More Commentary From The Readers

Thanks for keeping the commentary going while I am currently preoccupied with other things. You guys are a big help and the readers should especially enjoy the last two commentaries. I invite more of you to participate in the debate. I can at least moderate and add a few comments now and then. All you have to do is e-mail me from the right side of the blog. If you want it to be anonymous you can get an e-mail account with almost any service that is not your real e-mail.



It's nice reading the guest commentary charging us to basically "put up or shut up." It's a fair proposition and one that deserves serious thought. For what it's worth, I'll offer a few ideas that have long floated in my brain that could lay a few foundation bricks in a newer and brighter Greenville/Washington County.

In an elitist sort of way, I've always considered Greenville the bellwether of Delta growth and prosperity and it's best hope when and if a true economic rebound occurs. Clarksdale is too small and too niche with its blues music offerings and first real town south of Memphis. It's really the Delta tourist trap and should be...easy to reach and you're back at the Tunica casinos in about an hour. Cleveland is still hung up in the 1950's with a city council that dictates economic growth based on its personal fears or jealousies of who benefits from any particular private enterprise. But, they're hanging on to whatever it is, they believe, needs holding on to. Delta State doesn't count as part of Cleveland in this assessment. It's an entity, and a good one, all its own. The other major, Delta towns are there...just there for the time being.

That said, Greenville/Washington County is where we'll find the bull's eye and "Anonymous" (please make up a moniker and use that so we know it's you when you return) throws down a challenge that, so far, I and no "lifers" choose to philosophically engage. Let's go paragraph by paragraph.

Anonymous writes:

Where are the proposed solutions from the railbirds? You know, while it may be fun (in a twisted sort of way) to take part in the never-ending pastime of complaining about anything and everything that goes on in town -- whether related to business or government -- it's not particularly productive.
Two facets of this are correct - for many it IS fun in a twisted sort of way and it is a never-ending pastime. Many citizens can be quite contrary on every idea rolling around the city and I find that disheartening, but city and civic leaders earn a fair share of concern citizens' lamentations. There are solid ideas for the region but Anonymous should realize and cull those "civic proposals" which are cloaked in self interest, phony intention or the need for public attention and a newspaper article - see the ethanol plant proposals and blues casino (RIP).

Anonymous continues:
While it's fine to point out problems, that doesn't really accomplish a whole lot -- it doesn’t take much gray matter to figure out that problems exist. What is difficult, however, is determining how best to remedy them. I've spent a fair amount of time dealing directly with most of these issues, and can promise you that it's far more difficult than it appears.

"Anonymous" is correct in the challenge ahead. At least the writer isn't saying that dealing directly with the problems is impossible - as admittedly, I found myself suggesting in my mind and I've pondered solutions if nothing more than a personal mental exercise. Hang on to that hope, Anonymous. Once you lose it, it's gone forever. This is where I must concede that I left the Don Quixote-esque sentiment to literature after interacting with intelligent people for years in wondering how we can pull life up by the bootstraps. I'll also concede that thinking and talking is "cheap," but it's public discourse was where I thought the community had, and still has, a great need - whether we like the opinions we read or not. People enjoyed it and it spawned at least one other person to jump into the town square (online) for a hearty, reasoned debate. There....I admit a few philosophical short-comings.

Anonymous concludes:

I put it to you, however, that -- because of some folks' lack of knowledge of all of the pertinent facts concerning various issues -- not all of these opinions are entitled to be accorded the same weight. Don't base your opinions on what you've "heard," because, in all likelihood, what you've "heard" is, at the very least, probably inaccurate and, at worst, often a complete fabrication. Why would people do this? Beats me….but it happens over and over again.Complain if you like, but I'll give your complaints more credence if, at the same time, you offer concrete, realistic solutions.
Okay, if we or you are to build credence through an honest sharing of ideas, here goes it.

First, taxpaying citizens must begin a city/county wide discussion of public school consolidation. 17 city, public schools are WAY too many and only preserve the fact that Greenville's school board maintains confiscatory property tax rates while delivering some of the worst accountability and performance in America. The numbers do not lie and local school teachers are NOT innocent victims in the public school debate. Same goes for all those administrators. Begin a public campaign to build a few brand new schools based in population trends where growth is stagnant, but not growing. Greenville's shrinking rapidly. Close up to ten of the existing and old campuses. You only have 7000 or so students on any given year. Millions could be saved and school taxes could be greatly lowered while low-income or at risk students would attend the state's newest public schools. The move would make the school system take an educational approach as opposed to one where people expect jobs and no responsibility for poor results.

If lower school taxes are a residual of an honest school system reform, then you'd see property ownership come back into vogue and a decline of rental housing in homeowning, middle class neighborhoods. Rentals have a tremendous place in our society but not in every neighborhood. We need homeowners.

Second, citizens should stand up and point fingers at the squalor of some city neighborhoods. There needs to be a property condition standard and a standard policy of addressing dilipidation - not continued reprieves. It's one thing to be poor but even poor people should have heat and warm water if they're paying rent. Some of these slums are owned and not kept up by "great" Greenville civic leaders, people who are roasted, toasted, feted and given a community pedestal. But, doing so would cause hurt feelings in the community. City crime is conducted, primarily, out of this slums - and they are slums.

Those are my first two salvos....Anonymous please come back and respond and let's get a REAL debate started. Red Dog, if you know the email of Anonymous, please keep this person writing as I encourage the same. Intelligent discussion is hard to find.

Local Reflector