There was a man who was hired to fix up a house. It was a house that was too small for all who needed to live there. It was too expensive for those already living there. It had chipped paint all around, holes in the floor, cracks in the wall, dangerous plumbing and electrical work. All in all, the house was a mess, though it was located in what all its residents claimed was the Greatest Neighborhood.
Was this man the right man for the job? Many others had applied, all spending millions of dollars to get the job that paid a relative pittance. But this man was hired because of his promise. He worked hard, said all the right things, and finally got the job. Some never liked this new hire. Too young, too cultured, too dark, too different, some continually complained about this man.
And so this man began his new job. Even though he had other jobs to do, his one particular special project in fixing up this house got off to a rocky start. It seems that while many people wanted this project finished, others did not. Continually they complained, stalled, worked against the project. They told all sorts of lies about what kind of project this was and how incompetent the builder was and went on Hound News to speak about how everything had been fine before.
But the man continued to work at his new job. He crafted designs and plans, yet his opponents kept ripping them apart. He suggested improvements to the structure of the house, and his opponents kept denigrating them. He pointed out how floorboards were broken and cracks were in the foundation, and his opponents kept on looking the other way. Too much money, they said. Too much work, they said. Too much change, they said. Too many people will be able to live in this house, they said.
But the man continued to work at his now not-so-new job. He met with experts about how to fix the house. He suggested numerous improvements. And the complainers continued to complain.
And finally the builder presented his plans. It wasn't like he really wanted; in fact, it wasn't like anybody really wanted. But the complaints had taken their toll. Compromise with those who complained about the cost, about the design, about anything in this house had made the project almost unworkable, but plans were made anyway to start building.
And so real work began. Old structures were torn out, new structures replaced them. There were improvements, but more and more it began to look like the same old structure. More cracks appeared. More age showed on the house. And all the while, complaints continued, deadlines were pushed back. Hound News daily reported breathlessly about what a failure it all was.
All the while lawsuits were filed to stop this construction. Challenges were made as to the qualifications of the man. Nothing was ever presented as an alternative to his plans, and most people began to forget how bad the home had been that a house-fixer was needed in the first place.
After years of work, and much money spent, things were about the same as they always were. The once-promising young man, now much more grey and tired, finally left his job in order to write books about his mediocre project. And all the while, some complained just as much as they ever did, satisfied in their role as obstructionists. Why did we ever need to change things, they asked? Their own rooms were just fine.
Now, I ask you, who is to blame for the failure of this project? The man who tried to fix the house, or those who continually complained about everything from the very first day he worked?
