A Passion for Community

As Valentine’s Day approaches, I thought it timely to discuss passion . . . recalling Cupid’s arrow that infuses emotions very distinct from reason. People who fall passionately in love tend to take unreasonable risks.

Just as with love, there are risks in being passionate about community. Detrick Bonhoeffer wrote that those who are passionate about community can unintentionally harm their community. How it that so? When their passion ignores the present reality and they fail to have a reasoned strategy to accomplish the change they desire.

Becoming aware of the risks of change may help: 1. Many people have unrealistic expectations of needed change and how quickly change should take place. 2. Disruption of the status quo creates fear of a loss of order. 3. Change may expose biases some are not yet prepared to discuss. 4. Change disrupts the current perception of community – and triggers anger when the dream is left unrealized.

Our passion for community must be tempered with an objective vision that leads people to invest time and energy to bring it about. Positive change requires reasonable planning and action.

I ask you to join me in in my campaign to provide objective and reasoned leadership for the Third District and Long Beach. We can bring about change for the better – together.