Flashes

The Tempe Way

The City of Tempe is reeling in the wake of New Times‘ breakage last week of the Boy Scouts/United Way story (“The Not So United Way,” Patti Epler, September 21). Tempe leaders have informed the United Way that it will not allow employees to contribute a portion of their checks to the Boy Scouts, because the Boy Scouts discriminate against homosexuals.

Our story generated incredible multimedia coverage of the issue, which clearly got under the thin skin of exclamation point abuser John Greco, Tempe’s city manager. Greco penned an e-mail in the city’s defense against those malignant bastards at the United Way — not to mention the KKK and the Aryan Nation. He even included those cute emoticons — 🙂 — inherent in the “Tempe Way” and signed off with love and kisses. (Incredibly, none of the excerpts printed here are made up.)

From: Greco, John

Sent: Monday, September 25, 2000 7:58 AM

To: City Of Tempe — VIP Executive Msg.; COT- All Users

Subject: A Somewhat Personal Update

Importance: High (FOR ALL OF OUR SAKES, I WOULD ASK YOU TO READ ALL OF THIS PERSONAL MESSAGE . . .)

I’m back in the office after a long and trying weekend, but at least I’m alive and well despite some of the fervent wishes of some United Way backers. To my knowledge, none of the Council has been either consigned to hell, slowly roasted over a raging fire, or impeached — but then I’ve not yet heard from all of them. . . . 🙂 So far as I know, we’re still all here to continue doing the Tempe Way!

Other than combat, I’ve not seen this much hysterical rage (from Friday thru Sunday — today has yet to unfold!) since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960’s. So I’ve asked myself, why John? Why such an immediate and media centered response to how we’re going to run United Way, especially when the United Way management has known about this for weeks — and even more especially, since all that we’ve indicated is that we’re going to run a non-coercive, non-discriminatory campaign. After all, we didn’t threaten to run no United Way campaign. Why all of the hysteria and venom?

So over the weekend, I started to review what I remembered about the United Way.

*. . . The United Way . . . has an historically captive audience and collects hundreds of millions of dollars.

*United Way is the organization which several years ago was widely criticized in the media for spending far too many charitable dollars on administration, salaries, travel, etc, and not enough on the charities themselves. You may also recall a scandal where huge sums of monies were wrongfully used for personal purposes by United Way top management . . . .

*United Way has turned into a huge national bureaucracy that now does computer print outs with employees names and demands that you give a “fair share” of your money to them, and that you are forced sign a pledge card even if you choose not to give.

. . . And then the light came on!!!! What we have actually done here in Tempe is challenge the historical idea that United Way has a right to come into our organization and dictate to us what we do as well as how we do it!

Wow! What if other organizations across America suddenly got the idea that like Tempe they didn’t have to follow orders from the United Way?

Remember, millions of “administrative” dollars and even United Way staff jobs are at stake here . . . no wonder that they are having their backers call and threaten Tempe’s leaders! . . . .

. . . In just a small way, this situation reminds me of the childhood story of the emperor who had no clothes! And it’s the United Way that’s in fact being exposed . . . .

So what has been the response of United Way backers who now feel terribly threatened because Tempe doesn’t want to run a United Way campaign that is non discriminatory and non coercive?

First, they’ve tried to make this an issue about the Boy Scouts, an organization which clearly does a lot of good, even though they have recently asserted their legal right to discriminate. This is NOT about Boy Scouts! Tempe won’t list any organization that would arbitrarily discriminate against any of our employees or any members of our community. That includes organizations that do good like the Boy Scouts and many parochial church groups, as well as organizations that do bad like the KKK or the Aryan Nation. Why? Because our mission is to make Tempe the best place for all people, not just some people . . . !

Regardless of being an imperfect organization (as all organizations must be since they are made up of imperfect people), I have not suggested to anyone that we drop the United Way. However, if Mayor and Council want to have that discussion, they can do so. My position is that we continue to do good and avoid evil the Tempe Way as I’ve explained above.

Finally, I think we should all welcome this opportunity to walk the talk and stand tall for our mission, our values, and our policies of zero tolerance for discrimination and equal rights for all . . . .

When I took the job of City Manager on June 1 of this year, I made a pact with Mayor and Council and they all made a pact with me. I swore that I believed with all my heart in Tempe’s mission and values, that I believed in zero tolerance for discrimination, and that I believed that the miracle of birth entitled every person to equal respect. . . . I fully expect and welcome that you, as well as Mayor and Council and the community, will hold me to that commitment. In fact, if we are who we say we are, we all need to hold each other accountable to the Tempe Way!

As of right now, the Mayor and Council on Oct. 5th, plan to ask for 360 input on how to apply the Tempe Way to the United Way campaign, whether my proposal to run a non discriminatory and non coercive campaign is acceptable in light of our charter, our mission, our values, and our policies. I invite you to attend this Council session and support our leaders who are being bullied and threatened by United Way backers.

If the topic is discussed, I look forward to explaining — and if necessary — defending, the Tempe Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! . . . . . . . 🙂

xoxoxoxoxo

John (still City Manager!) Greco

P.S. Have a great day the Tempe Way!