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There are times, of course, when grievance is just the ticket. A week ago, our nation celebrated the 231st anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence -- a document that includes an appalling list of grievances designed to shame King George III in the eyes of the world. The American revolutionaries rallied countrymen to their cause as much through the power of resentment and outrage as by the nobility of their ideals about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

But, once independence was achieved, it was time to set aside grievances and build a republic that might actually work.

An undeniable sense of grievance later abolished slavery and, too much later, secured full civil rights for the descendents of slaves. Some of America's greatest leaders pushed those movements toward their successful conclusions.

Every era brings its grievances, as the authors of the First Amendment anticipated. It is one of our fundamental rights to petition government "for a redress of grievances." There is never any shortage of self-appointed leaders ready to wave almost any banner of complaint you can imagine. Some causes are worthy, but others are misguided. Citizens always must be careful whom they choose to follow.

In this presidential campaign, grievances are many and deserving of examination. The war in Iraq is exceedingly unpopular, and candidates are safe to condemn it and those responsible for its conduct in the strongest terms. Yet voters have a responsibility to determine which presidential aspirants are best equipped to step beyond grievance and formulate solutions.
Grievances thrive in Greensboro, too. Some have been carried for a generation, for little productive purpose. Some are new, stemming from problems in the police department or disputes among council members.

There's a place for airing unpleasant issues and debating what mistakes were made, what actions would have been wiser. But the men and women elected to leadership posts, here and elsewhere, can't change the past. They can, and will, decide a lot about the future. Leaders who wrap themselves with the grievances of the past sometimes can't untangle themselves when it's necessary to move ahead. And, if too many others join them in their embrace of the ghosts of yesterday, they'll govern a city or a country where tomorrow is no brighter.

Greensboro has the potential to be greater than its past, but it needs leaders who recognize the opportunities for progress and propose a positive agenda. It's up to voters to shed their own grievances and choose those candidates who offer ideas that look forward, not backward.

Sometimes the leaders you need are those who can exploit a grievance to the fullest. But if, like Arafat, they can't do anything else, eventually they must be left behind.

Doug Clark can be contacted at dgclark@news-record.com or 373-7039.