"No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion.

People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
– Nelson Mandela

Our industry has suffered far too long from internal divisions and avoidable wounds. These wounds harm our industry more than it might others, precisely because of our relatively modest size. Similar fractures would have less of an impact on larger, better understood and more accepted products/services (autos, computers, cells, RVs, etc.), compared to manufactured homes.  

There is a path ahead, perhaps more than one, but certainly we can find a good road to advance.

"Love comes more naturally to the human heart," wrote the man imprisoned for decades after his conviction for using acts of violence and terror against what Mandela named a repressive regime.

I'm not taking sides in saying that Mandela was seen as being a communist; and that was back during the Cold War when such a statement sounded quite severe.

But unlike so many who come to power through violence and protest and then use that same violence against their former oppressors, Nelson Mandela brought peace and started the healing process for his nation. First conflict – because he felt it was un-avoidable! – and then that leader offered and delivered, peace.

The ancients would say, 'Where there is division, there is sin.'  Sin was seen as a potentially deadly – and if not corrected, eternally fatal – wrong. 

As most of us know instinctively, there are more things which unite manufactured housing pros than there are which divide us. We ought to behave more as the brotherhood or 'fraternity' that Tim Williams from 21st Mortgage suggested we are in his interview with us.

A Tip of the Hat to MHARR's Leadership

After a renewed series of attacks in the first quarter of 2014 by MHARR's CEO on MHI and others, MHARR's leadership – per our sources – pulled their association's top employee in, and said essentially to their president, 'enough is enough. You will not attack MHI in public any more, nor any one else.' Word has it that a commitment was made to work together with MHI where possible, and to keep areas of disagreement quiet where public agreement is not possible.

On both sides of the fence, that's how our industry will advance faster!

Manufactured housing is NOT a zero sum game. Once the industry grows again to 6 figure shipment levels, companies of all sizes (regardless of size or association affiliation) will benefit.

As we've said before, MHI members sell and provide goods and services to MHARR producers and MHARR home builders sell homes to MHI members. If they can pull together for major events, such as the Louisville and Tunica Shows, surely all can work together on broader matters, for the benefit of all.

Is that easy? As Sunshine Homes President/CEO and MHARR Chairman, John Bostick likes to say, "Easy doesn't pay well.”

 

Why Maximum Collaboration Now Matters

Let's make a politically incorrect – but practically true – statement. Honda, Toyota and others are among those who could storm the U.S. with their  factory built homes. Frankly, our industry looks unprepared for it, perhaps none of the manufacturers are ready to face what those giant auto corporations-turned-home-builers may potentially do. We could cite more such factors, but it is not our intent to scare the dickens out of domestic home producers or anyone else.

American Manufactured and Modular home builders have plenty of reasons to pull together now, and grow the industry through a collaborative, loose "alliance" style effort.

When even a few begin to ally to improve product's image and professionalism, the results will be like dominoes tipping, because they are lined up in our favor.

 

Getting As Many to Work Together as Possible

We at MHProNews helped – along with others – to tackle the issue of the now-in-the-rear-view-mirror messaging from MHARR's CEO only because it festered for so long. It frankly hurt their members, as well as others in the industry.

With the commitment that those attacks are past, this is now the time to advance the cause of quality, affordable factory built homes for America. We've collectively procrastinated too long already. As the character, Apollo Creed said in Rocky III, "There is no tomorrow!"

Peace flows from many things, one of them, is strength.

Can Professional 'agitators' learn to get along, for the good of those they'd lead?

Some practice the art of 'death by a thousand paper cuts,' and they have a small but loyal circle of supporters. Will they freely change for the sake of our MHIndustry they profess to care about? Some feel it would take a miracle. Others say they will only cry 'uncle' when they are exposed and 'defeated.' Time will tell. But their legacy is in their own hands.  With or without the naysayers, others will lock arms and advance!

Let's draw to a close with some of the words we opened with;

"People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite."
– Nelson Mandela

If a former terrorist prisoner can become a reconciling president, then surely it's possible for our industry to advance using the principle articulated by one of America's founders, who said,

"We must, indeed, all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately."
– Benjamin Franklin.

Please share your thoughts and check back here, on the Masthead, mid-week. ##

(Original Image credits, WikiCommons, posters copyright (c) 2014 by Lifestyle Factory Homes, LLC. All Rights Reserved)

L. A. 'Tony' Kovach
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