Sometimes a screw up is just so massive it's a no-brainer to step back, take your licks and move forward. Those are the kind of lessons one learns playing sports, and the Quarterback from Kenmore is paying attention.
Tuesday's Akron Beacon Journal story from Bob Dyer brought to attention the poor display of Akron's entry of a stone bench for Clinton's Vietnam Memorial. Other cities taking part in the program inscribed inspiration on their granite, but Akron sent a simple toss-away message and then added Mayor Don Plusquellic's name, as if it was one of those "welcome to..." signs plastered on every entrance to the city, city park and city building.
Please.
Now Plusquellic's stepped up to the line, telling Dyer he's not afraid to admit his mistake -- adding he (and, by extension, his minions) should have paid far greater attention to what must have seemed to be a routine request. Plusquellic deserves praise for taking responsibility and not ducking into the "staff did it" defense so frequently displayed by Washington.
This is serious stuff; comments on the original story run about as you would expect. No politician in his/her right mind disses the service of those who've made the ultimate sacrifice. Those are some of the lessons learned from America's Vietnam experience; along with a more questioning public in times of war, with the exception of Iraq, when post-9/11 still had most of us spoiling to send in the bombers. The political class, however, learned a valuable lesson when opposing military action: don't oppose the military, make clear it's the action one is not in favor of.
Mayor Plusquellic was right and proper in deciding to 'man up' and tell Dyer he would do the right thing. It would be surprising if some thoughtful soul or company didn't step up and shell out the couple thousand dollars to fix the error -- given the warchest the Mayor's supporters amassed for the June recall, that should be something done in a couple minutes on the phone.
Plusquellic deserves kudos. Dyer's original story was titled "Akron's Tastelessness to Last Forever" but in this case forever doesn't have to be much longer.
Showing posts with label Vietnam Memorial Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vietnam Memorial Park. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
The Bench
Here's a reason why it's important for strong, independent voices in the local media -- keywords here being strong and independent. Where else would someone point out the obvious that's been right under our noses?
Bob Dyer's column in Tuesday's Akron Beacon Journal describes a battle of benches in Clinton's Vietnam Memorial, specifically Akron's contribution. If you haven't seen the story, take the time to read it now. Take another minute to see the picture, which tells a thousand words by itself.
Imagine, as Bob notes, dozens of marble and granite benches bearing quotations of leadership, sacrifice and patriotism matched to Akron's entry -- bearing the name of the Mayor.
According to the article, the ball was dropped on South High Street by the high-thinking political types who must have imagined small-town Clinton was looking for the same thing we tolerate everyday driving into the City, passing parks and recreation areas. We've become numb to the flowering of the political name brand on the things owned by the taxpayers; we expect to see Don Plusquellic, or Don Robart, or Don Kuchta (in my neck of the woods) plastered on every entryway to the 'burg. The Man has his stamp of approval on a city or town or village as is royalty bestowed upon him the privilege of ruling the fiefdom rather than the citizens casting a vote.
Maybe it's time to deflower the process.
Does Ohio really need to change signs every four to eight years to reflect the new dog in the Governor's office? Why do cities need to spend a dime of public money, or a minute of public worker time, making sure all the parks, byways, paths and city limit signs bear the name of the Great One, no matter which Great One is in office? How is it we tolerate this type of behavior in a nation where "We the People" start our Declaration of Independence from the slavish fealty to the elite?
Isn't Akron -- and Ohio -- worth more than providing a cheap local example of what it must be like to live in North Korea, where Kim Il fill-in-the-blank holds total power?
The difference between here and there is here we elect the elite to rule so long as they follow a few basic rules which provide the appearance "they" really are more like "us". Dyer's column provides a reminder it is still up to us to remind "them" that "we" are still in charge.
Bob Dyer's column in Tuesday's Akron Beacon Journal describes a battle of benches in Clinton's Vietnam Memorial, specifically Akron's contribution. If you haven't seen the story, take the time to read it now. Take another minute to see the picture, which tells a thousand words by itself.
Imagine, as Bob notes, dozens of marble and granite benches bearing quotations of leadership, sacrifice and patriotism matched to Akron's entry -- bearing the name of the Mayor.
According to the article, the ball was dropped on South High Street by the high-thinking political types who must have imagined small-town Clinton was looking for the same thing we tolerate everyday driving into the City, passing parks and recreation areas. We've become numb to the flowering of the political name brand on the things owned by the taxpayers; we expect to see Don Plusquellic, or Don Robart, or Don Kuchta (in my neck of the woods) plastered on every entryway to the 'burg. The Man has his stamp of approval on a city or town or village as is royalty bestowed upon him the privilege of ruling the fiefdom rather than the citizens casting a vote.
Maybe it's time to deflower the process.
Does Ohio really need to change signs every four to eight years to reflect the new dog in the Governor's office? Why do cities need to spend a dime of public money, or a minute of public worker time, making sure all the parks, byways, paths and city limit signs bear the name of the Great One, no matter which Great One is in office? How is it we tolerate this type of behavior in a nation where "We the People" start our Declaration of Independence from the slavish fealty to the elite?
Isn't Akron -- and Ohio -- worth more than providing a cheap local example of what it must be like to live in North Korea, where Kim Il fill-in-the-blank holds total power?
The difference between here and there is here we elect the elite to rule so long as they follow a few basic rules which provide the appearance "they" really are more like "us". Dyer's column provides a reminder it is still up to us to remind "them" that "we" are still in charge.
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