Commentary by William Carter: Chain-link fences rear 'ugly heads' in Franklin

By William Carter, columnist
wcarterfranklin@aol.com

Sometimes as you walk through this world you are confronted by displays of courage that are so breathtaking you are forced to take pause in your life to re-evaluate your own worth to those around you. And sometimes — most times, in my case — you find your contributions to society to be so embarrassingly inadequate compared to the actions of the humanitarian giants among us you whisper to yourself: “From this moment on, I will do better for mankind. I WILL! I WILL!”

Recently, I was spurred into thinking about my purpose on earth — and whether or not my time here has been well spent towards the betterment of others — after reading in the paper about the brave decision our Board of Mayor and Aldermen made…I’m getting goose bumps right now…to Ban Chain-link Fences Within the City Limits of Our Town!!!

I will pause for a moment to allow time for the clouds to part and for a shaft of sunlight to bathe Our Town in a Light of Righteousness as angels sing the praises of those who finally…finally, I say…unselfishly — and with no regard for their own political futures — stood up to face the most pressing issue…ever…in the history of the City…namely, the proliferation of that most vile and loathsome hardware store item to ever blight our landscape…the chain-link fence.

Imagine my surprise as I read that the main reason behind the decline in property values rests solely on the galvanized metal bars of all the nasty chain-link fences within our City limits. I was outraged, and promptly sent a letter to the Federal government.

Dear Federal Government, I wrote, How dare you blame our economic woes on the greediness and ineptitude of Big Business and Banking when the obvious culprit — as pointed out by my very own City government — is my next-door neighbor’s chain-link fence?!? You, sirs and madames, owe an apology to each and every bailed-out mortgage and lending and insurance institution across the land!! Good day to you! I said…Good Day!

I have yet to receive a response.

Even though I now know it is a fact that chain-link fences have banded together and used their collective intelligence and superior economic prowess to degrade the value of our homes and drain our bank accounts, is imperative we not lose sight of the real reason our brave Board of Mayor and Aldermen cast aside all thoughts of personal safety and threw themselves on the ticking time-bomb the rest of us have chosen to ignore.

And that reason is that chain-link fences are “ugly.”

That’s right! They’re ugly! And what a relief it is to learn that someone on Our Board finally has the courage to stand up and speak aloud what all of us, up to now, at least, have only been thinking. Not only are they ugly, I personally cannot think of another inanimate object that radiates any more self-superiority and smugness than a length of chain-link fence. I can’t tell you how many times upon spying a chain-link fence I’ve thought “Look at you, standing there keeping that small dog from escaping into to someone else’s yard and allowing yourself to be used as a trellis for a climbing rose. You think you’re so special. I hate you, chain-link fence. I hate you so much.”

Now though…now…I can verbally abuse, aloud, chain-link fences all day long if I wish thanks to a vote by the brave men and women of our Board of Mayor and Aldermen. Thank you, brave men and women. Thank you.

I may be making too much of the greatness of our Board, but look at it this way…would Gandhi have taken time from battling the oppressive hand of British rule or would Dr. King have paused in his march towards equality for all to face the issue of economic terrorism and sheer ugliness of chain-link fences?

I think we all know the answer to that question.

Join me, would you, in celebrating the bravery of Our Board of Mayor and Alderman…a group of men and women who took an audacious stand against one of the great evils of our time…the chain-link fence.

Bravo, Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

Bravo.       

 William Carter is a longtime Franklin city employee and published author. He may be contacted at wcarterfranklin@aol.com 

Posted on: 11/19/2009