Thomas McKee: State’s ‘greatness’ comes from urban areas

North Carolina’s political leaders love to brag about the state’s greatness, but what is it, beside favorable geography, that makes it great?

The Jan. 8 news article “Andy Griffith’s hometown hopes Trump will make America great again” about Mount Airy expounded the virtues of small-town living. However, while they contribute to the diversity of places to live, small cities and towns are not the source of the state’s greatness.

The article indicated Mount Airy residents long to go back to an earlier time, thus they eschew progress, but progress is essential to greatness. U.S. Census Bureau data shows Mount Airy’s Surry County slightly losing population since 2010 – not a sign of greatness.

Increasingly both people and businesses choose to locate in diverse and dynamic areas, and the state’s two largest metropolitan areas shine as the major engines of growth, progress and the state’s greatness.

Medical, technical and financial progress comes from the collaborations between members of the diverse populations of these areas not from the state’s insular small towns.

To further the state’s greatness its political leaders should allow the localities to govern as they deem prudent for their residents and businesses. Wise choices will be made by most, thus enhancing the state’s greatness.

This story was originally published January 9, 2017 at 8:08 PM with the headline "Thomas McKee: State’s ‘greatness’ comes from urban areas."