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Do Better

Last night, a delicious Spring evening in Stevens Forest, I sat on the back deck with three 20-somethings over barbecue and beer and tried to explain what was going on at the Columbia Association Board Meeting. I tried.

These three incredibly intelligent Hopkins grads just looked at me. Many words were exchanged. The short version might be: WTF?

One said, "I tried to explain Columbia to my boss on the phone yesterday. He said, 'That is seriously f---'ed up, man!'"

Yes. Yes, it is.

So the CA Board broke its own rules to seat a member with a clear conflict of interest, and then turned around and got rid of that pesky ethics rule. Easy-peasy.

No discussion with community. No attempt at transparency. They just changed the rules of the club because they felt like it.

Inspires confidence, doesn't it?

My daughter and I were having a discussion recently about people who claim to be Christians and yet espouse hate, promote hate, exclusion, and oppression. She said, "If Jesus came back today, he'd look at them and say, shut up! Shut up, and do better."

And so, to the people who claim Jim Rouse as their very own true founder and guide, and yet scheme, manipulate, defame, and exclude in order to maintain their own positions of power, I say the same.

Shut up and do better.

There are some very bright 20-somethings watching you. And the future is on their side.

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