Pick Your Battles Wisely

There you have it.  The State of the Union is in the history books and the obligatory social media pontifications have begun.  

For clarification, pontification is "the act of speaking out for the purpose of hearing oneself speak. 
Posturing...speaking to people that don't really care what you say one way or another since you're speaking solely to front yourself as "someone in charge"'. (source: Urban Dictionary) 

In fact, this article may, in fact, be classified by some as a pontification; but, I digress.

As the pundits from both sides of the aisle start dissecting and analyzing last night's speech; let's remember that as the insults and accusations begin to fly on social media there are issues closer to home that we all can be advocating for without alienating our social media friends.  

There are those in the south; many of whom who spent the night trapped on icy highways in their cars fighting to stay warm.  There is the senior citizen down the block wondering if the frigid cold and icy roads are going to keep the "meals on wheels" volunteer from delivering what would probably be their only hot meal for the day.  There is the single parent sending their child off to school this morning worrying if he or she will be warm enough at the bus stop.

The examples above are just the tip of the iceberg.  They serve as reminders that, while we each have a right to express our personal opinions regarding the President's speech, we should not lose sight of what is happening in our own backyards.  They are just as important as the president's proponents and refuters arguments over the national political and social issues.  However, insulting our social media friends over these issues is serving no purpose other than adding more fuel to an already raging firestorm. 

Just the facts, Donald (Trump, that is)

Binghamton radio airwaves recently played host to an in-depth interview with Donald Trump.  The former GOP Presidential hopeful is currently being rumored as a potential opponent against New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo in November.  You can listen to the full interview here: WNBF Trump Interview

Several of the points made by Mr. Trump need to be addressed.

1. New York State has the highest taxes in the nation.  This couldn't be further from the truth.  Currently, Maryland ranks highest of the top 5 states nationwide.  (source: Bloomberg via MSN Money).  New York does rank at #3 highest.  However, the bipartisan proposals being touted in Albany should help to reduce the current personal and corporate tax burdens across the state.

2. They want to take away all of New Yorkers' guns under the SafeAct.  Again, this is a flat out fallacy.  While the law may still need some tweaking, one thing is for certain; it does not state anywhere in its current form that New Yorkers will have to give up all their legally registered firearms. On December 31, 2013, Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Skretny, of the Federal District Court in Buffalo, upheld most of the New York SAFE Act, saying that its provisions "further the state's important interest in public safety.... it does not totally disarm New York's citizens; and it does not meaningfully jeopardize their right to self-defense".  (source: New York Times "Federal Judge Upholds Majority of New York Gun Law" 12/31/2013)

To be fair, there was one statement made by Mr. Trump which cannot be disputed.  People are fleeing the State of New York.  However, there are a variety of reasons for this as there are for every other state in the Northeast experiencing the same phenomenon.  To bluntly place the blame on the current administration and the governor does a disservice to those listening to Mr. Trump.

No matter where you personally fall on the political spectrum, you owe it to yourself to check out the "facts" before believing or sharing.  It is only going to get worse as we move forward in this important election year.

My Soapbox Moment

Please excuse me for interrupting your comments and online posts for just a second.  I understand that your negative rants are just as important as the "feel good" posts that I share with my online connections; however, does that mean you have the right to hijack my positive outlook on the world and, in turn, ruin my entire day?

We all have our opinions when it comes to politics, social issues and, yes, even cats.  If you post something I do not agree with, I make the conscious effort to either reply with facts that substantiate my opinion or simply scroll right by your post.  I do not go out of my way to post a comment that is disparaging or outright mean spirited.  

Maybe I am naive to think that adults are capable of having an intelligent online conversation without the name calling and vile comments.  This was not how I was raised nor was it how I was taught to carry on conversations with people I may disagree with.

Yes, debate is important and a fact of life.  I am not discouraging it by any means.  It you disagree with something I post, then state your case as to why. Simply calling a third party out in your reply does not help to advance your case.

All too often, there are those (myself included) who have been forced to delete a post because the comments posted in response have gone rogue. These forced deletions go against the whole purpose of social media.  

We can be social without being mean spirited.

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.