Category: Archived Columnists

A decades-long haven for international refugees, the City of Clarkston is easily the most diverse square mile of DeKalb County and the State of Georgia.

With a population of nearly 8,000, the Ellis Island of the South is in the midst of an interesting mayoral and City Council elections with the incumbent mayor, Emanuel Ransom, an African-American, facing two challengers – Ibrahim Awow Sufi, a Somali-American; and Ted Terry, a resident of Clarkston for the past two years.

In his book “Political Ideals,” British philosopher Bertrand Russell opined political and social institutions should “encourage creativeness rather than possessiveness” and should “embody a spirit of reverence between human beings.”

These same themes are what make a city competitive and a corporate culture envied.  As such, it is no surprise the broad strokes of Russell’s thoughts were painted time and time again throughout Leadership Atlanta’s recent, inaugural (co)lab summit on tackling innovation,  education and talent acquisition and retention in the Atlanta region.

In this land of opportunity, we are constantly faced with competing political and economic interests that cause us to investigate our values.

In the coming weeks, Washington policy makers will debate how best to address the 11 million illegal immigrants living within our borders.  Some say comprehensive immigration reform is analogous to amnesty. Others proclaim it is America’s moral obligation to welcome and support them.

We know the arguments for and against. The political right accuses Democratic backers of comprehensive immigration reform of doing this for political gain – assuming the political ideology of illegals align more with the Democratic Party.

The past decade has truly tested the American public — we have experienced tremendous hardships that have caused us to question our government, our corporate structure, our tolerance and our self-appointed role in policing the world.

As another anniversary of the September 11th attacks draws nigh, the President of the United States — Barack Obama — and Congress are in the midst of a nuanced debate, one that crosses partisan preferences and talking points.

While he certainly has the physical stature of a sheriff, Thomas Brown has the demeanor of a larger-than-life politician — the kind that kisses babies and gives you a bear hug upon first meeting you.

We recently met over breakfast in Virginia-Highlands where we happened to be seated next to U.S. Senate candidate Michele Nunn, her father, former U.S. Sen. Sam Nunn, and other campaign advisors.

As I observed the two conversing, the point was not lost on me that these two could possibly be the next U.S. Senator and U.S. Congressman elected in Georgia.

The MacArthur Foundation announced a new initiative aimed at furthering local and national juvenile justice reform at the National Council of State Legislators’ annual conference meeting in Atlanta last week.

Its Models for Change: Resource Center Partnership, funded in part by an additional $15 million investment from the foundation, will provide programmers and policy makers support for operation and policy matters involving indigent defense, mental health, welfare and diversion programs for lesser offenders.

The four resource center partners are the National Center for Mental Health and Justice, the National Juvenile Justice Defender Center, the Robert F. Kennedy Children’s Action Corps and the Vera Institute of Justice.

“Agriculture and Commerce.” It's the motto on the back (or front) of our two-sided state seal. And as State Agriculture Commissioner Gary Black reminded the audience in his keynote address at last week's Sustainable Atlanta Roundtable, we participate in the state's agriculture industry three times per day.

From 1776 to present day, agriculture is big business for the state, generating more than $71 billion in economic activity, and it accounts for 87,000 full and part-time jobs.