The buck stops here. These words were made particularly famous by Harry S. Truman, a Democrat and 33rd president of the United States. Inscribed on a sign kept prominently positioned on his White House desk, they reflected his belief that he was personally responsible for the decisions he made. Another Democrat, though not quite as well known as Truman, made a decision some time ago that will significantly affect our lives in the week ahead. And like Truman, he is not retreating from accepting responsibility for his action although he has become cannon fodder for many a critic in Boston.
Mayor Thomas Menino entered Boston into the sweepstakes to host the upcoming Democratic National Convention and came away the winner. As the event draws closer and the mayor and those who live and work in Boston come to grips with the attendant complications, many are of the opinion that the city ended up with the short straw. To his credit, Menino has not tried to shift responsibility or assign blame to others for his decision even after Secret Service-mandated security measures seem to spell chaos and financial loss for the city.
To accommodate the convention, Boston faces closure of major transportation routes like Interstate 93 and the newly opened Liberty Tunnel as well as railways coming into and nearby North Station, disrupting commuters and visitors alike. We are confronted with security threats unequaled in our history with protestors from every cause imaginable posing real but lesser risks. A municipal labor union is inappropriately using this occasion to coerce new contracts from the mayor. Yet, Menino’s vision of showcasing Boston as a national player for large conventions should still play a paramount role in how we react and carry on with our lives and business the last week of July.
Decisions have to be made: will people continue to bellyache or will they rise to the occasion and put our best face forward? Will labor persist in demonstrating that it is selfishly opportunistic, sending clear signals that Boston truly does not want convention business, or will union leaders realize that a short-term gain is hardly worth the long-term damage to the city’s reputation? Will Boston’s columnists continue to expose every blemish in convention plans or will it defend its home turf with pride? Will all of us come to recognize that four days of inconvenience is insignificant when compared to the privilege of living in a country that embraces the democratic process and our freedom to choose a new president every four years?
The people of Boston and Massachusetts are a hardy stock able to make the best of the most trying times. Remember the Blizzard of ’78? Cars and drivers were marooned on highways and a ban on driving was enforced for several days as we dug out from under the snow. We got to know our neighbors and made friendships as small and large acts of kindness were shown to others. It’s attitude adjustment time and everyone has a role to play in presenting Boston as a big-league destination to visit. Let’s do what we can to boost Boston and New England’s image, cementing the long-term economic gains of a strong tourism industry. We are capable of demonstrating our toughness and ability to endure adversity in good spirit. After all, we are Red Sox fans.
