“Community Columnist” Michael H. Schrader

(About Bad Attitudes)

Written 5 April 2015

One would think that a cruise ship plying the waters of Lake Huron would make port at Port Huron, given the city’s name and that it is a port on Huron. Alas, it is not to be, and the cruise ship will pass on by as it makes the journey between Chicago and the lower Great Lakes, with the Blue Water area being part of the non-descript scenery for those on board. Given the historical significance of and recreational opportunities available in the Blue Water area, that is a tragedy, as the passengers will be missing out. We will be missing out on the economic opportunities that come with being a port-of-call.

It is easy to place the blame on local and state officials for not trying hard enough to convince the cruise ship to stop in Port Huron. After all, it is the job of these officials to make every effort to promote this area. However, given the constant insults thrown at government officials by the citizenry, do you really blame them for not really trying? Why try to improve things when all you will get is insulted for doing so? Since the construction began on the new convention center on the waterfront, how many rude and negative comments have been publicly made? “It’s a waste of money.” “The county is corrupt and lining its pockets.” “The convention center is ugly and destroys the view.” Maybe I am biased because I am a civil engineer who used to work for local governments, but I do not think it ugly or a waste of money; rather, it is a solid investment in the community by the community and shows the world that we are not satisfied with the status quo.

The state also gets roundly insulted by our local residents. How dare the state abandon improving the plaza when a better idea, the new Delray connection bypassing both downtown Detroit and downtown Windsor, becomes available. We want to hold the state’s feet to the fire to build the less desirable option and get nasty when it doesn’t. Now, when the state asks us for money to improve transportation, we go on the attack and call state employees lazy and worthless and insult the state, showing no gratitude for the hundreds of millions of dollars the state has invested in our county with the improvements to I-69 and I-94. It doesn’t surprise me that state officials are, at best, ambivalent about promoting this area; you’d be, too, given how ungrateful Port Huron sounds. I suspect that the UP would love to have the state invest as much there as it has invested here. Perhaps we haven’t been deprived and isolated enough to appreciate what we have been given.

Part of what is holding us back is our general rudeness. How many times have you gone into a store and saw only one person waiting on the customers and the other employees either conveniently hiding in “the back” or casually chatting amongst themselves, completely ignoring the customers? Then, when you finally get their attention, they have that snotty attitude because they actually have to work? How many times have you seen a customer hold up a line over something ridiculous like a ten cent error in price? How many times have you heard someone insult the Canadians or Detroiters? Why would anyone want to stop when they cross the bridge or travel the waterways to be subjected to such obnoxious behavior?

It is sad that the cruise ship won’t stop and that motorists crossing the bridge don’t stop. Perhaps if we change our attitude they will.