Greg Freeman. Name-Calling Isn't A Very Effective Way To Deal With Region's Problems. PD 4/30/2000

Headline: NAME-CALLING ISN'T A VERY EFFECTIVE WAY TO DEAL WITH REGION'S PROBLEMS
Reporter: By Greg Freeman

Publication: ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Last Printed: Sun., Apr. 30, 2000
Section: METRO, Page: D3, Edition: FIVE STAR LIFT

Race vs. regionalism

A great deal of heat but not too much light came out of the recent flap surrounding state Rep. Charles "Quincy" Troupe.
Troupe, D-St. Louis, caused an uproar when he accused Sen. Steve Ehlmann, R-St. Charles, and his constituents of being racists. Troupe, angry over efforts to have a regional board take control of Lambert Field, said on KMOX radio that Ehlmann - the idea's main supporter - "just needs to put on his hood and declare himself the grand dragon or the imperial wizard." He also said Ehlmann's constituents "think that black people can't run anything."
Troupe's remarks and the responses to them were the talk of the town for more than a few days. It was impossible to turn on the radio or pick up the newspaper without coming across someone or other who was offended by what Troupe had to say.

But with some of the furor having died down, maybe now would be a good time to look at two nerves that were struck by all of this: race and regionalism.
   St. Charles County has exploded in population in the last two decades. The explosion is the result of several factors. Among them, certainly, is affordability. Nice homes are available in St. Charles County at prices that would be much higher in many parts of St. Louis County. And St. Charles County has had lots of undeveloped, open space, ripe for development.
   But we would be blind were we not to acknowledge that some people moved to St. Charles County - a good number of them from north St. Louis County - in an effort to get away from black people.
   This isn't my imagination. I've received letters from people who've told me that's exactly why they moved. I've heard them call in on radio stations such as KMOX. And I've heard it from others in St. Charles County - people who don't subscribe to the view that whites should flee when blacks move in - who've told me about others who have those views.
   These same folks were among the most vocal when MetroLink went down to defeat in St. Charles County. They were the ones calling in saying that it should be defeated because MetroLink would bring "those people" from the city and East St. Louis to St. Charles County to burglarize homes. Such statements are so ridiculous that they don't deserve a response.

Are the people who make these kinds of comments in the majority? No polls have been taken, but I seriously doubt it.
Still, they are a vocal minority, and may explain why some unfairly paint St. Charles County with such a broad brush.
Indeed, it should be noted that blacks are moving to St. Charles County, too. Though the numbers aren't large; 7,693 African-Americans live in St. Charles County, according to census estimates.

Perhaps an even bigger issue here is the issue of regionalism. Everyone likes it when they think it's to their advantage. When they don't, no one likes it at all.
I've heard St. Louisans grumble about St. Charles, saying county officials like the idea of regionalism when they think it's to their advantage, such as overseeing the airport. But when it comes to regional responsibility - paying taxes for the Zoo, for instance - the same officials are silent.
But at the same time, St. Louisans are just as guilty, wanting to spread the costs of many projects regionally while wanting to hold on to sole decision-making power involved in those projects - such as Lambert.

All of this bickering hurts the entire area when it comes to determining which areas are blessed by the state Legislature with money and projects. When St. Louis, St. Louis County and St. Charles County fight among themselves, the region ends up the big loser, while other parts of the state flourish. Indeed, it wouldn't surprise me to find legislators from other parts of the state who love it when we fight here. If we can't be unified on projects that benefit our area, it makes it a lot easier for other areas to get their projects through.

The region is very much like a single, living body. It makes little sense for one arm to do battle with the other arm. It hurts and it does the body no good. St. Louis isn't leaving, and neither is St. Charles.
It would make lots of sense for elected officials of the region to get together and discuss strategy and priorities, both legislative and social, for the entire area.
A self-examination would be in order.

What is it that makes our area attractive and unattractive to others?
Are there steps we can take to reduce the negatives, or to reduce the negative impressions that others in the area have of us?
What can we do together to move the metropolitan area - including the Metro East - forward?

These are the types of issues that need to be addressed, in an atmosphere where calm heads can prevail. Accusations and counter-accusations aren't productive. They result only in resentment and lots of hurt feelings.

Maybe, now that the dust has settled, we can get beyond the name-calling and see what we might be able to build together.

Daniel Schesch - Webweaver

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