I dreamed one time about walking across a stream full of crocodiles. All I could see was a lot of big eyes barely below the surface longing to munch upon my succulent body. I got across the stream by walking on the backs of the crocodiles.
It reminds me of my life. Most of the worthwhile things I have accomplished have come from walking the backs of crocodiles. In any high- profile, controversial political position that’s what you will constantly be doing if you do anything important.
I have a videotape of a “Morning Show” when I was on with Helen Hardin, and almost every call was flogging me for supporting “Jack’s fish tank.” Surely some of you remember those days. Think of what that “fish tank” did for Chattanooga and particularly our downtown.
When I proposed that we build a trade and convention center, the next day a full-page ad appeared in both papers with a big headline, “Don’t Do It, Dalton.” Can you imagine Nashville, Knoxville or Chattanooga or any city our size without a convention and trade center to bring in shows and expos and tourists.
You can never accomplish a thing in politics if you are scared of criticism and opposition. I have a picture of a mouse perched atop a cat’s head that I look at now and then to remind me to live dangerously. It is more exciting and it is an absolutely necessary prelude to progress.
I am reminded, too, that in the Chinese word for “crisis” there are two symbols: one is “danger” and the other is “opportunity.”
People have been asking me why I got involved in the county commission’s selection of a new county mayor. I’ve got 23 years of my life invested in county government — seven years as county manager and 16 years as county executive. When you invest 23 years of your life in something, it’s worth walking a few crocodile backs to try to protect it.
It deeply concerns me that in filling Mayor Ramsey’s vacancy the commission allowed so little participation by the public. And never forget, the “public” is spelled Y-O-U.
How many things have you achieved in your life without risk? You would not have the mate or lover you enjoy if you hadn’t risked rejection when you asked them for that first date. You would not have a job if you hadn’t risked rejection.
Sometimes we take risks and everyone around us thinks we are a fool. I ran for public office with less money than it would take to finance an Amish quilting party.
Sometimes we have the opposite experience. We think the odds are against us and we are likely to lose but we feel a need to lay it all on the line for principle’s sake. Even if I had thought I would lose, I would have made that political race.
I don’t like to make enemies in high places. But how much respect would you have for me if I didn’t speak out when I m genuinely concerned? I would love to feel that the commission and I are partners in progress. But I cannot help trying to protect something I worked for over a quarter of my life.
Could you?
E-mail Dalton Roberts at DownhomeP@aol.com.