More Thoughts and Happy 4th!

"Red Dog" offers this observation:

Money talks, bullshit walks. Again, show me the organizations chomping at the bits to have a convention in downtown Greenville, Mississippi, USA, that will pour a couple of million, with an "M" into the local economy.

Take the family to Disney World for that weekend and grin and bear it. You support the casinos, don't you? Oh, I forget, I see you all in Tunica and Vicksburg on the weekends..

What hypocrites!


Another anonymous writer posts:

OK, here's the deal. Showfest has broad appeal to the lowest common denominator of the area. The segment of the population that pays property taxes and owns businesses and purchases the hefty car tags DOES NOT SUBSIDIZE SHOWFEST. Yes, they are in the minority. Yes, that is regrettable; Greenville was a hub of cultural activity at one point.

The continued loss of the business/leisure class has resulted in a ridiculous grab for a skinfest---excuse me----Showfest as an alternative to actual entertainment and hopeful revenue for the City.

I think it's time to let Showfest drive off into the sunset. Deltans will never agree on the definition or value of entertainment. If we did, we wouldn't need 95 different television channels and multiple sets in each home.

Those who say good riddance to Showfest assert that we have lowered or compromised our standards for the sake of the almighty buck. Is this true? Well, it depends on your anticipated goals. Consider...

If you enjoy fishing for the sake of enjoyment and recreation, your ultimate goal may be to spend quality time outdoors with family or friends. Whether you come home with a string of fish is secondary to the simple enjoyment of fishing.

However, if your livelihood depends on fishing, you best be well informed about where the fish are located, what type of bait to use, as well as when you have fished a hole dry, so you can move on to another. Your survival depends on it.

So, money will continue to be made on events like Showfest... it just won't be in Greenville. There are plenty of good "anglers" out there that will welcome the opportunity to bring home that sizable catch.

The question now becomes, "What is Greenville willing to support?" We don't support local bars and restaurants. We don't support cultural or literary events. We don't support professional sporting events. We don't even support local health care facilities, merchants, or even our own airport. How many times have you driven to Jackson or Memphis to shop, see a doctor, or catch a flight?

At the end of the day, what we don't support most, it each other. We expect outsiders to want to invest in our community and then criticise them for expecting to make a profit. Question... If you inherited 10 million dollars today on the sole condition that you stay in Greenville and open a business, what would that business be?

In closing, Happy 4th to all. Go out to Shelban Park and support our local efforts to celebrate our independence!

Forthright