September 10, 2004
It's BAAACK
The "City of Character" issue is rearing its ugly head in South Haven once again. A group of area residents met recently to discuss how they might proceed to imlement the program. Holland (MI), which has proclaimed itself to be a "City of Character" sent a speaker to the meeting to talk about the great benefits which derive from such designation. According to my source, she kept saying that, of course, no one could possibly object to the 49 so-called character traits, presented in sound bites, which are the basis of the program.
Now, all of this reminds me an awful lot of those folks who loudly proclaim themselves to be "religious" or "spiritual." Saying it don't make it so. Putting up signs declaring that your town is a "City of Character" and proclaiming thereby your righteousness and goodness, is instantly suspect in my book. However, the Mayor of our fair town, Dale Lewis, was heard to say that if the question arose in City Council again the Council would pass the issue, effectively imposing a biblical and right-wing "christian" ethic on everyone in town.
If this group wants to implement these character traits and values in their churches, I say fine--go for it. But to implement such a program in the schools, businesses and city government is scarey, 'way too close to designing, if not requiring, conformity in thought, word and deed. It may be called voluntary, but so is paying your "voluntary" income tax. Imagine, if you will, a child in school or even a business owner trying to opt out because they believe the concept is wrong-headed or stupid. How do they do that? "Oh. You don't believe in good character and family values? What's wrong with you!? You must be crazy, weird, a crook, a bad apple, not a team player." Or worse. This is treading thin ice.
I don't know about you, but traits such as meekness, servility ("I will ask my leaders before I do (whatever) because they represent a higher authority) and kow-towing to, instead of questioning, authority, strike me as mindless, and I, for one, will take a pass.
Anyone who is seriously interested in knowing the background of the "City of Character" program should do some research on the origins and the goals. The original program was created by a fundamentalist preacher, Bill Gotherd and his Institute of Basic Life Principles in Illinois, and picked up by an oil industry non-public corporation in Oklahoma, wiped of its overt references to old testament themes, and used to program the company's employees. The company's profits rose. Their expenses fell. There is no mention of the benefits accrued to the employees, all of whom are now, presumably, happy little worker bees. It's all for the good of the corporation.
And bear in mind that this is no a free program. O no. The company which started the marketing of the "City of Character" sells the program and materials through the CharacterFirst Institute, and teaches, for a hefty fee, how to present it.
For more information about Character First and Cities of Character, go to www.liberty1st.org/cfirst.aspx
For a news story on Bill Gotherd and the Institute of Basic Life Principles go to www.wishtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=679755
Posted by Vikke at September 10, 2004 11:08 PM
Comments
I'm not in favor of the CoC idea either. However, I'd like to point out that all of the funding it requires will be paid through fundraisers manned by the group that is behind it.
Posted by: Liz Overhiser at September 14, 2004 07:41 PM
Even if the groups behind the City of Character fund it, my concern is that South Haven -the city-does not, and should not, officially give "City of Character" its imprimatur by publically endorsing it, which would be the case if the Council passed such a resolution
Posted by: vikke at September 16, 2004 10:35 AM