Pure Memphis Propaganda

I recently ran across Memphis Connect; a site that was developed by the Leadership Academy to bolster the city’s image and to promote ‘positive’ discussion. While I applaud any effort to improve the city, I am stunned by the naivete of this effort. The characterization of Memphis is fictitious at best and pure propaganda at its worst. Had I not lived in Memphis for 5 years, I would have been impressed by all that the city has to offer. However, I know better. The truth is this is a city in peril not a ‘jewel in the rough’. City leaders including the “Leadership Academy” should remember that the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. There are relatively few metropolitan areas of comparable size that are worse off then Memphis in almost every relevant category. Memphis has set the bar for substandard  health, poverty, crime, corruption, racism, and religious intolerance.