In Chapter Three of THE WORK OF HOPE by Rich Harwood, there is a discussion focused around what the research team discovered as key values across our country. Those key values include: Compassion; Children & Families; Simpler Living; Openess and Humility; and the Common Good.
The common good, for example, seems to have some very real meaning to some folks while being a bit more of a strange concept to others, who are involved in just meeting their own needs. if you explore the Harwood book, you will find many observations highlighting the values mentioned above.
In this weekend of thinking about the freedom we enjoy as Americans, it is important, I THINK, to also consider the work that is involved in ensuring this freedow and this way of life is perpetuated through the bad times as well as good. And, this particular weekend in 2013, the issue is even greater as we hear how the people in Egypt determined, with the military's assistance, that maybe democracy is not always the way to go. For me, that is scary and one reason for these blog posts about Hope and community building.
Showing posts with label Rich Harwood. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rich Harwood. Show all posts
Saturday, July 06, 2013
Compassion and Community Building - according to Rich Harwood
Rich Harwood has put some of the major concerns he has heard from people across the nation into a new book to spark conversations on what we need to accomplish to rebuild stronger communities, stronger connections among people and new ways forward in what I might call here the American Dream.
Rich has written THE WORK OF HOPE with funding from the Kettering Foundaiton, which has funded much of the work that has built to this current reflection of thinking of people across America. In getting into his book, I have been using Facebook and this forum to share some ideas hoping others will go to the book to see how what Harwood is reflecting compares to their own thoughts and feelings.
In the third chapter he discusses some of the key values noted in the community discussions and he starts with the idea of Compassion. This is one snippet from the chapter:
Rich has written THE WORK OF HOPE with funding from the Kettering Foundaiton, which has funded much of the work that has built to this current reflection of thinking of people across America. In getting into his book, I have been using Facebook and this forum to share some ideas hoping others will go to the book to see how what Harwood is reflecting compares to their own thoughts and feelings.
In the third chapter he discusses some of the key values noted in the community discussions and he starts with the idea of Compassion. This is one snippet from the chapter:
What does it mean to be compassionate and for compassion to en-
gender a sense of hope among people? The answer, is that more people
must be willing to step forward and be in relationship with others—to see
and hear one another, to acknowledge each other’s pain and aspirations,
to know that we cannot go it alone in life. Then compassion can be a
guiding force for the nation and produce the hope people yearn for.
The ebook is a great resource and one that will allow a quick read and much more time for consideration of the content.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Rebuilding a sense of community is priority
This past weekend Coker College joined in the Service Day that was part of the commemoration of the events of September 11, 2001. Nearly 300 students and a few faculty and staff headed off to work on a variety of service oriented programs from cleaning up school yards to painting at a Boys and Girls' Club. Coker College is working hard on a goal of building even stronger community with Hartsville, the host community of the college for these past 100-plus years.
And, at lunch this noon in a conversation with Hartsville's City Manager the question of some particular projects needing assistance in our community was one of the discussion items. She mentioned an old cemetery in the South Hartsville area that has again become overrun with weeds and bushes and stuff. She mentioned renovations that are taking place at a park that could use additional volunteer assistance to make happen more quickly. My guess is these projechttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifts can and will happen once people are made aware of the need. One former Hartsville mayor is fond of saying that in Hartsville there are a lot of people who will complain that the trees need watering and then will go and get buckets and water those trees. Some things need government assistance and some things need people assistance and most of the team we get a great deal accomplished when it all works together.
But, as Rich Harwood notes in his recent blog , much of what is going on in areas of our country is not allowing solutions. He calls the politics of today "toxic." The Harwood Institute is working with communities around the country in community building efforts and Rich is a recognized authority in this area. What follows are two paragraphs from his current blog that I think speak to how we can begin chipping away at the problems and finding some solutions:
Harwood says: "Instead, it is everyday citizens – you, me, and others – who ultimately will place the nation on a better trajectory. The task before us is to “rebuild” the nation – but not solely by constructing new memorials and buildings at Ground Zero and elsewhere. For bricks and mortar are not the most important building blocks for this rebuilding.
The first and most fundamental need is to “signal” each other that we are ready to step forward and join together. To achieve this, we must embrace and spread small public acts and rituals that get people out of their homes and demonstrate a sense of connection and compassion for one another – acts such as helping a neighbor, painting a local school, singing public-spirited songs together, and displaying the flag, among others. I am not advocating make-work volunteer efforts, or superficial initiatives, but small acts grounded in a sense of common purpose and accomplishment and the greater good."
Last night People to People in Hartsville held a "Meet the Chief" gathering to further the conversation about law enforcement in our city. I heard that one person stood up and discussed the importance of neighbors joining neighbors and taking back control of their neighborhoods - now -- not later. There is a will that is emerging in cities like Hartsville that we must hope flows across communities and becomes a tipping point of community building before it really feels too late to make a difference.
And, at lunch this noon in a conversation with Hartsville's City Manager the question of some particular projects needing assistance in our community was one of the discussion items. She mentioned an old cemetery in the South Hartsville area that has again become overrun with weeds and bushes and stuff. She mentioned renovations that are taking place at a park that could use additional volunteer assistance to make happen more quickly. My guess is these projechttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifts can and will happen once people are made aware of the need. One former Hartsville mayor is fond of saying that in Hartsville there are a lot of people who will complain that the trees need watering and then will go and get buckets and water those trees. Some things need government assistance and some things need people assistance and most of the team we get a great deal accomplished when it all works together.
But, as Rich Harwood notes in his recent blog , much of what is going on in areas of our country is not allowing solutions. He calls the politics of today "toxic." The Harwood Institute is working with communities around the country in community building efforts and Rich is a recognized authority in this area. What follows are two paragraphs from his current blog that I think speak to how we can begin chipping away at the problems and finding some solutions:
Harwood says: "Instead, it is everyday citizens – you, me, and others – who ultimately will place the nation on a better trajectory. The task before us is to “rebuild” the nation – but not solely by constructing new memorials and buildings at Ground Zero and elsewhere. For bricks and mortar are not the most important building blocks for this rebuilding.
The first and most fundamental need is to “signal” each other that we are ready to step forward and join together. To achieve this, we must embrace and spread small public acts and rituals that get people out of their homes and demonstrate a sense of connection and compassion for one another – acts such as helping a neighbor, painting a local school, singing public-spirited songs together, and displaying the flag, among others. I am not advocating make-work volunteer efforts, or superficial initiatives, but small acts grounded in a sense of common purpose and accomplishment and the greater good."
Last night People to People in Hartsville held a "Meet the Chief" gathering to further the conversation about law enforcement in our city. I heard that one person stood up and discussed the importance of neighbors joining neighbors and taking back control of their neighborhoods - now -- not later. There is a will that is emerging in cities like Hartsville that we must hope flows across communities and becomes a tipping point of community building before it really feels too late to make a difference.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Believing in your community is fundamental to building your community
The past few days there has been some news about a variety of things taking place within the city that show leaders are moving to affect change that they believe will be important to moving us forward as a community.
For example, last night the Hartsville City Council took some steps to chanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifge the way citizens need to handle the recycling and garbage -- they are hoping to eliminate the "Yellow Bag" program in the city of Hartsville.
This has been on the Mayor's agenda since he started running for the job. His talks with citizens reinforced his idea of the need to get rid of the Yellow bags because he found so many people who find them so aggravating. But, as the Mayor found out when he began his attack on this issue -- nothing is as simple as it seems.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The result of the focus on "yellow bags" is a partnership that has come about between the City of Hartsville and Sonoco aimed at expanding recycling in the community while adding to the efficiency of recycling and garbage collection. (This is not an issue on which I feel any competence but it is an issue that I think helps exemplify what it takes to affect positive change in a community.)
There are a lot of elements involved in this type of change and to affect change of this scope it takes people from differing areas demonstrating belief in process, demonstrating belief that others will cooperate, demonstrating belief thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhat the community is worth investing in with time, talent and treasure. Sonoco uses recycled materials for lots of their products and they became willing to collaborate. The mayor and city council members began to see how doing things a bit differently might result in doing things even better. The new city manager helped lots of people look at more than just the immediate issue and on Monday night a major step was taken to eliminate the aggravating yellow bags. While this issue may not yet be totally resolved, it is on example of how believing you can make a difference can result in actually making a difference. Rich Harwood, of the Harwood Institute, who often discusses community building does a good job of discussing this question of belief in his current blog.
The following is a paragraph from this blog and I find it important because without people reaching out to one another and beyond their initial reaction to an issue, nothing can be accomplished. This is what Rich Harwood writes: "The restoration of belief in ourselves and in one another is pivotal to all our efforts to make a difference in communities. Without such belief, we may hold back from doing what we know is required to bring about change; we may choose not to reach out and forge key relationships with others; we may step back just when we need to step forward."
In Hartsville we have a strong need to continue stepping forward!
For example, last night the Hartsville City Council took some steps to chanhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifge the way citizens need to handle the recycling and garbage -- they are hoping to eliminate the "Yellow Bag" program in the city of Hartsville.
This has been on the Mayor's agenda since he started running for the job. His talks with citizens reinforced his idea of the need to get rid of the Yellow bags because he found so many people who find them so aggravating. But, as the Mayor found out when he began his attack on this issue -- nothing is as simple as it seems.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif
The result of the focus on "yellow bags" is a partnership that has come about between the City of Hartsville and Sonoco aimed at expanding recycling in the community while adding to the efficiency of recycling and garbage collection. (This is not an issue on which I feel any competence but it is an issue that I think helps exemplify what it takes to affect positive change in a community.)
There are a lot of elements involved in this type of change and to affect change of this scope it takes people from differing areas demonstrating belief in process, demonstrating belief that others will cooperate, demonstrating belief thttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifhat the community is worth investing in with time, talent and treasure. Sonoco uses recycled materials for lots of their products and they became willing to collaborate. The mayor and city council members began to see how doing things a bit differently might result in doing things even better. The new city manager helped lots of people look at more than just the immediate issue and on Monday night a major step was taken to eliminate the aggravating yellow bags. While this issue may not yet be totally resolved, it is on example of how believing you can make a difference can result in actually making a difference. Rich Harwood, of the Harwood Institute, who often discusses community building does a good job of discussing this question of belief in his current blog.
The following is a paragraph from this blog and I find it important because without people reaching out to one another and beyond their initial reaction to an issue, nothing can be accomplished. This is what Rich Harwood writes: "The restoration of belief in ourselves and in one another is pivotal to all our efforts to make a difference in communities. Without such belief, we may hold back from doing what we know is required to bring about change; we may choose not to reach out and forge key relationships with others; we may step back just when we need to step forward."
In Hartsville we have a strong need to continue stepping forward!
Wednesday, January 05, 2011
Thoughts on community building
This semester (from not until May)I am on sabbatical from teaching at Coker College to work and think more about community building ideas. I will be using this blog to surface some of this discussion through the months.
In Hartsville, SC, we are unique in that we have an ongoing process of community building. Sometimes the community building works and sometimes it doesn't. We are a small city that I often describe as cosmopolitan in nature. But our core, our culture, our community is at risk in this changing world.
We have to continue a focus on community building because 1)small communities are not for everyone but to grow and build you have to attract those who will choose small 2)Like so much in our lives the major strength can be a major weakness. We are home to a multi-billion dollar global packaging company that gives us a major cosmopolitan advantage but recruiting to small-town America (Hartsville) is not easy 3)we like a certain standard of life and standard of service from our government but in this age there are not many who enjoy taxing themselves for this quality we expect.
The list could probably go on as to why we need to continue to focus on building. We are good, we have a history of good but I often use the quote from a former boss -- "When you stop getting better, you stop being good."
Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute has devoted his life to helping community builders think about community building. His current blog discusses five major ideas for rebuilding America and I think his blog is worth the read.
His five points are:
1 -- Turn outward toward community.
2 -- Focus on people's shared aspirations, not the community problems.
3 -- Get people doing actual work together.
4 -- Move in a common direction that adds up to something real in the community.
5 -- Tell stories of self trust and hope.
He has a solid grasp on these ideas and anyone thinking of community building should be reading Rich's ideas -- even if you end up not agreeing.
In Hartsville, SC, we are unique in that we have an ongoing process of community building. Sometimes the community building works and sometimes it doesn't. We are a small city that I often describe as cosmopolitan in nature. But our core, our culture, our community is at risk in this changing world.
We have to continue a focus on community building because 1)small communities are not for everyone but to grow and build you have to attract those who will choose small 2)Like so much in our lives the major strength can be a major weakness. We are home to a multi-billion dollar global packaging company that gives us a major cosmopolitan advantage but recruiting to small-town America (Hartsville) is not easy 3)we like a certain standard of life and standard of service from our government but in this age there are not many who enjoy taxing themselves for this quality we expect.
The list could probably go on as to why we need to continue to focus on building. We are good, we have a history of good but I often use the quote from a former boss -- "When you stop getting better, you stop being good."
Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute has devoted his life to helping community builders think about community building. His current blog discusses five major ideas for rebuilding America and I think his blog is worth the read.
His five points are:
1 -- Turn outward toward community.
2 -- Focus on people's shared aspirations, not the community problems.
3 -- Get people doing actual work together.
4 -- Move in a common direction that adds up to something real in the community.
5 -- Tell stories of self trust and hope.
He has a solid grasp on these ideas and anyone thinking of community building should be reading Rich's ideas -- even if you end up not agreeing.
Tuesday, June 08, 2010
Primary election day and most say, "What?"
...and those who are not saying what are often saying, "what's the use," and that leaves often a minority of us voting. In his weekly blog today, Rich Hardwood discusses some of the antipathy of voters. In addition, he gives an idea or two about how to start reversing this antipathy. It is his idea that sparked the thought of this post.
Harwood says we need to do something disruptive to the the business as usual. He then says we need to take that narrative and get people to hear it, to discuss it and to think how they can become part of the positive disruption.
I am a bit of a polyanna but I was thinking that Hartsville has a variety of narratives that are disruptive to the 'business as usual' types of activities that are angering voters here and around the country. We have some narratives that need to get more of a hearing.
Narratives like the Team Foxes Learning Academy -- an effort by the Hartsville Middle School partially funded by a grant from The Byerly Foundation to help turn around students who have a history of not succeeding in school.
Or, in another vein it could be the individual and team effort that is going into the production of the Hartsville Idol event on summer Saturday evenings in downtown Hartsville. A few thousand enjoyed the event this past Saturday.
The narrative could be a combination of stories of people in the Hartsville community like Nancy Myers and Teresa Mack, who make things happen like the Hartsville Community Market and the growing Community Garden or the South Hartsville Community Association.
And, the narrative might be the amazing work being done in the Darlington County community with very active of building Habitat for Humanity for homes. Now we have multiple homes going up regularly when only a couple of years ago it was one or so a year.The idea for narratives can go on but you can begin to see there are disruptions to the status quo and these "disruptions" can give us something to continue building on as we start setting forth a vision to put Hartsville at the top of the list of small cities that people want to live in.
Harwood says we need to do something disruptive to the the business as usual. He then says we need to take that narrative and get people to hear it, to discuss it and to think how they can become part of the positive disruption.
I am a bit of a polyanna but I was thinking that Hartsville has a variety of narratives that are disruptive to the 'business as usual' types of activities that are angering voters here and around the country. We have some narratives that need to get more of a hearing.
Narratives like the Team Foxes Learning Academy -- an effort by the Hartsville Middle School partially funded by a grant from The Byerly Foundation to help turn around students who have a history of not succeeding in school.
Or, in another vein it could be the individual and team effort that is going into the production of the Hartsville Idol event on summer Saturday evenings in downtown Hartsville. A few thousand enjoyed the event this past Saturday.
The narrative could be a combination of stories of people in the Hartsville community like Nancy Myers and Teresa Mack, who make things happen like the Hartsville Community Market and the growing Community Garden or the South Hartsville Community Association.
And, the narrative might be the amazing work being done in the Darlington County community with very active of building Habitat for Humanity for homes. Now we have multiple homes going up regularly when only a couple of years ago it was one or so a year.The idea for narratives can go on but you can begin to see there are disruptions to the status quo and these "disruptions" can give us something to continue building on as we start setting forth a vision to put Hartsville at the top of the list of small cities that people want to live in.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
The Past -- without there is no future
This morning I was reading Rich Harwood's blog, which always has in-depth insights to community building coming from a personal perspective. He is writing about Yom Kippur, a time to look back and reflect on how you are doing in your individual quest.
Rich linked his thoughts about the individual's look back with a community looking back. He was talking about the importance of forgiving yourself and not wallowing in the misery of memory of things gone wrong and on being blinded by the notion that things were always better -- then. His message is an important one because it is to make choices and make judgments about the past and use those choices and judgments to move forward into the future.
When I think of community building from a neighborhood, from a city, from a company or a college, I know that if we all can learn from but then let go of our past, we can more efficiently and quickly build our future.
Rich linked his thoughts about the individual's look back with a community looking back. He was talking about the importance of forgiving yourself and not wallowing in the misery of memory of things gone wrong and on being blinded by the notion that things were always better -- then. His message is an important one because it is to make choices and make judgments about the past and use those choices and judgments to move forward into the future.
When I think of community building from a neighborhood, from a city, from a company or a college, I know that if we all can learn from but then let go of our past, we can more efficiently and quickly build our future.
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
Looking outward often key to growth
This blog often talks about work being accomplished by THE HARWOOD INSTITUTE in formulating models and discussions of community building. One of the tools the Institute is now making available to community organizations is an ebook about how important it is to look outward toward your community rather than spending so much looking inward at your own organization. In these economic times many non-profit organizations spend significant time and resources looking at their own internal programs, systems and culture as a strategy for continuing to serve. There is a good chance that all this inward looking is causing many organizations to take their eyes off the mission of how to serve the mission, which is generally aimed toward making the major difference outside the organization. Rich Harwood studies this material and he has compiled it into a booklet with the funding of the Kettering Foundation. Those who are looking for strategies of how to maintain and even expand their organization in these tight financial times might be well served to download this report. This report was recently reviewed in Nigeria and that is part of a message distributed today by The Harwood Institute. Here is a section of that message:
"Org First " Around the Globe
REVIEW OF ORGANIZATION-FIRST APPROACH REPORT IN MAJOR NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER
Recently, the Nigerian Tribune - the nation's oldest newspaper - ran Folorunsho Moshood's review of The Organization-First Approach Report.
In the review, Moshood writes, "The book, which is an evidence-based research work that exposes the reader to why and how CSOs (civil society organizations) turn inward toward themselves instead of turning outward toward the communities they are meant to serve."
Moshood's review explores each of the chapters of the report and argues that leaders must be willing to face the truth of their actions.
"Org First " Around the Globe
REVIEW OF ORGANIZATION-FIRST APPROACH REPORT IN MAJOR NIGERIAN NEWSPAPER
Recently, the Nigerian Tribune - the nation's oldest newspaper - ran Folorunsho Moshood's review of The Organization-First Approach Report.
In the review, Moshood writes, "The book, which is an evidence-based research work that exposes the reader to why and how CSOs (civil society organizations) turn inward toward themselves instead of turning outward toward the communities they are meant to serve."
Moshood's review explores each of the chapters of the report and argues that leaders must be willing to face the truth of their actions.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Public capital is a key building block to community
Public Capital
Public capital are those organizations within a community that can come together to help expand the riches of a community, help build community where it can do some good and help rebuild when opportunities have become challenges. One reason we are focused on the Selling Hartsville strategy for Hartsville is the need to continue expanding the public capital or what also might be called the social capital that will enable Hartsville to be an even better community tomorrow than it is today.
OPPORTUNITIES TO CHALLENGES
We have some opportunities that have become challenges. Hartsville has been home to one of the most successful publicly traded companies based in the southeastern United States for more than 109 years. That company is S-o-n-o-c-o. At one point in history this company brought in executives to help manage, run and lead the various operations. At that point in history, most of those people chose Hartsville for their home. That is no longer the case and the opportunity of being headquarters for a multi-billion dollar company has become the current challenge to find ways of again making Hartsville the community of choice. In Hartsville, we have been fortunate to have many people working on this challenge but we need many more to take up the cause or Hartsville could become a shell of the small city many of us enjoy calling home.
HARWOOD IN DETROIT
In this posting today is a video by Rich Harwood, whose Public Innovators' Laboratory is in Detroit the first three days of this week. I am including a short video he did today because while we are not yet where Detroit is, we have to act now so we don't get there before we understand that is where we are. I don't expect anyone to enjoy Rich's observations but I hope they will ignite some of your own thinking about how we might continue amassing public capital in Hartsville so we begin to look at more opportunities than challenges.
Public capital are those organizations within a community that can come together to help expand the riches of a community, help build community where it can do some good and help rebuild when opportunities have become challenges. One reason we are focused on the Selling Hartsville strategy for Hartsville is the need to continue expanding the public capital or what also might be called the social capital that will enable Hartsville to be an even better community tomorrow than it is today.
OPPORTUNITIES TO CHALLENGES
We have some opportunities that have become challenges. Hartsville has been home to one of the most successful publicly traded companies based in the southeastern United States for more than 109 years. That company is S-o-n-o-c-o. At one point in history this company brought in executives to help manage, run and lead the various operations. At that point in history, most of those people chose Hartsville for their home. That is no longer the case and the opportunity of being headquarters for a multi-billion dollar company has become the current challenge to find ways of again making Hartsville the community of choice. In Hartsville, we have been fortunate to have many people working on this challenge but we need many more to take up the cause or Hartsville could become a shell of the small city many of us enjoy calling home.
HARWOOD IN DETROIT
In this posting today is a video by Rich Harwood, whose Public Innovators' Laboratory is in Detroit the first three days of this week. I am including a short video he did today because while we are not yet where Detroit is, we have to act now so we don't get there before we understand that is where we are. I don't expect anyone to enjoy Rich's observations but I hope they will ignite some of your own thinking about how we might continue amassing public capital in Hartsville so we begin to look at more opportunities than challenges.
Authentic Hope is one of the foundations of building community
Rich Harwood talks a good deal about hope as a building block for communities. In fact,he has The Harwood Institute's Public Innovators' Laboratory in Detroit this week focusing on ways to build communities. Detroit, where the city's number one corporate citizen, declared bankruptcy on Monday. For The Harwood Institute, taking the Innovator Laboratory to a city on the brink is certainly taking lab work to the real world.
Rich Harwood was in Hartsville, and he evens mentions Hartsville in his newest essay, Redeeming Hope. But the reason for posting these thoughts on Harwood and Hope is Hartsville. You see in this blog continued talk about the Selling Hartsville initiative. I hope if you go to some of the links from this posting, you will quickly notice that the Selling Hartsville initiative is not an exercise taking place in a vaccuum. It is an effort to help those of us who live in this community sell hope to each other that our great place to live will become an even better place to live tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Harwood talks about authentic HOPE and it is good to open conversation on what it means to have authentic HOPE for Hartsville and what proof we might have that our hope has turned into actions that have created results fulfilling our hopes, dreams and visions.
Rich Harwood was in Hartsville, and he evens mentions Hartsville in his newest essay, Redeeming Hope. But the reason for posting these thoughts on Harwood and Hope is Hartsville. You see in this blog continued talk about the Selling Hartsville initiative. I hope if you go to some of the links from this posting, you will quickly notice that the Selling Hartsville initiative is not an exercise taking place in a vaccuum. It is an effort to help those of us who live in this community sell hope to each other that our great place to live will become an even better place to live tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow.
Harwood talks about authentic HOPE and it is good to open conversation on what it means to have authentic HOPE for Hartsville and what proof we might have that our hope has turned into actions that have created results fulfilling our hopes, dreams and visions.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Community Building and the first 100 Days
Rich Harwood of the Harwood Institute has developed what he calls a citizenship test of the first 100 Days of the Obama presidency. Rich's writing gives everyone interested in community building more food for thought. You might want to read this blog and maybe take this citizenship test.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Standing up Leadership even when you are on the other side
The following is a blog post by Rich Harwood of The Harwood Institute. If I were more technically savvy I would just include the live link but somehow I seemed to have missed that class. The example he shares in this post is, I think, crucially important if we are going to help engineer more civil, civic discourse for the public good in America -- or even in our own hometowns. While I am at it, his phamphlet, Make Hope Real is very worth time for reading. And, the fact that Hartsville is mentioned is not the only reason I recommend it.
and learn more about this new breed of leaders.
Mayor Bloomberg and the Jews
On Friday, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg stood before some 200 people at the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County to set straight a nasty rumor about Senator Barack Obama, intended to strike fear into the hearts of Jews. The rumor holds that Obama is really a Muslim, who will not support Israeli or even American interests. Bloomberg went to South Florida to tell Jews the real story, and his actions lead to this question: Will each of us stand up when our turn comes?
Over the years Bloomberg has not made it a habit to talk publicly about his Jewish faith or ties to the Jewish community. Nor is he an Obama supporter. He even tested the waters for his own presidential run this year, and he is known to be close to Senator John McCain. But according to The New York Times, Bloomberg told the Palm Beach crowd that the rumors about Obama represent "wedge politics at its worse, and we have to reject it - loudly, clearly and unequivocally."
In Make Hope Real, I dedicated Chapter 3 to what I call, "A New Breed of Leaders," and included Bloomberg among individuals who are exhibiting a new, promising kind of leadership.
"The new leaders are people who have highly pragmatic approaches to policy, who seek to find ways to make public life and politics work rather than to disparage it, who vigilantly look for opportunities to engage people in the ongoing process of governing and improving their lives, who try to avoid hyperbolic and heated rhetoric." (pg 26)
But there was another point in that chapter that I have come to believe is just as important. Over and over again, people in communities have asked me, "How communities can get the leaders they need to make public life and communities work?" My response: We must stand by our good leaders when they come under fire, even when we do not agree with their positions or political party when, to vouch for their principles and values.
That's what Bloomberg did last Friday for Obama. Instead of standing on the sidelines watching people take pot shots at Obama, he stepped forward. He did so because he knew that he held special credibility on this issue with fellow Jews; and he knew that many of the people now living in South Florida once lived in his beloved New York City.
The Times quoted Elizabeth Sadwith of Delray Beach as saying, "There was no other evidence, so I believed the [rumor-filled] e-mails." There are many people across America who might make the same statement; indeed, perhaps my 103-year old grandmother from Brooklyn, who now lives in North Miami, has entertained such thoughts.
Whether or not people end up supporting Obama is their personal business. But whisper campaigns to make people fearful must be fought head-on. Bloomberg has done that, and I gratefully and enthusiastically applaud his actions.
Now, the question for each of is: When a good leader comes under fire, will we stand next to them and vouch for their integrity and good will, even if we do not agree with a particular position or their party?
If we want to change public life and politics, then more of us will need to follow Mayor Bloomberg's lead.
and learn more about this new breed of leaders.
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