Pretty incredible column from the N&R’s Doug Clark, who argues that “Progressive Greensboro” must “tune out the coarse discourse” and press ahead in the wake of the civil rights museum contract debacle:
All that said, I agree that the public discourse in Greensboro can be harsh and that even actions intended for the greater good are often twisted into something sinister (although it’s hardly as bad as “our motivations are questioned at every turn”).
From my perspective as a long-time High Point resident who has worked in Greensboro for the past 10 years, I see some peculiar characteristics here.
One is a persistent grievance mentality that goes back at least to the Klan-Nazi shootings in 1979 and is kept alive by allegations that a “culture of corruption” and pervasive racism infect the city police department.
Another is a distrust by many residents of institutional Greensboro, and not just government but also the private-sector movers and shakers. The city is blessed with a number of well-funded foundations that have invested untold millions into progressive development, without which Greensboro would be a far bleaker place. Yet, critics see these institutions as somehow controlling or manipulative. Related to that is the suspicion that any new project is meant to benefit the few at the expense of the many. This is the most puzzling form of the Greensboro syndrome.
Maybe my perspective is skewed, but it seems to me that ‘Progressive Greensboro’ —-with a lot of help from the progressive local paper of record —- pretty much gets whatever it wants. The only instance I can think of lately where the City Council has stood up to a request for public money is the $300,000 loan for the ‘Watcha Cookin’ sitcom, but that was a reversal of course after city staff did a little homework for a change.
Remember the museum loan was approved after political pressure from the progressive element (read: stare Senate candidate Skip Alston) was applied, and the unsigned contract was uncovered only after the council’s lone conservative member, Tony Wilkins, asked for a copy. And the city is pressing ahead with the downtown performing arts center—- how the operations and cost will play out is still far from certain in spite of the memorandum of understanding the council will consider next week.
All in all, I’d say ‘Progressive Greensboro’ is doing just fine, thank you.
