The preliminary results came in and I’m excited to say that I’ve been elected to Council for the City of Yachats!
Blog
Why we have to remember past setbacks
As I mentioned recently, I’m a frequent reader and occasional contributor on the Ask Historians subreddit.
Earlier this month, a history graduate student asked:
Why, despite its rich 18th century history and involvement in slave-driven agriculture, did Charleston, South Carolina, not become a major American metropolis on par with Boston, New York, and Philadelphia?
I chimed in with the following response, adapted for this format, that others appreciated.
As another response pointed out, it is true that the Civil War had devastating effects on Charleston and other southern cities.
But the city’s troubles started earlier.
In terms of relative population, Charleston was in decline by the Civil War.
Yachats Candidates Forum
I’m speaking at the Yachats Candidates Forum tonight for city and county candidates on the ballot in the November election.
I set this entry to go live at 8:25 PM when City Council candidates take the stage.
Below you can read a copy of the opening and closing statements I prepared to give.
Opening Statement
I’m James Kerti. This Friday marks three years since I moved to Yachats.
But I must say, I figured out pretty quickly that Yachats is the place where I feel at home.
I look out and I see a lot of familiar faces tonight. I know from talking with many of you that we all have special stories of feeling called to live in Yachats.
Why geography and history matter
I’m interested in what geography and history can tell us about where we are today.
This year I’m running for city council in Yachats.
My time here has helped me understand that the effects of geography and history matter whether you’re talking about a small town like Yachats or a whole country.
You can’t ignore those things in creating policy or looking for solutions in the present. Context matters.
I enjoy reading comments from amateur and professional historians on the Ask Historians subreddit. Recently I started contributing my responses based on my reading and learning.
Last month, someone asked the question:
What are the reasons for Yemen being so poor as compared to its neighboring countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Iran, etc.)?