Enjoy!
Ted
November 28, 2011
Fred,
Thanks for writing back, taking a hard look at Mobile's crisis or opportunities must take place first before any short and long-term solutions can be offered up. What's the missing world-class venue, I don't know yet at this stage of our discovery. However, I believe it should natural and authentic to Mobile. It has to be something that can only be experienced in our port city. It has to be our own original idea and not someone else's, such as, a traveling exhibit.
It can be anything from a graduate school in the arts and literature, such as, Savannah's SCAD (Savannah's College of Art and Design) with campus in Atlanta, Hong Kong, LaCoste, France, a theatrical troupe like that of the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF), a music school like Boston's Berklee College of Music. I've been told that Mobile has a rich blues history, but no home for its past, present and future talent to develop and thrive. All we're trying to do is play off our natural strengths, not turn Mobile and its residents into something it isn't nor wants to support. It must be something that sets the rest of the town on fire, that's the true measure of success. There's lots of kindling lying around Mobile, but no flames to instantly consume it. There's no smoke and I maybe the city’s only spark.
This group exceeds 225, in size, with over one hundred professors teaching at the University of Mobile, Spring Hill College and the University of South Alabama. The rest are individuals and professionals living and working in and around Mobile. Here's an initial list of names that received my two previous emails. Let the cross-pollination begin.
You may recognize the names of friends, family, neighbors and colleagues. If you've interested in seeing Mobile succeed on, both, a community and commercial level (tourism destination) then I encourage you to simultaneously reach out to one another and start your own conversations, in person or online, while copying me on your dialogue so that I can feed this energy to the group, as a whole. The city of Mobile has its work cut-out for itself.
Mobile has lots of voids in its quality of life. What we're trying to do is to see what's missing from our town and add it back, add bright colors. What's missing from Mobile that's occurring in other fun cities that you've lived in or traveled to? What niche, what level of commitment will you make to bring your part to the city's grand puzzle? What's missing from our social life and let's create it, let's invent it while seeing how this action changes all of us in the process. It requires work, but if there's passion then it can be a lot of fun. Let's make it all fun while building something that's sustainable, environmentally-friendly and something that we can all be proud of.
As a financially-challenged philosopher and writer with a world-class audience (12,600), that's world-wide, I've come to learn that much can be accomplished on very little money, as long as, there's lots of heart, talent and time. Mobile lacks nuts (or ovaries), guts, spine and backbone, heart, soul, nerve, the right touch and wisdom. All are a MUST for Mobile to regain its integrity, dignity, sanity and balance. Let's be the change that we want to see in our country, in our world. We're facing another great depression, what other choice do we have as college football will soon be over for another year. Let's put that same money, power, time and energy planning, cheering, partying and pour it into our own game as we come together to field a team of hundreds or even thousands of resident as we must now march 99 yards across the field to break the goal line and score a touchdown. We all know the game and its rules.
It may take a year, 5, 10 or 20 years to accomplish this goal, but what better things can we be doing with our life, for ourselves and for generations to come. Let's recruit executives to town, with money and influence, to live and not just their laborers; its poor thinking that’s quite egotistical of the Chamber and old Mobile. Stop using everyone while lining your own pockets.
I am reminded of another family member, a former investment banker from Montgomery, AL. While alive, he hung the moon in our family and in the state’s capitol. Philip A. Sellers, was a Washington and Lee graduate while serving in World War II, as a colonel. He got married and they had four children and many grandchildren. A former president of the Montgomery Chamber of Commerce, he was a long-time member of the boards of ASF, the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, and the Montgomery Symphony. This tireless volunteer has worked with the YMCA, the Montgomery Area United Way, Jackson and Baptist Hospitals, the Montgomery Area Council on Aging, Huntingdon College, Sweet Briar College and the Davis Theatre for the Performing Arts. He was appointed by the governor to Alabama's Commission of Higher Education. While receiving an award as the Montgomery Advertiser’s Man of the Year, he said the following.
“We’re not put here to test the waters, but to make waves. Each generation hopes for a better world for the next, but hoping alone won’t do it. It takes a little work, a little effort, but the rewards are invaluable.”
He comments on the impact of the ASF to Montgomery...
"When the Alabama Shakespeare Festival came to Montgomery, Philip Sellers was made chairman of the board. He has said, in typical style, "It was a wonderful experience. I think I got much more out of it than I put into it." Never short on vision, even Sellers admits that he couldn't foresee the immensity of the change in the arts in Montgomery when he returned here after serving in the Pacific theatre in World War II. Seemingly tireless, he is dropping off of some of the committees he has long served on. However, he does so realizing the huge impact they have had on the Montgomery area. "I don't think we were smart enough to think of the arts in business terms, what it might mean as far as attracting industry to the community," he said. "We looked at it more in terms of what it meant to children, and to the generations who would come long after them."" (Source: The Council on Arts)
We need to get rid of the unnecessary, the caked on false belief systems, the suits of armor that divide us and get down to the bare essentials. Inventory the city's and the residents' assets and liabilities, our strengths and weaknesses, our needs and wants. Develop the strengths while working on the long-term solutions to address our weaknesses. Personally, I just solved a 22-year-old crisis in my life that existed for much longer than this, but denial and no easy solution kept me from confronting it and my many other problems that I've freely written about.
Mobile, its leaders and its public officials are in deep denial. The reminiscence of Occupy Mobile! is proof enough. We’re facing a crisis of epic portion. Is it Washington’s to solve, is it Montgomery’s or is it ours? We got ourselves into this mess and it didn’t happen over tonight nor will real solutions simply appear. Work is required, are we willing to do the necessary so that the rising tide will lift all boats, creating positive attitudes? Is being “a city of potential” what we want or do we want to flip the switch and start enjoying the free-flowing kinetic energy?
(Here are the professors, see cc: for the list of names of individuals and professionals.)
alchow@usouthaledu, asharland@usouthal.edu, awilliams@usouthal.edu, ccmoore@usouthal.edu, cfreed@usouthal.edu, ckhudson@usouth.al.edu, cking@usouthal.edu, cschulze@usouthal.edu, davidmitchell@usouthal.edu, dcmosley@usouthal.edu, depley@usouthal.edu, dgartman@usouthal.edu, dlarson@usouthal.edu, dspake@usouthal.edu, eharriso@usouthal.edu, emadden@usouthal.edu, furbancic@usouthal.edu, gillis@usouthal.edu, gpennywell@usouthal.edu, gprescot@usouthal.edu, hmckiven@usouthal.edu, ikhan@usouthal.edu, jcoker@usouthal.edu, jexline@usouthal.edu, jgamble@usouthal.edu, jmaes@usouthal.edu, jsneath@usouthal.edu, jswoffor@usouthal.edu, khsu@usouthal.edu, khunsader@usouthal.edu, knicholls@usouthal.edu, kpettway@usouthal.edu, kwoodford@usouthal.edu, lhaas@usouthal.edu, lsuberly@usouthal.edu, markweaver@usouthal.edu, mbranch@usouthal.edu, mdaley@usouthal.edu, mfoster@usouthal.edu, micenogle@usouthal.edu, michaelhorton@usouthal.edu, mmenon@usouthal.edu, msegal@usouthal.edu, msumerlin@usouthal.edu, nentessar@usouthal.edu, nlambe@usouthal.edu, pforbus@usouthal.edu, ppietri@usouthal.edu, rdickens@usouthal.edu, retzlaff@usouthal.edu, rhanks@usouthal.edu, rhardin@usouthal.edu, rnelson@usouthal.edu, schang@usouthal.edu, spicou@usouthal.edu, tgillespie@usouthal.edu, tnoland@usouthal.edu, tshaw@usouthal.edu, ttucker@usouthal.edu, turnipseed@usouthal.edu, tweldy@usouthal.edu, vbryan@usouthal.edu, vjavine@usouthal.edu, zfinney@usouthal.edu, ataylor@umobile.edu, bhinson@umobile.edu, ctaylor@umobile.edu, dwilson@umobile.edu, dyounce@umobile.edu, jbiskner@umobile.edu, jbyrd@umobile.edu, jeffreyq@umobile.edu, jfinley@umobile.edu, jgwin@umobile.edu, jminton@umobile.edu, jrobertson@umobile.edu, jtalmage@umobile.edu, kdunning@umobile.edu, ldenton@umobile.edu, ncillo@umobile.edu, ngautier@umobile.edu, randalld@umobile.edu, rolsen@umobile.edu, rroberts@umobile.edu, svest@umobile.edu, tbevill@umobile.edu, tmashburn@umobile.edu, ALachaussee@shc.edu, alandi@shc.edu, bholbert@shc.edu, borbridge@shc.edu, cdodsworth@shc.edu, gpartridge@shc.edu, harrison@shc.edu, hsalazar@shc.edu, jeads@shc.edu, jforstrom@shc.edu, jfrancozamudio@shc.edu, jlarriviere@shc.edu, jswitzer@shc.edu, korange@shc.edu, lburnett@shc.edu, mbrandon@shc.edu, mferry@shc.edu, mkenny@shc.edu, nhamilton@shc.edu, nlarriviere@shc.edu, rbracken@shc.edu, rharding@shc.edu, rlucas@shc.edu, rsimpson@shc.edu, sandler@shc.edu, sbushardt@shc.edu, scastello@shc.edu, sduncan@shc.edu, sharpa@shc.edu, starr@shc.edu, swilson@shc.edu, thoffman@shc.edu, tward@shc.edu, hrowan@shc.edu,
Enjoy,
Ted Burnett
500 Lincoln St. B-105
Daphne, AL 36526 USA
C: 251-709-3726
Email: tebjr1@yahoo.com
My blog: www.toxicnation.blogspot.com
My bio: www.tedburnettresume.blogspot.com
Question everything.
From: Ted Burnett
To: Rich Sullivan
Cc: Bob Burnett
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 6:41 PM
Subject: Re: New Mobile Foundation
Fred,
Thanks for writing back and staking out your position as a city council member. Mobile is a dead city. It lacks tourism because it lacks a world-class venue or two. I am convinced that Mobile is covered up in much talent, but the residents have all been straightjacketed to old traditions that serve the wretched few at the expense of the city's budget and all its residents. Mardi Gras comes to mind.
As a fourth-generation Mobilian, my great-grandfather boarded a ship, in Christchurch, New Zealand, at the turn of the 20th century that landed him in Mobile. For ten years, John J. McMahon served as a city clerk before starting his own printing business, Powers Printing Co. on Michael Street?. McMahon married a Mobile girl, Katy. They lived in the fine neighborhood of Flo Claire and they had two daughters, both, attended Catholic schools, college and they made their debuts during Mardi Gras. Quiet a feat, for any immigrant coming to Mobile even for today.
John J. McMahon served as president of the Country Club of Mobile, Mobile Community Chest and he still holds the record as the long-serving president of the Mobile Public Library (Main) at seventeen years, in the 1930-40's. He was a member of Rotary and the Mobile Chamber of Commerce. Upon his death, in 1948, his obituary made front page news of the Mobile Press-Register describing him as "a businessman and civic leader". When he wasn't socializing on Flo Claire, at the country club, he could be found spending his summers at his bay house sitting on the bluffs of Daphne overlooking Mobile Bay. While not a rich man at his death, he was very accomplished. His widow lived out the remainder of her life in a penthouse at St. Matthews?? towering over Government Street, in the Oakleigh Garden District. That's part of my history... the fame, the fortune and the power would be spent recklessly by the next generations. So, we know boom and bust and a lot more bust.
Your vision and mine for this city of potential vary greatly. In your mind, we've already arrived just drop the Moon Pie on New Year's Eve and let's celebrate. Celebrate what -- the city's debt, the city's and the taxpayer's expensive maritime museum which lacks vision, direction and revenue and it has the city on the hook. Celebrate what -- the city's now vacant cruise terminal, celebrate the city's crime problem or its perception.
From the Eastern Shore, we laugh at you Mobilians and we think you live a crappy life with no sunrises or sunsets, no boat riding, no crabbing, no fishing, no sailing... The city went west to the pines of Mississippi when it should have gone south along the bay and through, both, Dog and Fowl Rivers. No vision then and no vision now. You think Mobile has arrived where? All its venues are old from Bellingrath Gardens, the USS Alabama Battleship Park, the Exploreum and IMAX. Almost every mid-sized and large cities in the South have an IMAX, Pensacola has one, New Orleans has one, Atlanta has one, Birmingham probably has one. So, what's so special about our IMAX?
We have too many vacant buildings and empty parking lots in downtown. We have an empty Saenger Theater, an uninspired and segregated society. This must change and now, not tomorrow at the city's pace and on its terms. You lack real power, yours like most others is tied to an office, to an job title and not much else. You don't know anything about leading.
Screw old Mobile and screw old black Mobile, screw Mardi Gras, screw the country club, screw all traditions that no longer serve the interest of the entire city and only divide us. The times and a bankrupt city and nation demand new and different thinking to tackle the host of problems infecting this community -- our inner-city neighborhoods, crappy public schools and elitist private schools, segregated neighborhoods, the Catholic Church with its two gold-leafed domes reminding all, both, the residents and visitors alike of its real core values.
I don't recall Jesus wearing gold robes, gold teeth, gold shoes or living in a gold domed cathedral. I seen enough incompetence and injustice in this town. It's time for the career-politicians, judges, police chief and sheriff to go to jail like everyone else. Time for all of you to get a taste of your own medicine, its time to suck dick or get spanked by the good judge. Take your pick.
Mobile is a year around circus with fools running all the courts, Mardi Gras included, and government plaza. I am not being very nice to you and our city's "leaders", tough!
Feedback...
Ted, thanks for including me. I am of the opinion that the way to re-launch a "dead" city is NOT to design it from the top but to lower the tax burden on everyone within the city's environs so THEY can do what needs to be done. Much of what a person might consider "dead" in Mobile would quickly come to life if the City did not think of businesses as the golden goose that pays their bills!
Let's have a public forum and discuss this!
~John
John B. Switzer, PhD
Assistant Professor of Theology
Director of Graduate Programs in Theology & Ministry
Spring Hill College
4000 Dauphin Street
Mobile, AL 36608
(251) 380-4669
www.johnswitzer.com
Certainly an idea worth exploring! -- Kathy Dunning
From: Ted Burnett [tebjr11@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, November 27, 2011 1:36 PM
To: Kathy Dunning;
Subject: New Mobile Foundation
From the desk of Mobile City Council Vice President Fred Richardson...
We already hold neighborhood beat meeting where key city department heads, police officials, and neighborhood and business leaders join elected official inside of neighborhoods just to hear from them and share with them pertinent information. At this meeting, most issues are addressed on the spot. The only interest at these are those of people living in the neighborhood. A report is given at the next meeting on all issues raised at the previous meeting.
Your think tank consist of selected individuals coming up with ideals that may help others. However, I am convinced that taking it to the people is always best. No thanks.
Fred Richardson
Fredrick D. Richardson, Jr.
Mobile City Council Vice President Representing District 1
P.O. Box 1827
Mobile, AL 36633
Email: richardson@cityofmobile.org
Office: 251 208 7441
Fax 251.208.7482
Web: cityofmobile.org
Enjoy,
Ted Burnett
500 Lincoln St. B-105
Daphne, AL 36526 USA
C: 251-709-3726
Email: tebjr1@yahoo.com
My blog: www.toxicnation.blogspot.com
My bio: www.tedburnettresume.blogspot.com
Question everything.
From: Ted Burnett
To: Rich Sullivan
Cc: Bob Burnett
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