Letter From the Editor: April, 2011

This month, a question. Simple enough on its face but layered in ways that become more complicated as you consider them.

To what should Baltimore aspire?

We're a city in transition, which means shedding certain parts of our past and charting course to a new, as-yet-unformed future. Now is the time to ask ourselves what we want out of that future.

Should we become a hub of high technology? A higher education center? A destination for healthcare research? Should we be known for arts and culture? Should we seek to become a model of Rust Belt revival?

I can't see a wrong answer in the bunch. In fact, I'd argue we should say "yes" to all of the above and then some. But in order to get there we need to plant one thing in our minds and keep it there for good: Baltimore must always, first and foremost, be a place that encourages people to make things.

Part of the reason I moved here at 18 from my parents' house down in Arnold was because I saw Baltimore as a place where production mattered. Everywhere I looked people were making music, making art, starting businesses, and generally refusing to take "no" for an answer. I fell in love with that part of the city. I waxed romantic about Baltimore to out-of-town friends and defended it vigorously anytime it came under attack (still do).

A lot has changed in the past decade-plus. The city has improved and appears in good shape to keep improving. But, as with any ascendant movement, progress will come with costs. We need to build the foundation of our future in such a way as to minimize those costs as much as possible.

By which I mean, we must guard against those who will see in Baltimore's growing energy a chance to take before they've earned that right by giving. We must equally continue to encourage, support, and reward those who are making things. As we build, we should focus on our culture and our intent as much as on our institutions. We must remember where we came from.

The effort starts with you and me. From there it's our responsibility to spread it to our communities and, ultimately, to the power centers of government and business. We can't simply rely on everyone, everywhere to do the right thing. We have to build the right thing.

Your definition of "right" and mine might differ. That's as it should be. What's critical is that we keep this aspect of the process -- this dialogue -- alive and well as we work to forge tomorrow.

I have a hunch we will. Either way, though, we'll get what we deserve. No more and no less.


Neal Shaffer is, among other things, the managing editor of Bmore Media.


Comments? Questions? Find us on Twitter, Facebook, or send us an email.

Learn more about Bmore and sign up to receive a new issue every week via email.