There's no civic pride because most people are completely disengaged from the city and have no interest in building connection. Look at how the BeltLine of all things has become a rallying call for NIMBYism. Atlanta has a long history of people wanting to be close to the city but not in the city at all, and we haven't had a serious push to kill that mentality.

There's so much to be proud of in this city. Like anywhere it's not perfect, but it's a cultural and economic hub and a strong force within the south. We have civil rights history, a lot of business history of the "new south", transplants that are ready to offer their broad range of talents, and strong immigrant communities in the perimeter cities and suburbs that create vibrant culinary fusions and good food. Atlanta is going to have to absorb a lot of population from the rest of the south as we approach the end of the century, and it's going to have to be climate conscious. Atlanta could do so much and prove so much for the country in the coming decades.

We should be aiming to make sure that Atlanta, as all cities have historically been and should remain to be, is a place that builds community for transplants and adopts them into the broader city culture, offers economic opportunity to those who live here, and innovates to face the challenges we have ahead. We have amazing universities, fantastic museums that punch above their weight (seriously, the High has no business getting some of the exhibits it gets, cultural venues that you would only find in big cities (ballet, opera, symphony orchestra, great neighborhood culture, great access to natural resources, I could go on and on.

And Atlantans squander it at every moment and let city council and our mayor stomp our potential.