My Thanksgiving Message to You

Happy Thanksgiving! 

As I scroll through my news feeds, text messages and take or make the obligatory phone calls, I am reminded that gratitude is not limited to one day of the year.

We all have experienced moments of joy, contentment and, yes, heartbreak throughout the year. Showing our gratitude and appreciation for those who have been there with a kind word, a shoulder to cry on or, simply, a smile to brighten a particularly dreary day should be a daily thing.  

For me, it has been a fear putting my true feelings out there for the entire virtual world to see.  In retrospect, I realize now that I had nothing to fear and want to take this moment to thank everyone in my life.  You all have either been the force that has kept me going in pursuit of my personal goals; the anchors who kept me grounded; or the perfect combination of the two.  A special thank you also goes out to those who have chosen to remove themselves from my life over the past year or so; it is because of you that I am reminded of my imperfections and how much more I need to accomplish to make myself a better person.

Wishing you all, not only a wonderful Thanksgiving with your loved ones; but a life full of new experiences and magical moments.  I look forward to being a part of it, as long as you will allow me to.

What happened to journalistic integrity?

As consumers of the news, we have become accustomed to certain biases in reporting from sources such as FOX News, Huffington Post, The New York Times and MSNBC; and we make our own choices on which of these we rely on for our news.  However, when there is such a clear deletion of previously reported facts; I find myself forced to say something.

The Binghamton, New York mayoral race heated up yesterday with the candidates facing each other in two debates.  The first debate was held in front of the members of the Rotary Club.  Though closed to the public, the press was allowed to attend and report on it.  Our local paper filed a report shortly after; which appeared on their website and was accessible online to its readership. Unfortunately, this image is all that remains of the original report.  

Apparently, the editorial staff removed the original story when it posted its report on the evening's public debate.  All links to the first report bring the reader to this updated version. (Candidates focus on crime, economy in two debates, Press & Sun Bulletin, 10/29/13).

I have no problem consolidating the story into one report.  I do have a problem with the overt deletion of a statement made by one of the candidates regarding the stop and frisk policy deployed by the NYC police force which has since been ruled unconstitutional.  At the Rotary debate, the candidate suggested that the city needs to implement NYC's "stop and frisk" policies. These policies have been ruled unconstitutional, are racist and can actually make things worse. (see http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/12/justice/new-york-stop-frisk/; see http://bklynr.com/all-the-stops/; see http://healthland.time.com/2013/07/26/stop-and-frisk-stirs-up-rather-than-deters-youth-crime/) 

As the newspaper's subscribers read the paper this morning over their morning coffee, they will have no idea what truly happened or was said at the first of the two debates.  If they do not have Internet access, they will not be able to watch the video of the evening's debate where the candidate acknowledges and addresses his previous statement.  The readers deserve as much transparency from their news sources as they do from anywhere else.  Changing the slant of its reporting to make someone look better in the eyes of the public is no longer journalism in its truest form.  

The voters will make their own decisions on November 5th at the polls.  It is up to the candidates to convince them who is the right person for the job; it is not a journalist's place to try to sway the vote toward one candidate or another.  That is what editorial board endorsements are for; which are normally filed in the opinion section not as the top story of the day.

Enough Already!

For months, I have been biting my tongue as I see more and more posts by Facebook friends - from close personal friends to merely acquaintances - share disparaging images, memes and statuses concerning those within our community who are utilizing the services available to them from Social Services.  I cannot hold back any longer and if I lose friends because of it, then I will resign myself to the fact that they weren't truly friends in the first place.

For every post you make denigrating those who need food stamps (or SNAP benefits) or financial assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families - TANF), you are doing your part in creating a division of classes that has no place in our society.  Many of those who receive SNAP and/or TANF work every day in low paying part time jobs struggling to pay the rent and put food on the table for their families. They are not lazy as so many of your posts imply.  They have sacrificed more for their families and children than you ever will. They wear decades old clothes; not to be trend setters but more because they had to make the conscious decision to pay the gas and electric bill over buying a new winter coat.

Your continual posts about having cell phones and/or Internet on "your dime" only sets the tone that you consider yourself better than those that need these items for activities you have long been taking for granted. Cell phones (many of which they pay on a monthly pay as you go basis) are necessary for them to keep in touch with their employers, potential future employers, their children and, yes, their friends.  Individuals on public assistance are entitled to have friends, aren't they?  The Internet is necessary in today's world to look for better employment opportunities or to master school work (many times in the late hours of the night or wee hours of the morning) before or after their work shifts in order to give themselves a shot at a more stable and higher paying job. Admonishing them and telling them to use the Internet services at the public library is all well and good; tell me where there is a library open 24/7.

Yes, people on assistance do have cars.  Not because it is a luxury but a necessity.  Without a car, many would not be able to get to work unless they live and work within a community's downtown core.  Most public transit routes and schedules, for whatever reason, discriminate against those who are lucky to find employment outside the downtown core or outside the traditional 9 -5 schedule. That is, however, if their community even has a public transit system.

Yes, there are those that take advantage of the system and over time they will be caught and stopped.  However, publicly attacking everyone on the system is not doing anything other than shaming your neighbors and family members who are "playing by the rules" and doing the best they can in these tough economic times.  As we approach the holiday season, let's be thankful for what we do have and, instead of spewing hateful comments, donate to the local food banks or one of the various community dinners planned for the upcoming holiday season; donate clothing that can be used for job interviews by those unable to afford a new outfit.  And, let's not forget the children - donate something to organizations such as "Toys for Tots" for the many that cannot experience a child's holiday joy through no fault of their own.