Dear Local Annalists:
You’ve chronicled the “Revolutionary War Era,” the “Industrial Revolution,” the “Retail Boom,” and the “Great Decline,” but what about this new chapter?
How should we refer to the now, the present, to “these days” during which the local population and job loss has slowed and the “can kicking” on infrastructure by many local governments has come to an end? What’s it called when that sort of progress is mixed with difficulty when it comes to the people searching for a new direction while, at the same time, squabbles over economic and social issues seem endless?
Those conundrums could be why, perhaps, the years between the 1990s through today – and maybe even another decade – should be referred to as “The Struggle.”
Of course, history is expected to be an honest account and not one fabricated to be purposely positioned, and let’s face it, we have a real bad case of amnesia around here when it comes to our alleged accounts of the recent past, but once we’re gone, the photos of the rust, the remains, and of the social discourse will show signs of a struggle.
And that’s all OK, we promise, as long as our collective efforts from this point lead us to growth instead of continued decay.
Sincerely,
Fighting the Good Fight
