Manifesto/Bio
Recent Comments
Re: “Why not ban guns?”
In response to Mr. Penner. Mark, so what you are saying is that actually having a gun puts my family in more danger? As a city resident for almost 30 years I beg to differ. I carry a gun as personal protection. Over the years I have had to use my gun several times to protect myself, my family, my friends and my neighbors from various individuals, Some of these individuals actually brandished and threatened the use of firearms, prompting my armed response. And of course I'm sure, like me and all legally licensed carry permit holder's, these thugs took the time to properly license and register their guns. Sure they did. When my wife was pregnant with our daughter I accidentally drove on to the scene of an armed robbery in progress at the end of my street, a few feet from my home. A local restaurant was being beaten, pistol whipped and robbed by two armed thugs. As soon as I stopped (at the stop sign, there I go again, obeying the law) and before I realized what was going on, my car door was thrown open and a gun at my throat. Fortunately for my wife, unborn child, my neighbor and myself, I was fully armed and before he could react there was a gun under his the carjackers throat. He realized he had met his match and left me...and went back to assist his friend in the assault on the unarmed victim! Needless to say, a "reminder" from me that I had not left, caused them to run. In the same neighborhood I have had, on more than one occasion, had individuals literally walk into my front door in a menacing manner, only to be shocked to find me prepared to assist in their exit, again persuaded by a barrel. I have had to again brandish my personal protection to convince the owners (yes plural) of pitbulls on two occasions to control their dogs that were loose and literally had tree'd or threatening an attack on children in broad daylight. I had to threaten to shoot the dogs to convince the owners to comply. All of these incidents were reported to the police. My point? In a perfect world you and Ms. Towler may be right, but we (especially in the City) do live in a perfect world. There are thugs who are indifferent to the law and especially to your safety, The police cannot protect you from these predators simply because they cannot be everywhere at all times looking over your shoulder to protect you. and if they could, would we want to live in such a "Police State"? It takes several minutes, even in cases of extreme emergency for any officer to respond. It takes a millisecond for a thug to act. You cannot disarm a law abiding population to "protect" them from themselves as long as an armed threat from that small percentage of the population that ignores the law remains. And they will always be among us.
Re: “The City School District: Can this system work?”
Trying to save the RCSD at this point in history is like trying to save a rotten banana by rounding up the fruit flies that are eating away at it. It is long past the time that we needed to declare any type of local control effective or affective. Time to call in NYSED and turn control over to them, with absolutely no local politician, parent, teacher, Board member, administrator even remotely involved in the review or repair process. To quote Star Trek..."It's dead, Jim"
Re: “Why not ban guns?”
Hmmm, I believe the last time I checked gun ownership was a protected Constitutional right, rather like equal rights, the right to assemble and the right to free speech. And you know, each of these rights has lead to violence and sometimes death as well. So why not suggest we end the right of free speech while we are at it.? It would end all those troublesome arguments, protests and political conventions that so often lead to violence, And that darned right to freely assemble, once again it just leads to those violent parties, soccer games , protests and political events that turn violent. And equal rights? why, throw that out too, After all, we've been bickering and fighting over those rights as well, why I even remember something about a Civil War where hundreds of thousands died to secure and protect theses rights, You know, you may be on to something, just think of how safe and quiet it will be if no one is armed, or free to leave their homes, or speak to each other...
Re: “RCSD: Longer days for an out-of-school culture?”
The same logic that has been in place (and failing miserably) for decades. If a child fails Math, give him two Math classes at the same time, If he fails these, make him go to summer school and then assign him two additional classes. None of which addresses the root problems, and results in the inability to take classes that might better suit the child's abilities and interests, such as Art, Technology and other "elective" courses. I can't tell you how many times I have been called to the office to explain my "poor attendance keeping records" because I was showing 100% or at least regular attendance for a child that was showing in school records as absent from school or missing classes. Only to walk the administrator to class and point out the student happily present and learning. The students would simply skip the classes they were failing and attend the classes they were successful and happy in. At the same time I would constantly hear from Math and English teachers that a student couldn't do basic math or write a coherent sentence, only to show the same student using applied algebraic skills to solve a hands-on technical problem and write the required lab write up. There are solutions, and there are failed practices. Extending a school day to address the issue of truancy is ridiculous. They already, by their absence, have told you what they think about attending school at all, never mind for a longer day!