I am fed up, literally enraged at the garbage in the press, cable news, elsewhere. Can you really expect anyone in politics to survive intact in this world, our society, even our City.
Now we are being righteous about the crap in the New York Times about the Super Pac and the usual suspectd are lining up. MSBC has its African American apologists huffing and puffing about how unhjust this all is while their equally obnoxious, non-thinking conservative counterparts are putting out their message of being misunderstood and ….
We cannot all get along. The intellect message is simple…. we, the entire damn world needs a new paradigm of governance. Look up the words you don’t understand. It comes down to people who, on the one side, continue to moan and groan about balanced budgets, national debt, “values” while the other side whinges about the poor downtrodden masses, inequality, social engineering.
Neither side knows what the hell they are talking about in a world where sound bites replace critical thinking and people look for dirt in corners, invent motive and opportunity, hypocritically judge others…. why in God’s name would anyone want to hold office under such conditions.
Lets try a relatively simple matter on its face, just what has happened on its face. Trayvon Martin went to get a drink and some candy. George Zimmerman, entitled to carry a weapon by law, followed him, called in and was told by a dispatcher, don’t do that.
He did that. Martin confronted him, beat the hell out of him, and Zimmerman shot him.
Zimmerman seems to be culpable from the start. Stop analzying it and fix the problem.
Same with our economy and political culture. You want people to starve, you want to incarcerate all drug offenders, put a limit on number of children, deport familiies, maybe even tolerate some form of “elimination.” Ok, say so, and stop with your weasel words about budgets, economy, small government. In fact, what are the conditional consequences of small government? What about all the people out of work then? What are your answers? Don’t turn to Grover Norquist (look him up if you don’t know who he is) — he cannot help you; he is an anal moron whose mind runs on a single track.
Ok, what about you social engineers who write politically correct wimpish words about our downtrodden. You live in excellent zip codes by and large, send your children to private schools, out of city or town camps, and cluck your tongue at the poor blue collar guy with the vowel at the end of his name who has worked all of his life to provide for his family.
So, some punks, usually of “color”, exits from a car and beats some kids like a red-headed step child because they want his cel. Yeah, they are deprived, it is somehow become lodged in the genetic make-up. Keep them, say in Zip Codes 10801 or 10805; don’t you dare let them in our well manicured lawns and spiffy homes in 10802 or 10804.
So, class warfare? No, I don’t think so. I am a 75 year old man and I am part of a genuine socio-economic, culturally deprived group in America and in these parts. We are all colors; white, black, brown and yellow. Many fought for our communities, we raised families, we pay taxes while many half our age and more don’t do much more than have children out of wedlock, piss and moan about inequality, and label the system as not authentic, not theirs.
That is B.S. It is yours, ask Obama. Ask your grandmother, an authentic American hero, who has sacrificed her dreams for her obligation to nurture.
What about the egghead who graduated from a prestigious Ivy League school, tatooed up, shaved his luxurious blond locks, and pitched a tent on Wall Street and rages against the machine while his middle class suburban parents look at their non-existent bank balance and, as with the grandmother describe above, sacrificed their dreams.
How dare those “entitled” individuals steal dreams! And, what the hell is wrong with you and I who enable this and pin the tail on the democratic donkey or pull the elephants ear out of its joint.
Bramson is hardly the issue. He is faulted for enabling the lack of authenticity of recognizing and addressing the problems are. He is far less culpable than Romney or Obama who can do a lot more. After, all “who much is given (or taken) much is expected”
Cut him some slack while continuing to raise the elemental questions that must be raised. Yet, do not be afraid to base these on your spirituality, but please not your rabid interpretation of your religion. Even that is relatively simple to get away from. Like Martin/Zimmerman, all you need to honestly do is put it correctly in perspective.
To my neighbors throughout the community of New Rochelle. We share the burden of enabling wrong period! We condemn with sophistry (look it up); taking positions that appear to our sense of political or social correctness. That is only ok as far as you are willing to act on them.
Will i ever see a bond in New Rochelle that unites North and South? I do not know! Will I ever feel safe walking the streets downtown after dark given the current philosophy apparent in City Management? I will not!
But, there is a dim but real light off the horizon that gives me hope. I actually believe that this City Council has the potential to be the best and brightest in my memory and the challenges they face are to be brutally honest in terms of what we must, repeat must do, to restore and resurrect our City and to work as a partnership to identify the criteria that begins to initialize this change.
I am not as arrogant as I sometimes appear. No, Mr. Council man who uttered that “I think I know everything” I do not. But I am honed in on my questioning, finding my spiritual base, comfortable with my intellectual gifts and promise a return on your investment if you reach out and reflect what the hell drives you to label. Take the splinter out of your eye, and by the way, that is excellent advice to everyone who reads this and reflects on what I am trying to say.
I will close with this. Americans are great people by all measures and another test awaits us; one that must be shared by the haves and have nots. The civilized world south of Scandinavia seems to be reeling and falling apart (except Germany). Thus, our global cause seems clear except for our penchant to “educate and morally uplift” people throughout the world. Get the tweezers out, more splinters and hypocrisy.
Look up and look at Simpson-Bowles for a hint at just how grown ups address a complex issue. It is not perfect, they are not perfect, we are not perfect, but it is formidable
New Rochelle, look and listen to the voices; here and elsewhere. Weigh them, don’t label or judge them. I want to see a march on City Hall someday soon, not with signs spewing hate, but with a sense of community. I do not care one whit if I suffer the oft-cited claim of being too hopeful, too optimistic. It is put to me honestly by most and it is fair and those who see it otherwise are some of our best and brightest.
When Noam, Shari, Barry, Jared, Ivar, Al, and Louis see this and embrace this and come forward as the leaders of the City, empowered by the Council and committed to the entire City, we will be almost there.
Meanwhile back to my carefully reasoned thoughts on particular issues and questions likely next week.
Thanks for allowing me to ventilate. God Bless New Rochelle and all residents herein.