There’s too much “pluribus” and not enough “unum” these days.
I heard that line listening to a podcast that featured documentarian Ken Burns last week and it left an impression.
As we head to the polls tomorrow, we do so as a divided nation. Healthy debate is just that, healthy. But what we are experiencing is division and that’s something different.
Division weakens, unity strengthens.
There are consequences to consider and I’m afraid we aren’t thinking this through.
Niall Ferguson, the provocative Scottish historian, predicts that America will lose Cold War 2.0 against China because we are divided and that the world will pine for the time when American power shaped the world.
Let’s hope that day doesn’t come. But we are at risk. As Abe Lincoln famously said: “a house divided against itself will not stand.” So if we don’t find a way to unite or at least reconcile we risk opening the door to some really bad actors.
This strives to be a hyper local blog and a space for personal reflection, so I won’t belabor the point other than to note that “story” plays a big role in destiny.
What’s our narrative? As a city, as a county as a state and as a nation?
It’s an important question. Good stories inspire, sad stories drag us down.
Are we the All America City? The Village by the Sea? The city that can solve any problem or the one that is mired in dysfunction?
Is Palm Beach County “Wall Street South”? Or something else.
Is Florida, paradise or Floriduh? Is America the shining city on the hill or a divided mess?
It’s our choice.
All of it.
We shape our destiny if we choose to.
Our voice is our vote.
Odds and ends
Mayo Research
The Carl Angus DeSantis Foundation is supporting Alzheimer’s research at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota and Jacksonville.
Last week, we caught up with our friends at the Mayo Clinic who were in town to share some promising results including a non-invasive test for Alzheimer’s that does not require a procedure to extract fluid or a costly scan.
It was exciting to hear the news. For the first time ever, there is a drug that can be taken to alter the course of the disease. It’s not a cure, but it buys some time. The infusion actually removes amyloid plaque which causes Alzheimer’s.
The disease is a plague on families and society. Any ray of light is good news.
But I was struck by the fact that the average age in which people are diagnosed is 65. That’s young, younger than I thought.
We remain committed to doing our part as a philanthropy to help researchers cure this terrible disease. We are supporting an effort at Florida Atlantic to help families affected by Alzheimer’s and we are funding a researcher at the Max Planck Florida Research Institute who is doing remarkable work.
We are in this for the long haul but hopefully we will see progress in the short term.
A Local Treasure
On a much lighter note, I feel compelled to give a shout out to J & J Seafood, an Atlantic Avenue staple.
The food is just fantastic, the service always awesome and it’s a great place to take a friend to have a conversation. It feels like home.
It’s good to see J & J survive and thrive in a crowded, challenging and competitive landscape. J & J’s presence makes our city a warmer place.
Making a Mark
Congratulations also to the Pulte Family Foundation which is doing some great work providing housing for adults with developmental challenges.
The Boca-based foundation is doing amazing things. They’ve been extremely supportive and generous with advice as we grow our Foundation. They’ve become a role model for our work and we are deeply appreciative of their friendship.
A Good Life, A Big Loss
Finally, we mourn the loss of a beloved friend. Richard Hasner passed last week.
Richard and his wonderful brothers Lloyd and Jay have left their mark on Delray and beyond through decades of community involvement. Their company, Castle Florida, has been one of the most prominent general contractors in our region for more than 50 years. Their work is everywhere—residential, commercial you name it. Over five decades, Richard and his family built more than 6,000 homes, numerous office buildings, medical offices, restaurants and retail locations.
With an unparalleled work ethic, Richard went on to become an owner and President of Castle Florida.
I’ve enjoyed running into the Hasner’s at their favorite lunch spots over the years. Most recently, we’ve seen each other regularly at Granger’s.
Richard was always kind, always quick with a joke and always smiling. I will miss him very much.
He was a mensch in a world that sorely needs more people like him. May his memory be a blessing.
