Cronquist’s Blog

With six days before election day, I can’t help but recognize (in good humor) the average voter attitude captured by this skit going into next Tuesday. Some say its a close race, but I think SNL is calling it here. This one’s for you Brad:

Some may say a more traditional source for this type of news can be found here: Wall Street Journal: Latest Sign of Trouble for McCain: RNC Ads in Montana

This isn’t breaking news, but housing in Santa Barbara is ridiculous and out of touch. My post previous to this was a yurt available for $1200/month, that’s more than what I a pay a month for my house is Washington. So what? That’s not earth shattering, after all Santa Barbara is Santa Barbara–Opera lives here, what do you expect?

While during our tours of the countryside looking for housing I made a statement to Tarah about the attitude I’ve sensed from people since living here. I explained to her that there are the “haves and the have nots.” And we’re clearly representing the “have nots.” At the time I didn’t really stop to explain what I meant by that statement. I certainly feel blessed with all that I’ve been given and received. My comment was directed specifically at property and home ownership. Those people that have found a way to afford a home or have had their home before prices got to where they are today, they are the “haves.” My first experience with this attitude was at work. When I first started there was a big push to get funding for the expansion of Hwy. 101. In learning the history of this debate I learned that the opportunity to expand was offered some 10 years ago, but because the wealthy residents (the haves) wanted to the area to maintain its size and at the very least force slow growth by creating an unattractive transportation situation. That was a very strategic lobbying campaign that worked for a little while: Hwy 101 construction begins in 2008.

What that experience symbolized is the prevalent attitude that suggests, “I’ve got mine and good luck to the rest of you.”

I recently attended the economic forecast summit for Santa Barbara County. It was a lot of what you’d expect, but with some very telling specifics and statistics. 80% of the economy is driven by the service sector. The other main industry that ties into to service sector is tourism. The economist presenting joked that if you wanted to see a major downturn in the local economy people would just need to start mowing their own lawn! Meaning the jobs lost by way of people taking the time to take care of their own homes would be a significant shift here. Now that is amazing. And I’m not surprised, even our rental came with a gardener.

The other main issue that was addressed is that Santa Barbara isn’t really building an economically sustainable community. Due to these high prices of homes, very few young professionals and young families are able to continue to or consider moving here for work. This makes recruiting by companies for jobs (what Tarah does) very difficult. How do you convince a young person or a person in mid-level management that opportunity abounds here in Santa Barbara, when really its going to expensive and you probably will never afford a home with the salary we can afford to offer you?

So what is being done about this? Not much. Which is where my original comment to Tarah comes from, “the haves and have nots.” Those that have aren’t really working to establish a real framework to ensure continued community and economic development here in Santa Barbara. The avocado farmer that has been working his land for the past 45 years can not exactly expect his son or daughter to come back and work the same property, unless he expects to also surrender his own home as well. With prices of property so high, it is impossible to expect agricultural land purchased to be true investment property. The price to get in would be so high that it would take decades to truly turn a profit on that land. And how about the elected officials? Same thing, there really isn’t an answer and the attitude really seems to be that we’ll just ride this out the way it seems to be going and see where we end up, even if it is at their own detriment.

Well there you have it. My Saturday morning commentary. I want to make it clear that I am enjoying my time here (sunshine, hiking, beach, great restaurants, sunsets, perfect weather, etc.) and although I am not able to buy a home, I’m learning a lot about people, our area, real estate and economics. I just thought I’d share my perspective on it. We may be a “have not” regarding home ownership and real estate, but that might just be where God wants us right now, showing us that we “have” plenty to be thankful for in the meantime. And in that meantime. . .I’m going hiking.

I read far more than I write. However, every once in a while a subject or issue arises where the ability to put pen to paper or fingers to keys seems necessary and at the very least, a source of comfort. I recently exercised my right to share my thoughts and feelings on a subject found on Greg Scandrett’s blog: the view from the juniper tree. I’m a regular reader at Greg’s site. Greg’s commitment to express his thoughts and feelings on personal, philosophical, theological topic has been a great source of thought provoking subjects for readers to consider. It was his post Build Greg a new playlist, posted on March 1st that the sense to share my personal frustration was just too overwhelming. His blog was a simple request for readers to suggest music, but in a round about way it also was eulogy marking the end of an era for the Scandrett family and their service to a small church in downtown Shelton.

Blogs have a way of encouraging expression and seeking opinions and I always enjoy hearing what others have to say about a subject, but the subject of Brad’s termination at FBC struck an emotion that resulted in an immediate and emotional response from me regarding a subject that I feel has had too little public discussion. Greg’s most recent blog “Aiming our guns the right direction,” is a response to my comments, reader’s reaction to my comments and in large part the concern that he and many others have regarding the infighting that plagues the Christian church. Here Greg highlights the issue that the evil one is out to seek and destroy and that our fight is not really with each other and that a refocus on combating that subversion would be time better spent. My response was that I couldn’t agree more, but that it raises the question that I think is a frustration for many of us, which is “what then is the appropriate response for a Christian when confronted with evil here on earth?”

I won’t retype my comments in that post, but simply say that my original post of frustration and criticism was an expression of built up emotion on a subject that I have had significant investment. Having recently moved away, it has certainly provided a different sense of perspective and a freedom to express myself without the concern of “social” consequence. Leaving me to wish that I would have done more while still there, but at the time feeling that it wasn’t really my business and that prayer and personal encouragement would be sufficient. It wasn’t. And as a result you get the post I wrote on Thursday and you know I’m not alone. I am not the only person that feels this way about this situation.

Tomorrow morning or last Sunday should have been a very moving/touching opportunity for First Baptist Church to send Brad and Summer off onto their new adventure. The Church, especially the congregation, should have recognized the role that Brad played in the life of that Church and I won’t apologize for the sense of anger that burns towards the reality of the results.

The church either needs to close its doors or get a new pastor(s). Clearly the combination of the pastoral leadership and the elder board are not the combination the congregation should be relying on to carry them through a very critical period of church history, evident in the past year and a half. The suggestion that eliminating Brad will allow this Church to finally move comfortably into its future success is naive. You’ve heard the old adage, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” Well going has been tough and the tough are nowhere to be found. There was a straight and narrow response required for the reaction to the fall of Greg. Instead we witnessed a winding often mushy and confusing direction for this church, all the way up to Brad’s encouraged retirement. The concrete statement explaining his termination was nowhere to be found. The result was the continued bumbling and mushy explanation of a matter that needed the highest level of attention and respect.
Why do I care so much to continue to rant on this subject? Again, the move to Santa Barbara has been a somewhat freeing experience. Tarah and I have continued to attend a church called Reality where I am finding inspiration and motivation in both worship and the preaching. The energy created by such an experience is contagious and captivating. I know this church probably has its issues that I will soon learn about, but the spirit of its congregation is something that I can only pray for for FBC. And FBC has been there, I can remember the years when FBC was on fire and you could sense the presence of the Holy Spirit. So, I know this isn’t a Shelton issue.
Something has to change, that’s all I’m saying.