Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Chutzpah

From Wikipedia:

Chutzpah (pronounced /ˈhʊtspə/) is the quality of audacity, for good or for bad. The word derives from the Hebrew word ḥuṣpâ (חֻצְפָּה), meaning "insolence", "audacity", and "impertinence."
That defines Jana McMillan. Sadly, this is not good chutzpah. The great American tradition of questioning authority is a virtue only in the presence of humility, intelligence and civility.

But it is not Ms. McMillan with whom we should be concerned - it is ourselves. We elected her. The people of College Station have become somnolent and allowed candidates to be elected who do not share the values expressed when we are awake and engaged. Low voter turnout has allowed a small cynical crowd to seat City Council members who do not view most investments in quality of life as a valid function of the city.

To get a sense of our community values I encourage you to view the notes from the Citizens Congress called by Mayor White in 2006.

College Station is a wonderful community and it has the ability to be even better. Who we elect to City Council makes a big difference in our sense of place and quality of life.

No comments: