Rich Harwood opinion piece in the Jackson Free Press
Working Together to Forge a New Path in Jackson and the Country
By Rich Harwood
October 8, 2014
Many people think this country isn't on the right track. Divisiveness and acrimony have spilled into our public discourse, undermining our confidence that we can get things done together. But how can we move in the right direction and put this country and our communities on a better path? And how can we make community a common enterprise again?
There are no easy answers, but there are practical steps we can take. We need to start by focusing on our shared aspirations—what we can agree on, and not what divides us. We also need to spend more time talking about our shared responsibilities and create can-do narratives to show examples of people uniting to work for the common good. This is possible if we choose a path of hope and spend more time talking about what's right instead of what's wrong.
#I'm in Jackson this week to work with area leaders on these practical steps. I'm excited about this because I believe people in the community and across the state share many of the same aspirations—aspirations that all leaders must use as a guidepost for making decisions together. Otherwise, their actions may become disconnected from the very people they serve.