Pandemic demands leaders exhibit cool heads
Not certain what reading material Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora indulges although someone should sit him down and deliver Rudyard Kipling’s If poem, particularly especially the first stanza after the city leader apparently lost his cool during a conference call with Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes and county mayors.
In fact, Gusciora and all other county mayors should make time for a quick read as they deal with coronavirus issues. Belligerence, cursed words and chuffed chests will not deliver us from this pandemic. Trenton and Mercer County residents expect our leaders to exhibit calm and some kind of decorum instead of hot-headed actions that offer no solutions.
A Trentonian article noted that one mayor, offered anonymity so that he could douse flames with gasoline without being accused of arson, said that “Reed lost his sh*t on (Hughes). “This is f**king ridiculous. You’re not doing anything.’ It was really wild. It was a sh*t show.”
Another mayor apparently added his anonymous complaint and others allegedly chorused their discontent with Hughes, despite the fact that most other New Jersey counties suffer similar issues about testing kits. The complaints serve no real purpose but does allow political leaders to perform their better impressions of Chicken Little, point fingers and accomplish next to nothing.
Anonymous complaints offered in the face of a pandemic offers no solution, delivers no cure for stress, anxiety and fears connected to this deadly disease. Our leaders lose their heads and blame Hughes who should continue discussions with Gov. Phil Murphy and conferences with mayors who shout, scream obscenities and play the blame game.
Apparently, Mayor Gusciora could not wait for a private moment with Hughes. He needed a mayoral crowd and then his government colleagues seemed obligated to spill their guts under cover of anonymity. These behaviors register as disturbing, especially when the public turns to elected officials for coolheaded guidance in a tumultuous world.
Kipling’s “If” poem remains the gold standard for men and women under siege by circumstances and pressure. While personal criticisms exist about County Executive Hughes and a Democratic party with a history of strongarmed indulgence, his response to Mayor Gusciora seems excerpted from Kipling’s poem.
Hughes told The Trentonian, “We’re not slamming the door of county government. We realize we are the face of regional government. We will continue to work on solutions to this regional problem.”
“Listen, we want things to move at a faster pace. I’m going to be working with the hospitals and the state government to get the resources we need.”
And then, Hughes delivered a Kipling-like response to Mayor Gusciora. “Reed is very anxious to get things in place for the protection of the city,” Hughes explained. “He’s in a position where a lot of residents are very nervous and very concerned about what’s going to happen .... I’m with him on that. I would not use the language he used, but it’s excitable times. I can appreciate Reed being anxious.”
Kipling’s lead notes, “If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too ...... You’ll be a man my son.”
The coronavirus catastrophe demands that our leaders manup and woman-up. **************
While many New Jersey schools have closed until March 27 or mid-April, city and state officials should consider ending the education year.
Sounds drastic, even Doomsdayish
but a certainty exists that current timetables for reopening seem unrealistic as Coronavirus contamination expands.
Health experts suggest the current outbreak as the tip of the iceberg with an explosion of positive cases expected as time allows for the disease to move through social channels. By the way, social distancing works in terms of exposure although minimal human contact contributes to both stress and depression associated with isolation.
The inevitability of increased positive Coronavirus numbers demands action from education officials. Extremely doubtful that City of Trenton public school students will return on March 30, a return date being touted by city officials and education leaders.
Trenton residents deserve an update on the target day of children heading back to school.