By the Rev. Todd Hester
Jesus is comin’. Any moment we’ll see the heavens open wide and the Four Horsemen ride through Chick-fil-A’s drive-through and the Whore of Babylon parade down Garnett. Yep, the Apocalypse is upon us – how else do you explain the president of NASCAR saying he doesn’t want Confederate flags at the racetrack?
Now, as much as I dislike the Confederate banner, and as much as I love racin’, I have to admit that the Rebel banner is as much a part of stock car racing as short-shorts are a part of Daisy Duke. But President Brian France says that the only flag for NASCAR is the American flag and that everyone should unite behind that standard. Cue the trumpets.
The only other explanation is that NASCAR has a certain history, a certain past, and with that past comes a reputation and a perception, and the president understands that in order to move forward and make progress, those reputations and perceptions must be dealt with. NASCAR will have to let go of the past to move into the future.
“The part of Brian France will be played this evening by the Henderson City Council.”
Or so we hope. Somebody has to make some tough calls to deal with our past and secure our future. Gladly, we recently had an election here in town. To some, this may be old news, but judging by the poor turnout, I can only conclude that not many knew. (Although the Presbyterians apparently knew: Three of the newly elected, whose names are withheld to protect the innocent, are Presbyterians, which brings to mind Christ’s famous saying that wherever two or three Presbyterians are gathered together, all hell breaks loose. Or something like that.)
And this despite a media blitz about the election that would rival the Apocalypse itself. (Yes, more multiheaded monsters and whatnot.) Anyway, some of the reputed Old Guard were voted out, and some of the reputed New Guard were voted in. Of course, the Old Guard started out as the New Guard once upon a time, so all things are relative. But many are interpreting this as a new opportunity for a fresh start here in our little town, and hopefully it is, because we sorely need a new opportunity for a fresh start (read: more and better jobs, increased law enforcement, stronger schools, and free golf memberships for ministers).
In order to achieve these lofty goals, the fresh-faced council will have to deal with the past, because the sad commentary is that the noble citizenry of this burg distrusts the gubbermint. Why, you innocently ask? Well, because the leadership of Henderson hasn’t always planned well for the future, or at least that’s the considered opinion of many Hendersonians.
There is still confusion and rumor about past decisions, such as the one many moons ago opposing a brewery in Vance County, or the one pushing Interstate 85 away from downtown Henderson. This confusion extends to the present day, as any news or opinion piece on Embassy Square will attest to.
The perception is that the leadership makes decisions that benefit the leadership, and the paucity of public information gives that perception traction. The new council is going to have to deal with that past. The new council is going to have to pursue an agenda of transparency if it wants to heal those old rifts and create a sense of solidarity in the council and in the community. Without that transparency, the old perception of leadership benefiting leadership will hold sway, regardless of how progressive this council’s policies are, simply because that distrust will remain.
Hearken! Can you hear the trumpets blowing? It’s the celebratory sound of council members who open up municipal government to those who elect the governors. It’s the glad tiding of council members who provide information to the public as to policy and process, so that the governed make informed decisions. It’s the happy reverberations of decision-making that benefits all involved instead of the few. It’s the sound of a council that serves instead of a council that is served.
In Henderson, that’s quite a revelation.
Todd Hester is the pastor of Cotton Memorial Presbyterian Church.