Ed Cone coined the phrase "Greensboro Disease." Its onset is brought about by the presence of some largely good opportunity for Greensboro and manifests in symptoms of hand wringing, finger pointing, confusion and paranoia.
The local spin doctors' immediate treatment is a large dose of boosterism. It is rarely effective in treating the stricken and is resulting in unwanted side effects. Just as the overuse of antibiotics results in new resistant bacterial strains, Greensboro's liberal applications of boosterim are having the unintended consequence of spreading G.L.U.M.M. -- Greensboro Leaders Unresponsive to Mediocrity and Mendacity.
GLUMM is caused when the boosterism antibodies mistake real and urgent infections for Greensboro Disease and launch their suppressive actions on any target that has negative implications for Greensboro. It manifests in symptoms of blindness, deafness, dumbness, paralysis, coddling the incompetent and a fear of being impolite. Mediocrity and mendacity flourish unabated as a result.
City Councilor Zack Matheny was kind enough to have a cup of coffee with me this week. He asked me how I thought we can rise above the mediocrity and mendacity. For people in positions of leadership, check yourselves for GLUMM. If you think you might be infected, daily affirmations are the first order of business: "I will not tolerate mediocrity. Greensboro deserves better. I will not tolerate mendacity. Greensboro deserves better."
Unless and until Greensboro begins to address the outbreak of GLUMM, I fear I must agree with a commentator at Joe Guarino's blog who suggests that we, as a city, are headed on a path to being Gastonia, only bigger.
2 comments:
Over 1/2 of this city is already a bigger Gastonia-- it's just a matter of time for the rest.
I prefer to think Greensboro has a lot going for it that will be enhanced when a new slate of leadership steps forward and establishes a new direction for city policy making. This is an election year for City Council, and a wholesale change in its makeup will help bring forth much needed leadership, direction and decision making that has been sorely lacking for several terms.
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