Put Down the Knife, Step Away From the Corkscrew
E. Boyer
Things happen in small towns. The community has a recognized need that’s appreciated by the residents as worthy, funds are raised and things happen. Inspiring. Or, sometimes…not. A handy example of the not-so-inspriing…the portables at Havens. C’mon, don’t pretend like you’ve forgotten. Good God in heaven. To hear the fan club of that bungle-fest tell it, if we didn’t act immediately, the children in attendance at the time of the imminent catastrophic earthquake would die a slow and painful death ‘neath the rubble of the collapsed one-story, wood framed building as it came down in apocalyptic fury! Even though the fan group for this project was small, they were extremely vocal and the project was steamrollered into fruition. I suppose this bullying tactic could be seen as effective. Or, it could be seen as an obnoxiously pushy group behaving badly to promote their own agenda despite the fact that it cost a fortune and served only a small part of the community. But, it still happened, all the while having you believe that the reason it happened was because the community was behind it. Right about now, many of you are thinking “Hey, wait a minute. I wasn’t behind that.” Exactly. And neither were so many others. But, here’s the thing…if you oppose projects or measures that these VGs (vocal groups) promote, you know, instinctively, that you’ll be tarred and feathered! It isn’t your imagination. You know first-hand or have at least heard the stories of those poor, unsuspecting souls who made the mistake of speaking out against their agenda. That’s right..make that mistake and you are out! O.U.T! Persona non grata! Good bye, baby, that train left the station! Kiss all future invitations goodbye! And, yes, that goes for your kids, too! Holy Mother. Scary, and more than a little intimidating. Sadly, our little town suffers from what I call “Loud-Mouth at the Podium” syndrome. This is where the big-shot du jour comes onto the scene and takes over, imposing his/her will upon anyone in shouting distance with a weaker constitution. They impress their followers with quick witticisms, drop important names, throw fancy parties and make no mistake, they will slash your jugular vein with the nearest corkscrew if you go against their ideas! Don’t let the pressed khakis and pinpoint oxford shirts fool you…this is a tough town! Thought you were entitled to independent thoughts? Not if you hope to be included in the next block party. Here’s the thing: I’m in favor of most projects in Piedmont...new schools, new fields, new pavement, new traffic signals, new turf, new giant vase, new pools, new retrofit at the schools, new undergrounding, blah, blah, blah. I see it all as progress, for the most part and for the remaining “part,” if I’m not thrilled about it, I know I can express it with my vote. When someone says “Hey, we need a new building for Havens so let’s hastily and without adequate evidence of necessity bring in a bunch of portables for a few years that will cost a bloody fortune and in the future be deemed a fiasco by the entire community” instead of going with my first instinct, which is to nail their tongue to their forehead so that they can never speak again, I take a deep breath, consider that they are entitled to their opinion and accept that there may be more to their idea than I am aware. In other words, I’m polite. But, be aware that not everyone is. Why, is change in our community good when suggested by one VG, but disregarded when suggested by anyone outside that VG? Why is it reasonable to ask for millions of dollars to build new facilities, but blasphemous to ask how our children may be better served in the classrooms? Why is it expected that bond measures and tax increases be welcomed with open arms but, pausing to consider if this is the most intelligent and effective approach is met with fierce and brutal criticism? No sir, don’t confuse me with the facts… let’s burn these bridges fast so there’s no going back! In fact, the minute any concern is raised openly about our PUSD, the knives come out of the drawer! The mere mention of a problem with our schools can get you blacklisted in this town…and that’s not polite, nor is it at all productive. It’s disappointing to see adults in our community behave like spoiled children. No one should feel frightened to express their support or objection to a project or an idea. Good ideas don’t come exclusively from the loud-mouth at the podium. Sometimes they come from less flashy folks who have thoughtfully, carefully and quietly done their research without the pomp of Piedmont’s legendary cocktail party fundraisers. So, the next time someone offers an opinion that may be different from your own, put away the knives, put down the corkscrew and for Pete’s sake if you can’t keep quiet then at least try to be polite…pretty please??
