Detroit Free Press Associate Editor Ron Dzwonkowski attended a Center for Michigan Community Conversation earlier this month and walked away hoping you, too, will take the time to speak your mind on Michigan’s future…
“It’s not enough to just say, a la Howard Beale, ‘we’re mad as hell and we’re not going to take it any more.’ There has to be a better plan, too. And for the moment, no one seems to be doing as much as the Center to develop one. This is the sort of grass rootsy movement that can make the political establishment very nervous…And that’s a good thing… If you attend one of these conversations, you’ll have a chance to say what kind of place you want Michigan to be, and how we can fire up a more diverse economy yet preserve the natural qualities that make the state attractive. (One idea gaining traction in conversations so far is a major promotion of this state as the “north coast,” a freshwater option to the crowded East Coast, unstable West Coast and hurricane-prone Gulf Coast.)…You’ll get to vote on priorities and when the Center finishes all its meetings and runs a final tally for a report next year, you’ll know somebody, somewhere was listening. I believe all these voices will be hard to ignore.
You can join the conversation today. Five thousand people have participated so far. Five thousand more will participate in the next several months. To convene, or participate in, a community conversation in your area, just drop us a line at info@thecenterformichigan.net or call 734-769-4625.
