Good Old Boy, Gloria Shakespeare
It is always interesting how elections get framed. In the recent St. George City Council election, the three losing candidates worked hard to make it an election to throw out the good old boys. Mind you, none of the six candidates in the November election was an incumbent – but since when does truth matter in campaigns?
This guy’s blog post illustrates the nonsense that was circulated. I love that Gloria Shakespeare is a “good old boy.” First, as her name suggests, she’s a very girlish good old boy. Second, she is a democrat (not exactly the power group in Washington County politics). And, third, as for her good old boy activities as “the volunteer head of the neighborhood enhancement committee,” that is just about the most precious thing I’ve ever heard.
The point of Gloria’s “neighborhood enhancement committee” was specifically to take on the city council, home builders, businesses, and anyone and everyone else who – in Gloria’s opinion – proposed things that might harm the downtown neighborhoods. Gloria cozies up to those powerful interests, like Ali cozied up to Frazier.
The reason Gloria enjoys success – in taking on tough interests and in her election – is that she doesn’t defame and belittle people along the way. She doesn’t say that people she opposes are corrupt or evil. She understands that they simply have different interests and opinions. She then works to change their minds, learn from them, and – with them – improve the community around her. Her goal isn't to work against others; instead, it is to work for positive outcomes.
As for the blogger’s opinion that this election presented a unique choice between two opposing camps, that is simply wrong. Just about every election down here has someone who has been involved in the community and wants to build on the good foundation we have been given and someone who hasn’t done much to better the community but wants to tear up everything by the roots (always backed by Larry Meyers and the several acronymic groups he runs out of his basement).
Urquhart is not one of the pioneer names. I moved to St. George in 1994, and was elected to the Legislature six years later. Obviously, the hurdle to get into the good old boys club is pretty low. I’ll let you in on the secret requirements:
1. Be a boy. Or a girl.
2. Be a pioneer descendant. Or not.
3. Work to better the community in some way.
Obviously, the third requirement – work – is the only one that matters. There are so many needs and opportunities in St. George. And there are so many formal and informal ways to get involved. Just like female, democrat, rabblerousing Gloria Shakespeare, everyone in St. George can be a good old boy, if they will get off their duffs and engage in positive activities.
This guy’s blog post illustrates the nonsense that was circulated. I love that Gloria Shakespeare is a “good old boy.” First, as her name suggests, she’s a very girlish good old boy. Second, she is a democrat (not exactly the power group in Washington County politics). And, third, as for her good old boy activities as “the volunteer head of the neighborhood enhancement committee,” that is just about the most precious thing I’ve ever heard.
The point of Gloria’s “neighborhood enhancement committee” was specifically to take on the city council, home builders, businesses, and anyone and everyone else who – in Gloria’s opinion – proposed things that might harm the downtown neighborhoods. Gloria cozies up to those powerful interests, like Ali cozied up to Frazier.
The reason Gloria enjoys success – in taking on tough interests and in her election – is that she doesn’t defame and belittle people along the way. She doesn’t say that people she opposes are corrupt or evil. She understands that they simply have different interests and opinions. She then works to change their minds, learn from them, and – with them – improve the community around her. Her goal isn't to work against others; instead, it is to work for positive outcomes.
As for the blogger’s opinion that this election presented a unique choice between two opposing camps, that is simply wrong. Just about every election down here has someone who has been involved in the community and wants to build on the good foundation we have been given and someone who hasn’t done much to better the community but wants to tear up everything by the roots (always backed by Larry Meyers and the several acronymic groups he runs out of his basement).
Urquhart is not one of the pioneer names. I moved to St. George in 1994, and was elected to the Legislature six years later. Obviously, the hurdle to get into the good old boys club is pretty low. I’ll let you in on the secret requirements:
1. Be a boy. Or a girl.
2. Be a pioneer descendant. Or not.
3. Work to better the community in some way.
Obviously, the third requirement – work – is the only one that matters. There are so many needs and opportunities in St. George. And there are so many formal and informal ways to get involved. Just like female, democrat, rabblerousing Gloria Shakespeare, everyone in St. George can be a good old boy, if they will get off their duffs and engage in positive activities.
posted by steve u. at 11/21/2007
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5 Comments:
It seems like this guy's beef is with growth. He framed the first three candidates as pro-business, pro-growth, and the next three as well, not.
Why does the Tribune publish this guy's stuff by the way? I've read his op-ed columns on several occasions and am rarely impressed. Aren't there better writers out there who represent this guy's viewpoint? So, he wrote a book. Big deal. Anybody can do that.
Cameron,
I've read his stuff before, and, mostly, it looks like he's just mad or maybe mad that he's not dictator.
He does write about stopping growth, which is funny since he had moved here just months before he started harping on stopping the growth. That's fine; he has as much right as anyone else; but, most people might want to at least unpack before they tell the rest of the world to stay away.
I have to admit, a Democratic woman from Washington County doesn't at first thought come accross as a "good ole boy".
The fact that this Bruce guy is a relative newcomer opposed to growth sounds a bit disingenuous. In many communities such as mine, there are a core of old timers who share a utopian belief in a past community that didn't really exist.
We can either decide to limit the number of children we have, or find a way to accomodate growth. It is basic math.
Steve,
I noticed some traffic coming from your blog to mine today so I thought I would check out the source. Having read your original blog and the follow-up comments I thought a response to clarify a few points was in order.
First, perhaps you read my column a little too quickly and didn’t notice that the Good Old Boys and Girls Club I mentioned was not sexist. The designation I used left plenty of room for both male and female members. And I didn’t say anything about party affiliation or length of time in St. George as qualifications for joining the club. I think it’s quite clear from the article that I talked about three qualifications: ties to businesses that benefit from growth, ties to the existing city council, and a belief that continuing the current public policy relative to growth and illegal immigration is the best course for St. George to pursue.
And I’m not mad in general or mad specifically because I’m not a dictator. I’m just somebody with a variety of opinions who has the good fortune of having them published from time to time. I suspect they are published because in some cases they represent a point of view that is provocative and in other cases represent a point of view that is either shared by the editor or assumed to be shared by many who will read the publication. They are all freelance columns so it’s up to someone else to determine if they see the light of day or not.
I’m also not mad about the outcome of the city council race. I think Pike, Almquist and Gloria are all fine people and will do a great job on the council. I will likely disagree with some of the decisions they make but I don’t consider them corrupt or evil in any way. In fact, I think they will do what they believe is best for the people of St. George. I just have a disagreement with the extent of their pro-growth public policy, not their morality. I am grateful for their willingness to endure the political process and serve with very little reward or recognition.
And as you rightfully point out, those with different interests and opinions have every right to bring those forward and perhaps in the process change minds. Some do that through elected service, others through opinion columns and the like. I didn’t think it was likely the three who lost in the council race would win this time around but I am glad they generated as much interest as they did on growth and illegal immigration. I think the dialogue probably changed the way the three winners view those issues now and that’s a good thing. There are a lot of frustrated residents of Washington County on these two issues and though it’s obviously not a majority, the number of votes going to the three who were defeated shows it’s a substantial minority. Writing columns is just my way of contributing to ensure that viewpoint is heard and considered. Nothing more, nothing less.
So at the end of the day I’m quite happy, certainly not mad, to live with the outcome of the entire democratic process, even if some of the participants haven’t unpacked their bags yet. But, just to set the record straight on that point, my bags were unpacked long before the 2 and a half years of residency transpired before I wrote anything about local issues. I figured if someone could understand the myriad of local issues necessary to get elected to the State legislature after 6 years of residency, perhaps 2 and a half years was adequate to understand enough about one local issue to comment on it.
Best wishes.
Bruce
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