“Be a nuisance when it counts…”

At this weeks Commission meeting Dr. Christopher Collins draws his inspiration from Maggy Hurchella.

Here it is:

As Marjory Stoneman Douglas wrote: “Be a nuisance when it counts. Do your part to inform and stimulate the public to join your action. Be depressed, discouraged & disappointed at failure & the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption & bad politics – but never give up.” History does not remember those who given the opportunity to be leaders and reformers, followed the path of least resistance. History remembers those who fought for what was good, went against the grain, no matter how they were characterized at the time. People like Maggie Hurchalla, who overcame the seduction of going along to get along. She didn’t care about what developers thought about her or what their apologists wrote. At the time she was disparaged by many, but ask almost any resident today and they’ll tell you, they sure wish she was back. Maggie was special because her identity was not defined by her seat or title. She defined her seat and used it to serve all of us, not herself. We live where we do, because of that kind of leadership. That is the kind of leaders we should want to be. Because contrary to how important we may feel at cocktail parties… Our positions do not matter except that we should be judged more harshly if we held them and did not do as much good as we could with the time we had. As the scripture says, to whom much is given, much will be required. It is not too late to serve residents. Redemption is the best part of any story. If you will represent residents and their interests at these meetings, if you will speak their words from this dais, they will embrace you. Not with forced smiles and handshakes for properly towing the line, but with endless thank you’s, big hugs and the the kind of satisfaction you will only find by doing the right thing. Especially when it’s hard. So, tonight, to residents I say, please, never give up. Thank you.

Thanks to Dr Christopher Collins for speaking out and stepping up!