Let's Stop Shaving the Bears

Public Hearing is TOMORROW

I'll be back later today with something more meaty, but I wanted to share this quick thought with you.

My favorite business thinker, marketing guru Seth Godin, wrote a fantastic blog post today that got me thinking about the Lighthouse. Godin referenced an old Japanese Public Service Announcement (now sadly lost to copyright restrictions) in which a girl shaved a bear so the bear could deal with global warming.

Godin rightly points out that shaving the bears is a quick solution, but it doesn't in any way address the root problems. In the same way, Long Island has been hemorrhaging jobs, residents, and reputation for decades. Cosmetic changes to downtown areas or a smattering of apartments here and there will not deal with the underlying causes for Long Island's decline. The Lighthouse is a perfect catalyst.

Unless we do our part and push for bold action, Long Island will just keep shaving the bears, oblivious to the gathering storm. We must not let that happen; the Lighthouse has to go forward as the starting point for a new Long Island.

Discussions on opponents and Garden City continue in the next two threads.

I'm hoping to have something later today on the nuts and bolts of the hearing. In the meantime, please check out Chris Botta's excellent primer and the agreement proposed by my friend B.D. Gallof.

Please share your thoughts in comments. Petition. Email Me. Follow me on Twitter.