Flying with progress?

Sometimes I wonder if progress is really progress. Can short term goals derail long term success? Recently the town where I live (Mt. Pleasant, SC) is attempting to rezone land that belongs to the Gullah Geechee Corridor in the name of business. The story of the Gullah/Geechee people and their contributions to this country began in 1619 when the first Africans arrived at the Jamestown settlement. For those who are not familiar with this area, the Gullah Geechee Corridor is 1,200 miles long and runs along the coasts of northern Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and southern North Carolina.

It was created for three reasons. The first was to appreciate and honor the significant contributions made to American culture and history by Africans and African Americans known as Gullah/Geechee who settled in the coastal counties. The second was to assist in interpreting the story of the Gullah/Geechee culture and preserving Gullah/Geechee folklore, arts, crafts and music; and finally to help in identifying and preserving sites, historical data, artifacts, and objects associated with the Gullah/Geechee culture for the benefit and education of the public.

Another key point is this land is valuable because much of it sits on the marsh leading to the ocean. There are amazing views from there. Now the town of Mt. Pleasant wants to use it for businesses to gain more profit. I understand the need for money, I do not understand the desire to violate a land that is rich in history. The section of town under consideration has a population of about 150. This land has belonged to them and their ancestors for many years.

The original meeting to discuss this rezoning was postponed this week, but it is not going to go away. It will not go away until we as a people decide that there are more important things than making money. It will not go away until we determine that the Gullah Geechee culture is worthy of being preserved. When is enough enough and how gets to decide whose culture is worth saving?


Learn more about the Gullah Geechee Corridor at: http://clyburn.house.gov/district-gullah.cfm