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Disagrees with TV station's criticism
By STEPHEN BARTLETT
Staff Writer
PLATTSBURGH — Often through my education reporting I hear property owners complain about taxes, school boards about unfunded mandates and teachers about one-size-fits-all tests that do exactly what President Bush says he is trying not to do — leave children behind.
I consistently recommend that they call and write their lawmakers, protest, do anything to gets their voices heard, because too often what they perceive as problems persist and frustrations continue due to failure to make their voices heard on a large scale or even at all.
Well, that is exactly what Plattsburgh’s Common Council recently did when they passed a resolution saying the U.S. shouldn’t go to war with Iran, only to be scolded by a local television news outlet for not sticking to city business. The news outlet said, “It must be something in the water.” Well, if you ask me, that media outlet must be bathing in the water they’re so afraid of, because before this editorial, they chastised Vermont politicians for voting to impeach Bush over the war in Iraq.
I think sounding off to the government, especially when local men and women are serving and dying in wars built around lies and deceptions, is the business of everyone, everywhere, especially elected officials on the local, statewide or nationwide level.
The lawmakers from Vermont and Plattsburgh were making their voices heard, as is their responsibility as citizens and elected officials, especially in the wake of the way in which the American government has been conducting business.
And isn’t there a case for impeachment. President Clinton’s wrist was slapped for lying about sex, yet the Bush administration lied about weapons of mass destruction and a country’s supposed threat to us, and the outcome has been more than 3,000 dead American soldiers and countless wounded and hundreds of thousands murdered, innocent Iraqi men, women and children.
The only way our government is going to know that we are fed up with the lies and corporate alliances — as it seems companies like Haliburton are the only ones profiting from this war — is if City Councils and local and statewide elected officials across the nation band together and say enough is enough.
Thomas Jefferson said dissidence is the highest form of patriotism. If you don’t agree with them when they take such steps, then get off your buts and head to the polls next election like.
Vermont’s lawmakers and Plattsburgh’s Common Council should be able to make their voices heard without a media outlet condemning them for acting democratically. Kind of makes you question that news outlet’s objectivity, especially when it reverts to intellectual intimidation to eliminate dissent.
You see, bullies, especially calculating ones, are motivated by self-serving interests.
Don’t let them scare you into silence.
E-mail Stephen Bartlett at:
sbartlett@pressrepublican.com
Comments
This couldn't have been said any better. Kudo's to you for having the guts to say it and hopefully your blog will be read by many and encourage more to stand up and get involved. One of the best places to start is your local government!
I am personally pleased to have a Common Council concerned with the actions of the federal government. We should all be concerned.
If the news station put as much effort into the news they report on as they do into their editorials I might actually watch it.
Thanks again for sharing.
Posted by: Shay Guay | June 12, 2007 6:05 PM
Looking back our government (Canada) made a wise decision not to enter the war in Iraq. Instead we have concentrated our efforts in Afghanastan where there is justification, where there is a true NATO coalition routing enemy forces.
Iraq was the result of faulty intelligence information, and the reckless action of President Bush has tarnished the image of the USA worldwide, and even with your major trading partner Canada. These actions have ramifications everywhere and probably affect the North Country too.
Despite a dollar which is almost par with the US, vacationing in the US has become an afterthought for many. Canadians en masse are staying home or travelling to other destinations like Europe. Anti-Americanism is rampant, maybe to a lesser degree in Canada, however it does exist where it never was previously an issue.
Posted by: Norm | June 18, 2007 7:32 AM
Steve,
Who spit in your coffee! Someone must have or you wouldn't be framing the News Channel's American democracy as American hypocrisy. Don't you know that people will get very angry with you for showing how our country's jingoism is just another sign of our many blindspots. Though I don't know if quoting Thomas Jefferson is the most strategic move you could have made to support radical thought! Did anyone say Sally Hemming?
Posted by: Road Dog | June 29, 2007 10:11 PM