contemplate our mistakes, we long to be able to reach back and push ourselves along a slightly different path, perhaps speak stronger words or be more silent, step up or step back – tiny changes that might have made enormous differences. We can never be sure of these, of course – different actions or words may have led to more disastrous outcomes.
But one lesson that seems to keep popping up throughout our social history is that people of courage and vision can nudge us towards our better selves. Imagine what America would be today without Abraham Lincoln as President – and imagine what we could be if he hadn’t been so untimely taken? It’s a wistful thought, indeed.
In the troubled ‘50s and ‘60s, our community was blessed with a rich community of African-American young people on the FAMU campus, a stalwart proponent of peaceful protest, Rev. C.K. Steele, and a southern gentleman with a kind heart who just happened to live in the Governor’s Mansion, Leroy Collins. Tallahassee might be a much different city today had any of these folks not been around in those years.
When we fast-forward to the 21st century, we are faced again with some serious problems. Tallahassee has vocal factions on many sides of multiple issues: the business community, the University community, the wealthy, the poor, the liberal, the conservative. In true American fashion, our City and County government structures are republican; that is, we depend on our elected officials to inform themselves adequately and make wise decisions on our behalf. We’ve agreed that a true democracy, where every decision is the result of a majority vote of every citizen, is simply too unwieldy and inefficient – we’d never get anything done.
BUT – do we not need community consensus on some things? Do we really all agree that an alternative energy source is a good thing? That is the assumption that’s been made by our decision-makers, but what’s the basis? Is it a good idea to keep southside schools open, even though they’re woefully underenrolled? Are they helpful to their surrounding communities? Would those neighborhoods suffer disproportionately if the schools weren’t present? Are we obligated to provide health care to the uninsured and underinsured? Are they adequately treated? Are we making the best use of existing facilities? Are we willing to foot the bill for these services?
Here’s the problem as I see it. No issue is simple. There are always pros and cons, good effects and bad effects, and always – always – a cost. There are costs in terms of actual dollars and costs in terms of quality of life issues. My gain may lead to your loss. My tax deduction may be replaced by your tax increase. These facts seem self-evident – but until the actual facts are laid out in a rational, dispassionate manner, we can’t be sure of them, and we continue to argue, and nothing gets done. OR – something gets thrust upon us, and we feel we’ve been bypassed, ignored and generally bamboozled by the other side.
The recent community uproar and general mess that was made of the BG&E plant project seems to be a direct result of leadership once again failing to contemplate the lessons of history. Did anyone involved in this deal think about the consequences of their process? Or did they simply not care?
The same kinds of simple ideas proposed by Governor Collins a half-century ago in Florida – biracial groups in every Florida community convened to address the issues between the races in an open forum, business owners’ recognition of a moral responsibility to treat all customers fairly and equally, even though they weren’t legally required to do so, both ideas that were rejected out of hand by every other leader in the state – would serve us well in the current day. Our community needs leadership from those we’ve elected to do exactly that. We need City and County Commissioners to step up and convene regular open forums on community issues. We need simple questions answered: Do we really support the idea of sustainable energy? Are we willing to pay for it? Do we truly want new business for our city, even though we may have to offer financial incentives to attract it? Do we believe in social programs for our most vulnerable citizens, and are we willing to foot the bill?
And our Superintendent of Education should behave in a like manner: convene public forums to answer the questions we need to answer about our schools. Can we justify underperforming and under-enrolled schools, even as they nurture the neighborhoods that surround them? If we value them, what are we willing to do, to pay, to sustain them? In fact, do we still believe in the whole system of public education? If so, are we willing to support them with our time and money?
Tallahassee’s involvement in the recent presidential election process seems to indicate that citizen interest in governing is high. The widespread reaction from the community in response to the BG&E issue is additional proof that we are an engaged, intelligent, willing bunch of folks. Someone simply needs to seize this moment and pull many people under the decision-making tent. It may well be true that personal investment in a process creates an ongoing commitment to that process.
Wouldn’t our city be better served by raising issues and making informed, democratic decisions through a consensus-building process than by slamming so many barn doors after so many horses have gone?
I’m reading a fascinating book that details events in Tallahassee in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s of the last century that transpired as a result of growing frustration in the African-American community at the seemingly hopeless fight for equality. I’m struck by some of the lessons of this history, the strongest of which seems to be the large numbers of missed opportunities.
When we contemplate our mistakes, we long to be able to reach back and push ourselves along a slightly different path, perhaps speak stronger words or be more silent, step up or step back – tiny changes that might have made enormous differences. We can never be sure of these, of course – different actions or words may have led to more disastrous outcomes.
But one lesson that seems to keep popping up throughout our social history is that people of courage and vision can nudge us towards our better selves. Imagine what America would be today without Abraham Lincoln as President – and imagine what we could be if he hadn’t been so untimely taken? It’s a wistful thought, indeed.
In the troubled ‘50s and ‘60s, our community was blessed with a rich community of African-American young people on the FAMU campus, a stalwart proponent of peaceful protest, Rev. C.K. Steele, and a southern gentleman with a kind heart who just happened to live in the Governor’s Mansion, Leroy Collins. Tallahassee might be a much different city today had any of these folks not been around in those years.
When we fast-forward to the 21st century, we are faced again with some serious problems. Tallahassee has vocal factions on many sides of multiple issues: the business community, the University community, the wealthy, the poor, the liberal, the conservative. In true American fashion, our City and County government structures are republican; that is, we depend on our elected officials to inform themselves adequately and make wise decisions on our behalf. We’ve agreed that a true democracy, where every decision is the result of a majority vote of every citizen, is simply too unwieldy and inefficient – we’d never get anything done.
BUT – do we not need community consensus on some things? Do we really all agree that an alternative energy source is a good thing? That is the assumption that’s been made by our decision-makers, but what’s the basis? Is it a good idea to keep southside schools open, even though they’re woefully underenrolled? Are they helpful to their surrounding communities? Would those neighborhoods suffer disproportionately if the schools weren’t present? Are we obligated to provide health care to the uninsured and underinsured? Are they adequately treated? Are we making the best use of existing facilities? Are we willing to foot the bill for these services?
Here’s the problem as I see it. No issue is simple. There are always pros and cons, good effects and bad effects, and always – always – a cost. There are costs in terms of actual dollars and costs in terms of quality of life issues. My gain may lead to your loss. My tax deduction may be replaced by your tax increase. These facts seem self-evident – but until the actual facts are laid out in a rational, dispassionate manner, we can’t be sure of them, and we continue to argue, and nothing gets done. OR – something gets thrust upon us, and we feel we’ve been bypassed, ignored and generally bamboozled by the other side.
The recent community uproar and general mess that was made of the BG&E plant project seems to be a direct result of leadership once again failing to contemplate the lessons of history. Did anyone involved in this deal think about the consequences of their process? Or did they simply not care?
The same kinds of simple ideas proposed by Governor Collins a half-century ago in Florida – biracial groups in every Florida community convened to address the issues between the races in an open forum, business owners’ recognition of a moral responsibility to treat all customers fairly and equally, even though they weren’t legally required to do so, both ideas that were rejected out of hand by every other leader in the state – would serve us well in the current day. Our community needs leadership from those we’ve elected to do exactly that. We need City and County Commissioners to step up and convene regular open forums on community issues. We need simple questions answered: Do we really support the idea of sustainable energy? Are we willing to pay for it? Do we truly want new business for our city, even though we may have to offer financial incentives to attract it? Do we believe in social programs for our most vulnerable citizens, and are we willing to foot the bill?
And our Superintendent of Education should behave in a like manner: convene public forums to answer the questions we need to answer about our schools. Can we justify underperforming and under-enrolled schools, even as they nurture the neighborhoods that surround them? If we value them, what are we willing to do, to pay, to sustain them? In fact, do we still believe in the whole system of public education? If so, are we willing to support them with our time and money?
Tallahassee’s involvement in the recent presidential election process seems to indicate that citizen interest in governing is high. The widespread reaction from the community in response to the BG&E issue is additional proof that we are an engaged, intelligent, willing bunch of folks. Someone simply needs to seize this moment and pull many people under the decision-making tent. It may well be true that personal investment in a process creates an ongoing commitment to that process.
Wouldn’t our city be better served by raising issues and making informed, democratic decisions through a consensus-building process than by slamming so many barn doors after so many horses have gone?
