Friday, May 3, 2013

Charlotte the Contender vs. Atlanta the Exceptional?

I confess I am biased toward North Carolina. My mom went to school there, at A & T when higher education opportunities for African American women were miniscule. My dad helped send Rev. Jesse Jackson to A & T. Watching ACC basketball was not a small factor in choosing Duke. Research Triangle Park, former Governor Terry Sanford, summers during high school at Bennett College all leave me favorably predisposed toward North Carolina.

But I heard the siren song of Atlanta early, too.  Daddy went to grad school at AU.  We rode the train from Greenville to visit him, stayed and ate at Paschals.  It was magical.  Greenville is half-way between Atlanta and Charlotte, just about the way my heart is torn between the two cities.

It is not surprising that I agree with a recent article touting Charlotte’s rise as a national political power. I joke with my elected official friends in Atlanta. “How can you scare a Georgia politician? Mention Charlotte.” All humor is based on a whacked out version of truth. North Carolina has embraced its HBCU’s. Nobody talks about consolidating A & T or Johnson C. Smith. North Carolina built the Research Triangle Park, linking and leveraging the power of North Carolina State, Duke and Chapel Hill. North Carolina has terrible roads and great schools. Georgia has great roads and terrible schools.

North Carolina has dedicated funding for mass transit. Georgians just defeated the TSPLOST, delaying or perhaps killing realistic options for saner transportation across Metro Atlanta. Now Anthony Foxx is going to run DOT for President Obama and Mel Watt is tapped for a national housing post. North Carolina is gaining clout and recognition because its voters reject knee-jerk reactions in favor of common sense bi-partisan solutions.

It is hard to disagree with the article’s conclusion that “Charlotte has in fact become, for now, a political power center in the state of North Carolina and maybe in the Southeast.” Last night, as Ingrid Saunders Jones gave the first of many closing statements of her storied career at The Coca-Cola Company, she advised a stellar crowd to be intentional about preserving what is exceptional about Atlanta. I couldn’t agree more.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Howdy! Someone in my Facebook group shared this website with us
so I came to look it over. I'm definitely enjoying the information. I'm
bookmarking and will be tweeting this to my followers!
Great blog and fantastic style and design.

My homepage; semenax

Anonymous said...

May I simply say what a relief to find somebody who actually
knows what they are talking about online. You actually
understand how to bring an issue to light and make
it important. More and more people ought to check this out and understand this side of your story.
I was surprised you are not more popular because you definitely have
the gift.

Also visit my web page: google law firm

Anonymous said...

hi there Mr. JOJO,
Pls email me the vedio for Laser
Printer utilized for PCB.

Also visit my blog - xerox Phaser 8560mfp

oakleyses said...

longchamp outlet, replica watches, nike air max, oakley sunglasses, christian louboutin uk, ray ban sunglasses, nike free, longchamp pas cher, cheap oakley sunglasses, tiffany and co, jordan shoes, nike air max, christian louboutin, louboutin pas cher, ray ban sunglasses, prada handbags, oakley sunglasses wholesale, polo outlet, kate spade outlet, longchamp outlet, longchamp outlet, michael kors pas cher, prada outlet, gucci handbags, ugg boots, christian louboutin outlet, louis vuitton outlet, louis vuitton, chanel handbags, nike roshe, jordan pas cher, nike free run, air max, louis vuitton outlet, tory burch outlet, oakley sunglasses, oakley sunglasses, ray ban sunglasses, sac longchamp pas cher, louis vuitton, tiffany jewelry, nike outlet, christian louboutin shoes, polo ralph lauren, louis vuitton outlet, ugg boots, replica watches, uggs on sale

oakleyses said...

nike free uk, ray ban pas cher, guess pas cher, kate spade, ray ban uk, nike roshe run uk, new balance, abercrombie and fitch uk, michael kors outlet online, north face, uggs outlet, replica handbags, michael kors outlet online, coach purses, burberry outlet, hogan outlet, uggs outlet, michael kors outlet, vans pas cher, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, nike blazer pas cher, hollister uk, michael kors, sac hermes, polo lacoste, nike tn, true religion outlet, converse pas cher, michael kors outlet online, hollister pas cher, sac vanessa bruno, michael kors outlet online, nike air force, true religion outlet, michael kors outlet, true religion jeans, burberry handbags, coach outlet store online, nike air max, michael kors, oakley pas cher, lululemon canada, nike air max uk, nike air max uk, coach outlet, north face uk, mulberry uk

oakleyses said...

iphone 6s cases, chi flat iron, ipad cases, north face outlet, hollister, ralph lauren, wedding dresses, nike air max, north face outlet, louboutin, baseball bats, insanity workout, iphone 6 plus cases, soccer jerseys, celine handbags, asics running shoes, ferragamo shoes, mcm handbags, valentino shoes, p90x workout, nike roshe run, babyliss, timberland boots, nfl jerseys, iphone cases, lululemon, iphone 5s cases, ghd hair, iphone 6 cases, mont blanc pens, longchamp uk, hollister clothing, beats by dre, reebok outlet, instyler, s6 case, oakley, bottega veneta, hermes belt, soccer shoes, herve leger, jimmy choo outlet, mac cosmetics, abercrombie and fitch, new balance shoes, nike trainers uk, iphone 6s plus cases, nike huaraches

oakleyses said...

canada goose outlet, canada goose, swarovski crystal, canada goose, canada goose, karen millen uk, ray ban, coach outlet, wedding dresses, moncler, louis vuitton, moncler outlet, swarovski, moncler, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, juicy couture outlet, moncler, marc jacobs, barbour, gucci, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, toms shoes, links of london, supra shoes, pandora charms, doudoune moncler, hollister, canada goose outlet, ugg, converse, replica watches, pandora jewelry, pandora uk, ugg uk, barbour uk, moncler uk, moncler outlet, hollister, louis vuitton, louis vuitton, canada goose outlet, ugg pas cher, montre pas cher, louis vuitton, moncler, juicy couture outlet, louis vuitton, vans, canada goose uk, thomas sabo, canada goose jackets, nike air max, converse outlet