Considerations on the Unity Referendum

A Bit of History
One of the most profound and effective efforts at “unity” was the Truth and Reconciliation Commission established by the transitional authorities of a post-apartheid South Africa. Its stated mandate was "... a commission is a necessary exercise to enable South Africans to come to terms with their past on a morally accepted basis and to advance the cause of reconciliation." In more practical terms, the commission served to put a horrid past in the past as a precursor to nursing a social, economic and judicial reconstruction.

The premise of the reconciliation was a well understood purpose in unity. As the Promotion of National Unity and Reconciliation Act of 1995 elucidated: “… the Constitution states that the pursuit of national unity, the well-being of all South African citizens and peace require reconciliation between the people of South Africa and the reconstruction of society.”

There have been similar efforts in other countries that have transitioned from atrocity-centered societies to democracy-styled governments. Two such examples are the former Soviet Union via “glasnost” and Germany’s post-Nazi era via “Vergangenheitsbewältigung” – literally meaning “coming to terms with the past”. These two efforts also envisioned unity as their goal.

Although historians continue to debate the effectiveness of such efforts, the motivation for these gut-wrenching exercises in humanism was clear – an effort to put the past behind and move forward in the spirit of unity. What is also clear is how they functioned. As a precursor to any meaningful reconciliation, offenses had to be first acknowledged and then forgiveness had to be requested.

Philosophical Questions
Do you really want to be united? Would you want to be united in common with people that are contemptuous of your values, your race, your beliefs, your ethnicity, your faith?

Namely, what purpose does it serve to proclaim unity with your neighbor because you both love Marco Island, but that same neighbor wants you shot because you both disagree on another issue?

Is compromising one’s values for the sake of unity a virtue?

Onto Marco Island
Unless the unity notion proposed by the favored political committee is a tax-payer funded political stunt, then it would behoove the City Council to consider the mechanics of effective and proven unity efforts.

Without a constitutional amendment (the U.S. Constitution does not legislate anything of the kind - actually quite the contrary), unity can not be legislated. That leaves it up to the will of the people in the community if they want to be united. And since it is a virtual certainty that not everyone wants to be united, then one should question the effort since unity means “all”.

Perhaps there is another way to approach what is in essence a volunteer effort with the “force” of government – for after all, a City Council produced resolution carries the force of government.

How about if the City Council were to look at the above noted world-renown unity efforts and follow the very same processes? If the City Council is going to go through the trouble, time, expense and expend the opportunity cost, why not take the path that has already been proven effective?

Every effort in this regard followed the same roadmap: admit to transgressions, ask for forgiveness, receive absolution, and then and only then can there be unity.

The City of Marco Island City Council Sponsored Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Each citizen is encouraged to speak openly and without fear of retribution. Each citizen is encouraged to detail all of the transgressions committed against any and all interests of Marco Island, its businesses and its citizens. After which, the Commission will absolve the citizen.

When all citizens are done, then each business and every business interest will do the same.

How do we start? How about if the City Council leads by example? Since good leadership is leadership that leads by example, first to appear before the Reconciliation Commission should be the City Council members, followed by the city manager, then the city lawyer and all city employees.

When all is said and done, we acknowledge the past, put it behind us, and move forward in unity.

And heck, you never know: Desmod Tutu, Nelson Mandela, Willem deKlerk (S. Africa) and Mikhail Gorbachev (Soviet Union) all received the Nobel Peace Price in part for their efforts in their respective reconciliation and unity efforts – so maybe there will be a Nobel Peace Price for Councilperson DiSciullo for encouraging such an altruistic idea.