What’s the difference between leadership that looks at the big picture and impact to the larger community and leadership that only considers special interests and agendas? I had a telling experience about how minor issues can become tempests in a teapot, if we let them.
I had written to City Council stating my opinion on a minor subject because I thought some larger issues might be overlooked in the discussion. I received some personal replies from various Councilmen acknowledging my concerns. . . routine, appreciated responses.
Then, I received an email from a stranger—all copied to Council. It seems that my communication with Council had been forwarded by one Councilman to this individual. He disagreed, which was fine. However, he also questioned whether I had any right to write to Council, and then ended with name calling. Probably not winning tactics if you want to influence Council. Rather than have a mud wrestling contest, I acknowledged his opinion and said I was sure Council appreciated receiving his remarks as well.
How did he get this communication? It seems one Councilman thought it important to forward my email to an individual constituent. They appear to be in close communication on the subject. Not that I write anything to Council I would care whether it was on a billboard, and I certainly am not naïve that a Councilman might let friends know there is “opposition.”
But is sending out one constituent’s email to another individual really pitting two constituents against one another? Is that leadership that brings the community together to consider issues in a larger light or is it leadership that seeks to be divisive? Or idle amusement to see if you can start a mud wrestling contest?
Now where was the contrast of leadership? Another Councilman politely took issue by stating he appreciated all opinions from Missouri City residents, but he also discussed some of the practical issues around the point in question and offered to sit down with the individual to discuss it. He brought the discussion to a higher level.
What happened next was extraordinary. The taxpayer actually spurned the invitation and an opportunity to discuss his case with someone who would vote on it. And not once, but twice dug a deeper hole. Frankly, it was an up close and personal look at uncompromising special interest. Yes, technically it was legal to forward my communication. Was it good judgment or the kind of action that brings people together? Not in my opinion.
Has our need to “win” superseded our judgment? It has certainly trampled all over our value of fair play much less respect for other people as well as respect for elected office. We are dealing with a very dangerous world as well as dismantling all kinds of infrastructure and doing it in the name of various ideologies. I worry all sides have lost the ability to work through issues with practicality, common sense and courtesy. Do we want to lower ourselves to what is business as usual at our national and, more and more, state levels?
Yes, we all feel passion about subjects and have bad hair days. But do you want to win every battle or move your cause forward? Is looking at outcomes are we trying to achieve a better way to start? Can we be adults and take issues to a higher level especially on the local level? We are neighbors.
Send your opinion to janicescanlan@clear.net
Re-printed from the 2-29-2012 Fort Bend Independent
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