The Times They Are A'Changing

Not too long after I moved to Fannin County I was told by several people that the county was run by long-time resident good old boys who are resistant to change and suspicious of newcomers and new ideas, even ones that might allow local government to run more economically or efficiently or transparently. I was told that they prefer to do things the way they have always been done. It was even suggested to me that life could get unpleasant for any newcomer who was critical of local government and tried to rock the boat too much. I suspect that I’m not the only new resident of Fannin County to hear that.

I’m skeptical that a newcomer is under any genuine threat for criticizing the local establishment or suggesting new or better ways of doing things. This isn’t the Mafia we’re dealing with. I don’t think anyone is going to wake up with a severed horse’s head beside them in bed. A possum or squirrel maybe, but not a horse’s head.

However, it doesn’t surprise me that there are good old boys in Fannin County who are hesitant to embrace new and different ways of doing things. Any time there is an influx of new blood to an area, particularly an area that is rural and somewhat isolated, it is inevitable that some of those who have been there for a long time will be cool to the ideas of the newcomers for fear that the newcomers are trying to change their way of life.

I saw the same thing in Florida. There were bumper stickers saying that if you think things were so great up north why don’t you move back there. If you can have that attitude in a state that is mostly populated by newcomers, it’s not surprising to run into it here where the major influx of new residents has only occurred in the last ten to twenty years, and old timers significantly outnumber newcomers.

Thus, I don’t doubt that some of the good old boys around here feel threatened by newcomers with new ideas. What I cannot assess is whether that attitude is so pervasive and strongly held that it is a waste of time for newcomers to even try. I’ve been poking and prodding at the edges of local government since I’ve been here, and all I’ve seen is the usual resistance of local government to change. So far no one has tried to stone me for heresy or paint a big scarlet letter on my chest or ride me out of town on a rail. (And I have to think that if anyone can produce that sort of reaction it’s probably me. What I lack in tact I make up for in obnoxiousness.)

When you think about it, it’s really stupid for the good old boys to be resistant to new ideas.

For one thing, it’s for damn sure that their ancestors were not that stupid when they decided to uproot themselves to move to Northwest Georgia beginning in the 1840s. They saw the benefit of embracing change and breaking with the past in order to find new beginnings and new opportunities in a new land. Once they got here (not an easy feat in the 1840s), they didn’t become hidebound reactionaries who turned a deaf ear to new ideas and innovation. They built schools to educate their children and roads to enhance commerce. They sought out new and better ways to grow crops, market their products and improve their standard of living. They looked to the future and did not wallow in the past. If the ancestors of the current good old boys were not afraid of change, why should their descendants be?

The good old boys should consider why newcomers move here. Most of the newbies to this area come from urban areas, and they come to get away from the problems and hassles of urban life—the traffic, the crowding, the rudeness, the crime, the high taxes, the fast pace of life and the pressure. They come here because they like the relaxed pace of life, the casual friendliness of the people, the small town atmosphere and all the other things that make rural America great. The last thing most newcomers want is to turn Fannin County into the place they came from. It stands to reason that they are not going to suggest ideas that they believe will change Fannin County for the worse.

That doesn’t mean that all their ideas are good but it does mean that the newcomers are not trying to ruin the place, but rather preserve it and make it better. Thus, the good old boys should be less suspicious of the newcomers’ motives and more receptive to giving their ideas and suggestions some consideration.

Some of the ideas and suggestions of the newcomers may actually be good ones that will enable local government to run more efficiently or more responsively or more cheaply. They may be ideas that will improve the local quality of life or help to protect and preserve the things that make Fannin County so attractive. Many of the people who move to Fannin County held responsible jobs in government and private industry before they came. They should be viewed as a treasure trove of talent, expertise and experience that can be harnessed for the good of the county, rather than officious interlopers bent on the county’s destruction.

Finally, the good old boys need to understand that the newcomers represent a powerful political force. As their numbers grow, their votes will matter, and you can bet they will want to live in a county that is well-run and well managed. After all, it’s their tax dollars at work also.

The good old boys need to remember that change, like it or not, is inevitable. The smart person is the one who manages change rather than runs away from it.