'400 Words' - Hard decisions for Morris
Here's a little taste of my column for Sunday's newspaper, looking back on the history of Operation Phoenix and the challenge facing Pat Morris moving ahead:
"We've all got blind spots. In Morris' case, it was putting too much faith in people he shouldn't have, ignoring the checks and balances any organization needs.
"It's also evident he's gotten bad advice, from floating a city attorney candidate that would only widen the rift between him and Penman to his refusal to own the problems that have engulfed his project.
"Make no mistake, Operation Phoenix is his project - one many of us believed in.
"Restoring confidence will require decisions that Morris the mayor, politician, and organizational leader has to make, however reluctantly."
Comments
The Sun needs to take as much ownership in the improprieties that have plagued Operation Phoenix as Morris. You used the program as a political tool to defeat Jim Penman. The Sun was the vehicle used to convince the public Operation Phoenix would be the panacea to solving crime in San Bernardino, even though it has only served to victimize those same individuals it was designed to support.
Posted by: Gene Swank | July 25, 2008 7:31 PM
The Sun endorsed Penman for city attorney over Morris' hand-picked candidate, did it not?
Posted by: Just a Voice | July 25, 2008 8:06 PM
CHRIST, GOD! I'd think an artist would be in favor of civil rights. I guess not. Operation Phoenix is nothing that Morris told you it is. Get Morris & I in the same room to talk about it on camera and see what he says. I'll bet you'd be surprised. I'll bet the people of San Bernardino would want him strung up if they knew the truth about what Operation Phoenix was.
Posted by: Serenah's Angels | July 26, 2008 12:32 AM
I'm sure the Sun was well aware, as everyone else, she was a Morris toady who had no vested interest in the community. She was brought in for the sole purpose to run against Penman. Morris doesn't like to have checks and balances. He only wants bobble heads.
Posted by: Gene Swank | July 26, 2008 1:35 AM
Mr. Lambert, we are all subject to making mistakes. The Sun and many of us in the community were impressed by Morris' charisma and "out of the box approach." The bottom line is this. If you drive through the neighborgood where Operation Phoenix was launched, you'll see it's worse than before. Morris now has an opportunity to show his first act of leadership. Resign and take his lapdog city manager, code enforcement director, and police chief with him. Then this city can search for credible leadership who will set realistic expectations for its citizens.
Posted by: Observer | July 26, 2008 11:36 AM