Irrational Hysteria

The irrational hysteria shown by many in this country never ceases to amaze me.

Take, for example, the proposal to move a large number of the remaining prisoners at Guantanamo Bay to a sparsely-populated maximum security prison in a sparsely-populated town called Thompson, IL. The majority of people of Thompson seem to want such a proposal carried out, as it would provide jobs at the Thompson Correctional Facility which has never been fully staffed due to budgetary reasons. There are some, however (the vast majority of whom are on the right side of the political spectrum and unfortunately get a lot of media attention), who feel that moving these individuals to an 8-year-old, maximum security prison in the middle of rural Illinois would somehow put the American people in unnecessary grave danger. According to the CDC, there were over 30,000 gun deaths in the United States, and these conservative talking heads think moving these detainees onto American soil is what is going to put Americans in unnecessary mortal danger? Give me a break. Do they expect these men to escape, find refuge, plan an attack, and then carry out said attack? Keep dreaming. Irrational hysteria.

This morning on CNN, I saw a piece on militia groups who arm themselves to the teeth with semi-automatic weapons and train for a confrontation with...I don't know who. The government? President Obama himself? One militia member raised the prospect that President Obama was "dangers for the nation." Another hoped that their presence makes lawmakers in Washington take "pause." I don't understand. Is he suggesting that he wants lawmakers to think, Gee, we were going to pass this law, but those militia members may come after us, so we better pause and think twice? And another reason why the militia members do what they do? Baseless fear that President Obama is going to take away their guns. Irrational hysteria.

Irrational hysteria is nothing new in this country, dating all the way back to the witch hunts of the 1600s. And I guess it's too much to expect everyone in the country to grow a brain and instead exhibit rational calm, so we'll just have to keep putting up with it. Only in America.

Paterson Runs

With 12 months to go before the 2010 election, Gov. David Paterson has begun running reelection ads. If you have not seen any, you can check them out here. I have seen the "Some Say" commercial numerous times, and I have to tell you I think it is very effective. Whoever decided to make Gov. Paterson's campaign slogan "The People First" made a good move, portraying him as bucking the system and doing whatever he feels is right for the state. But with the size of the climb that he's facing, will any good idea be able to make his reelection happen? I guess we'll find out over the next 12 months.

Brothers Under the Bridge

Saigon, it was all gone
The same Coke machines
As the streets I grew on
Down in a mesquite canyon
We come walking along the ridge
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Campsite's an hour's walk from the nearest road to town
Up here there's too much brush and canyon
For the CHP choppers to touch down
Ain't lookin' for nothin', just wanna live
Me and the brothers under the bridge
Come the Santa Ana's, man, that dry brush'll light
Billy Devon got burned up in his own campfire one winter night
We buried his body in the white stone high up along the ridge
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Had enough of town and the street life
Over nothing you end up on the wrong end of someone's knife
Now I don't want no trouble
And I ain't got none to give
Me and the brothers under the bridge

I come home in '72
You were just a beautiul light
In your mama's dark eyes of blue
I stood down on the tarmac, I was just a kid
Me and the brothers under the bridge

Come Veterans' Day I sat in the stands in my dress blues
I held your mother's hand
When they passed with the red, white and blue
One minute you're right there ... and something slips...
-Bruce Springsteen

Come and Gone

So, one more election day has come and gone, and the amount of excitement was...negligible. Only four or five races garnered the attention of the national media, and the rest was all local politics. And don't get me wrong, local politics are important, but they just don't create the energy as national campaigns do. It's also more difficult to get information about local candidates without the massive television coverage right at your fingertips. When I asked someone I knew if she had voted, she replied, "I don't really care."

But in terms of New York State, there was a double-take moment in the 23rd congressional district. In a race that turned into a political soap opera in the last week, Democrats gained control of the seat which has leaned heavily toward the GOP since the Civil War. Dutchess County will be getting a veto-proof Republican majority in the legislature, which is too bad since I would very much like them to fight some of County Executive Bill Steinhaus' cost-cutting measures, including his Sheriff's Department plan. And here in Poughkeepsie, the common council will also have a GOP majority, and I will be getting a new councilman. I am not as concerned by this development.

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And in true Bill Maher style, let me say: "New Rule: You can't boast about the Yankees winning their 27th championship unless you were actually alive for all 27. Sure, the have the same name and general location, but it's not like the 2009 team is the same as the 1923 team. And despite what you may think, Yogi Bera is not still the manager."

Vote

It's that time again -- the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Election Day. Vote early, vote often.

The Senate's Public Option

Yesterday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) announced a health care plan that would include a public option, but which would also allow states to opt out of said public option if they so choose.

Why do I have the sneaking suspicion that the states that would opt out are the ones with the citizens who most need the program?

Walkway Over the Hudson

This past Sunday, I did what thousands of other Hudson Valley residents did: I took a trip on the Walkway Over the Hudson. I walked from Poughkeepsie to Highland and back, covering almost 2.5 miles, and it was quite the experience. When it came to the old railroad bridge, I think revitalizing it was the best idea, especially considering it would have cost more to tear the bridge down. I do, however, need to bring up a couple of points:

First, there are no emergency call boxes on the bridge. There are signs that give emergency numbers as well as signs discouraging people from committing suicide, but a person in distress should not be kept from help by their lack of a cell phone. There should direct line emergency boxes like you find on many other bridges, or even on many college campuses.

Second, I found that there are a lack of benches for sitting. What happens if you need to rest, or have a sudden health problem? Grab some cement? And since it is a park, what if you want to sit and read? Do I have to bring my own chair?

These suggests may seem small, but I think they could certainly improve the Walkway.

I just hope people use the thing.