Is Councilmember Eric Crafton following in former Nashville Mayor Bill Boner’s notorious footsteps?

That question is admittedly somewhat unfair to Crafton, who hasn’t humiliated local residents with his harmonica playing, extramarital affairs or tales of “seven-hour-long passion” on national television. By accounts I’ve read, Crafton’s personal life is free of the level of nonsense that Boner seemed to champion. Nonetheless, last year Crafton revelled in the opportunity to discuss his English First ballot initiative on Fox News for viewers across the U.S. to see. For anyone who’s proud of the great city Nashville has become in the past 20 years, it wasn’t pretty.

The news that Nashville’s Metro Council had passed an English-first bill generated media attention, much of it casting the city in an unwelcome light, in cities nationwide. Only then-Mayor Bill Purcell’s subsequent veto helped to balance the coverage with a more positive view of Nashville.

For a city that’s a lot closer to being progressive and cosmopolitan than it was when Boner served as last lead executive in 1991, it’s unfortunate, in my opinion, to have a local elected official drawing attention to a measure that will accomplish very little–other than casting our city as an intolerant and unwelcoming place and possibly resulting in costly legal expenses down the line.

The good news this time around is that Crafton’s posturing and shortsighted initiative is focused squarely on his work as a Council member (and not on any Boneresque antics that involve infidelity or musical instruments). No, Crafton isn’t Boner (at least not yet), but in my opinion he’s doing much more harm than good when it comes to Nashville’s image and identity.

Thoreau once wrote, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.” It’s regrettable that so many of us are distracted by silly diversions that fail to address the real problems we face as a society, but it’s also encouraging that some go out of their way to give generously and with compassion to help people in need.

It’s even more amazing when one of those people is a child. Ellie Ambrose is a teenager these days, but she hasn’t lost her motivation for helping people facing desperate situations:

Ellie’s Run for Africa is the God-given dream of a young American girl to help families and children in Africa. Combining educational efforts in area churches and schools with a 5K run and family fun day, Ellie’s Run for Africa raises awareness of and funding for Africans who struggle to meet basic needs such as health care, food, water, shelter, clothing and education.

I admire this amazing effort, which will mark its fifth-annual race this weekend on Saturday morning (June 14) at Percy Warner Park. There’s still time to make an online donation if you’re interested in lending a hand toward a little root-striking. Thanks for making a difference, Ellie.

Mike Byrd is right that Councilmember Eric Crafton’s plans for an English-Only ballot initiative are a waste of time and resources:

When immigrants are already learning proper English at faster rates than native born Americans are, Crafton’s ballot initiative is grand-standing designed to further his own political ambitions and ultimately destroy progress in our community.

Crafton, naturally, is claiming different motives:

“The reason it’s so important is because any logical, intellectually honest person would have to admit that English is the success language in the United States,” Crafton said. “If you don’t know English, you’re going to be trapped in a lower strata of society, not having a voice, having menial jobs and no education.”

I agree that fluency in English is a major stepping stone toward success in American society, but I don’t think trying to force people to learn our language will carry them any closer to that goal.

I wish Councilmember Crafton would spend his time tutoring non-English speakers rather than wasting our time on what is, in my opinion, a silly measure likely to embarrass the city (again) and accomplish little else. We need leaders who are looking for ways to create meaningful and positive change in our community, not ones who are consumed with scoring political points.

Update from The Tennessean: Bellevue Center mall sale pending, councilman says

As reported in today’s Tennessean, representatives for the owner of Bellevue Center have essentially been cornered into a public forum scheduled for next Monday night, May 7:

[Bellevue Metro Council Member Charlie] Tygard said he and [fellow Bellevue Metro Council Member Eric] Crafton had been attempting to communicate with representatives of mall owner Oaktree Capital, based in California, off and on for about two years. “They never returned a phone call, and on the rare occasion that we would call and get a receptionist, that person would always refer us to Madison Marquette and David Allison, who never had any answers. It was the proverbial run-around,” said Tygard.

Crafton decided to draft an ordinance that would change the zoning of the 15 acres from commercial back to residential. “We had to take drastic action to get a viable response,” Tygard said. “We’ve been hearing for about three years that they were going to redevelop and revitalize the mall. These things we’ve been hearing are all dead ends. It would greatly decrease the value of the land if it were changed back to residential. The rezoning issue has triggered them to open up communication with us.”

Local attorney Michael Mizell, who represents mall owner Oaktree Capital, did his best to counter his client’s unresponsive behavior:

“We are going to try to give the public the best update we can on the project,” Mizell said. “There are a lot of different variables involved in a project such as this. It is a large-scale development. We are looking at the viability of the mall as a whole. We want the whole property to be as viable as possible … The owner is looking to redevelop the mall in a way that makes it successful not only for business, but also for the community. There are a number of things in the works, and many of them are still in negotiations …

“All of [the rumors about the mall] are untrue. The overall goal is to get the mall to a point of higher success than it is now,” he said. “The owner also wants to let these councilman (sic) and the community to know that if ever they have questions or input, the lines of communication will be open.” [emphasis added]

To be fair, the paper points out that Mizell has been working on Oaktree’s behalf for only a month, so it is Oaktree, not Mizell, that has some trust to regain, if that is even possible at this late date.

I don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a primary message that you want to communicate, but talking points are not enough when you don’t have the track record to back them up. As author Stephen Covey once wrote, “You can’t talk your way out of something you behaved your way into.”

Noted crisis counselor Eric Dezenhall, who has made a career out of helping organizations and individuals emerge intact from emergencies they behaved themselves into, recently put it just as succinctly in an interview with the PR-industry media outlet Bulldog Reporter: “[T]he problem with most PR messaging is that it isn’t supported with behaviors driving the company. It’s just that—messaging.”

In my opinion, this situation and others like boil down to a single factor: What you do matters more than what you say. In other words, it’s time for Oaktree to walk those talking points and communicate–openly–with local residents.

[Full disclosure: My company has provided public relations assistance to Eric Dezenhall, which is how I came to know his work. I personally haven't done any work on his behalf, but I have come to respect his point of view on this subject.

Dezenhall's job in many instances is to help clients recover from mistakes and/or misdeeds, and I've gradually realized that one of the core implications of his crisis management strategy is this: Traditional methods for relating to the public through the spoken or written word are only effective when you back up your words with your actions. The public isn't looking for an explanation, as Dezenhall says. They are looking for sincerity and authenticity.]

As happens more often than not, I agree with Liz and her ode to Councilman Eric Crafton in this week’s Scene:

We do conduct our business in English and always have. Not once, as editor of a newspaper that makes frequent requests for public information—and roots around daily in the recesses of government offices for documents and other city goings-on—have we encountered an arrest record, a legal filing, a personnel file, an interview with a bureaucrat, or any other manifestation of municipal business in a non-English format. Well, except for the usual Metro-mangling of the English language—e.g., “let me have him to call you,” “you can quote me per beta,” or the classic plea for secrecy, “I need this to be unanimous.” (And there’s always the Metro Council favorite: “I have a qwerstion….”) …

That said, you have accomplished wonders in uniting some of the city’s most fragmented factions. There could not be a more widely assorted, contradictory cast of characters who find your intention repulsive. The Scene and Bishop David Choby…on the same side? Liberadio! and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce? Bizpigs and African American clergy? The list of multifarious hand-holders who have come together for what may be the first and last time goes on and on—a testament to how spurious and ill-motivated your scheme truly is …

Here you are, assuming that others who find themselves needing to learn a new language don’t have the same willingness and eagerness you did. It’s unfounded. No doubt when you were in Japan you tried to speak the language the best you could, but you probably needed a little sympathetic assistance from time to time—a stranger recognizing your effort, and reaching to meet you halfway. That’s all your mob of critics is saying.

Instead, by saying you’ll back the effort to put the measure on the August ballot, you’re assuming the worst of people in (or off) the same boat. And by trying to create a law where none is required, you’re diluting the good nature of Nashville’s citizens.

The last point here is the one that bugs me the most. This is a great place to live with a lot of kind-hearted people in it. We’re consistently named the nation’s friendliest city (although occasionally not to the homeless), and there are wonderful and amazing things taking place here as people continue to discover and explore Nashville. Yes, we have problems, but our ability to communicate in English is not one of them. How does this help us when we have bigger problems, including Dickerson Pike, to tackle?

Hats off to Council member Erik Cole for his motion at the council meeting last night, as reported in today’s City Paper:

District 7 Council member Erik Cole, who last week voted against the English First bill, motioned for the council to override Purcell’s veto. On a vote, the motion failed 12 – 14, with four members abstaining. The bill’s original sponsor, 22nd District representative Eric Crafton, made an immediate motion to reconsider. His motion was denied by the Council Chairman, Vice Mayor Howard Gentry.

Thanks to Vice Mayor Gentry for preventing Council member Crafton from avoiding the vote, too. The Tennessean reported Cole’s reasoning for the motion, and I fully agree: “The intent was to dispatch with the discussion,” Cole said. “This has been a purely political exercise, and the citizens of Nashville are ready to move on to more important matters.”

Please let this go, Councilman Crafton. In my opinion, you are wasting our time and our money.

Tennessean columnist Gail Kerr applauds Mayor Purcell for his recent veto of the English-first bill in this morning’s paper.

I wholeheartedly agree. Despite Councilman Eric Crafton’s plans to continue his quest for this legislation with a public referendum, I think Purcell’s veto was a noble action in the best interest of our city. Thanks again, Bill.