For all I know, NBA Hall of Famer Dave Bing will go down as a lousy mayor of Detroit. Perhaps he’ll get nothing done. Perhaps he’ll fall flat on his face. Perhaps he’ll be yet another inept city leader.
But he has integrity. In 2010, that’s enormous.
If you get the chance, read this Wall Street Journal article on Bing’s effort to turn his crumbling-to-the-depth city around. I don’t know if it’s brilliant, but it is inspiring and uplifting. Since seeking office, Bing—unlike 99 percent of politicians out there—never promised he could save his terrain. He offered ideas and hopes and concepts, but no fake guarantees. Also, I’ve never found an instance where he deliberately lied. Harry Reid says he’s against the mosque when we all know he’s for it. Sharron Angle says she’ll protect social security when she’s always spoken out against it. President Obama wants to close Gitmo, but doesn’t follow up; George W. Bush promises we don’t torture when we actually do. The list is endless, and despicable. Yet we keep voting in these clowns; waving their signs; knocking on doors on their bahalf.
Meanwhile, here’s Dave Bing—a undeniably worthy guy trying to do the right thing.
A rare gem.
