At first I was going to title this post, "Can you please just shut the hell up?"

But I thought that might be a little much. ;)

I'm not going to go into a whole bunch of detail about why I feel this post is necessary. Anyone who has attended a Ward 8 community meeting (or any neighborhood meeting for that matter) can probably relate in part to my frustration. In theory, I really love community meetings. I like the idea of members of the immediate and extended community coming together to share ideas and work on solutions and to just come together in fellowship. I've attended some really great community meetings in the past.  Hell, I've hosted some really great community meetings so I see their benefits when done well.

That being said most of these meetings are PAINFUL! 

If we want things to change we have to change. That means sometimes closing your mouth and opening your ears! And for the love of God if you only want to hear the sound of your voice (without offering any real solutions) will you please stay home! Being obstructive for the sake of being an impediment to progress does not make you look smart! It makes you look ignorant in every sense of the word!  Stop wasting everyone's time and sit down! Community meetings are not the forum to show everyone what a hard ass you can be. It doesn't make you look smart, or witty, or even strong. It makes you look like a self-involved asshole that no one wants to work with.



I feel like when I go to Ward 8 community meetings as of late this is who shows up:

1. The Concerned Resident (may God bless your soul!)
2. The Angry Resident
3. The Angry ANC Commissioner
4. The Angry Contractor-who-didn't-get-selected-and-must-use-this-meeting-to-gripe-about-it
5. The Angry Politician
6. The Campaigning Politician
7. The Angry Community Advocate
8. The Angry Small Business Owner
9. The Angry Heckler
10. The Confused/Timid/ Presenter
11. The Apologetic Agency Representative
12. The Person who takes everyone off topic
13. The Complainer
14. The Person who's response to everything is "I've lived here longer than you!"

Because I don't want to be "The Complainer" I am going to include a TEDx speech on how to create a better community dialogue. Check the video out below.

I would love to hear from readers about their thoughts on community meetings they have attended. If you can please include information on the community meeting or organization so that other's may learn (or at least get some really good feedback!).

Thanks!


P.S. I'm going to start skipping these meetings all together and just emailing the parties involved directly. I may have a better chance of having a productive dialogue about the issues. At the very least I wouldn't go home so defeated, frustrated, and mentally exhausted.