Stress and Scripted Roles
The world went from one “crisis” to another in just a few weeks. The first “crisis” was Covid-19. Now, racial tension and random violence dominates the news.
When people are in a crisis, or are forced into novel, stressful situations, they can easily be fooled and led to make bad decisions. They can be bamboozled into accepting narratives and scripts that don’t make any sense.
It is really damaging to individuals and society as a whole to be swept along by these events. Even worse, it allows a handful of people and organizations to set the agenda for the entire country.
In the case of Covid-19, a little bit of fear was enough to get people to turn over their decision-making power to a group of individuals who are essentially business associates, at minimum, of Bill Gates. Now a pile of dictates interferes with day-to-day life, and it’ll take months to clear them away via the courts.
In the case of the riots surrounding the death of George Floyd, a handful of people and organizations set the agenda and rewrite the history of the United States. People riot in the streets against amorphous systemic racism or oppression, and get angry at their neighbors with different skin-tone.
The policies of globalization and financialization that have disenfranchised and impoverished black neighborhoods in Detroit, or Baltimore severely impacted the standard of living of middle class and working class people across the nation regardless of their skin color.
The wealth generated by the labor of hundreds of millions of people ended up in the hands of very few. The promise of a middle class or working class retirement fueled by a pile of paper assets in a pension fund or 401(k) looks less and less likely by the day.
The desire of a nation of people to live on paper assets also drove the U.S. into war after war to protect and promote a system that benefits a handful of oligarchs.
If we continue to be swept along by events, and allow a handful of really malignant people to set the agenda for the country, we’re going to a very dark place in weeks or months, not at some murky date in the distant future.
Don’t cede your reason, will and choice to some group of people because you’re afraid or angry. Take a step back and look within yourself. Think about what’s good for yourself, your family, and your community.
Kevin Kimmich
Chardon Township
Shoot Citizens Over Statues?
In her recent article, “With County Support, Sheriff Seeks Riot Gear for ‘Show of Force,’” Amy Patterson reports that Geauga County Commissioner Ralph Spidalieri advocated for a policy that would allow officers of the law to shoot protesters who are attempting to topple confederate monuments: “Remarking on the recent toppling of monuments, including one in Virginia, Spidalieri said that type of vandalism should be a shootable offense.”
I call on Commissioner Spidalieri either to immediately and publicly retract his position on this matter or to resign.
Our community can and should tolerate passionate disagreement over many matters of public concern and urgency today, up to and including disagreement over what an appropriate response should be to the ongoing presence of confederate statues in our public spaces, and what the defensible and indefensible means of political protest are.
But we should not tolerate, under any circumstances, public officials who call for fellow citizens to be shot for damaging or destroying statuary.
It is somewhat incredible that this point even needs to be made. Calling for the shooting — and possible killing — of people who topple statues is something one would expect to find embraced by governments who are active antagonists of the people.
This is not a partisan issue. Libertarians correctly remind us that we should be wary of the state’s monopoly on coercive power, for such a monopoly lends itself to abuse. And progressives correctly remind us that our culture of violence manifests itself in our overeager willingness to embrace violent means in pursuit of our ends.
Respect for political authority is diminished and the legitimacy of political authority is undermined when public servants who represent us call for violence against us. This is why Commissioner Spidalieri must publicly rescind his stance on this matter. He cannot legitimately fulfill the duties of his public office while promoting policies that would empower law enforcement to shoot citizens over statues. That’s not even an eye-for-an-eye. That’s an eye-for-a-slab-of-marble, and as such, that is morally repugnant.
Christopher Robichaud
Chardon
Stop Speaking, Start Listening
According to the Geauga County Maple Leaf’s article from June 22, Geauga County Sheriff Scott Hildenbrand wants local law enforcement ready for a “show of force.”
Geauga County commissioners Tim Lennon and Ralph Spidalieri then go on to talk about arming our rural county’s police with riot gear, helmets and tear gas in preparation for local public demonstrations.
Spidalieri goes on to say that vandalism should be a “shootable offense.”
The statements made by our sheriff and our commissioners are so utterly tone deaf, I am embarrassed for them. I am embarrassed for our county that these are our elected officials.
Do they understand why there have been nationwide demonstrations since the murder of George Floyd? The demonstrations are a response to police militarization. The demonstrations are a response to riot gear, helmets and tear gas. The demonstrations are a response to police overreacting to minor crimes, such as vandalism. The demonstrations are a reaction against these exact proposals that Hildenbrand, Lennon and Spidalieri want to impose on our neighborhoods.
Perhaps Hildenbrand, Lennon and Spidalieri should stop speaking and start listening. Perhaps instead of spending our money to militarize our police force, these three white men should go to a local demonstration and ask questions. Perhaps they should know why their neighbors are out in the streets, making their voices heard.
Remember, there is nothing more American than protesting. It is our right and our duty to use our voices, whether or not you agree with the message.
Hildenbrand, Lennon and Spidalieri seem to forget that they are public servants, sworn to protect this right. If they no longer feel that they can serve the people of Geauga County without tear gas and riot gear, perhaps it’s time for them to go.
Nicole Mulloy
Russell Township
Memories in a Box
Like so many others in the community, I was able to walk the vacant halls of what was a great school in Newbury. It was difficult.
It was difficult to see old uniforms of once proud athletes and band members tossed carelessly in piles on top of lunchroom tables. It was difficult to see stacks of yearbooks and trophies of great achievement left on tables in the gym to be doled out to whoever wished to grab them before they are thrown in a dumpster. It was difficult to look at the solemn faces of alumni and even more difficult to look at the smiling faces of board members knowing their job is almost done in the dismantling of the school. It was difficult.
The walk down the Green Mile at Newbury did give me flashbacks of happier days. I, like many, found friends for life in these halls. Most recently, I was able to forge a friendship with Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes, the superintendent and elementary principal at the school.
To say I gave her a “hard time” initially is an understatement. I was very critical of her role at the school knowing she had to provide constant communication to the district about the pending territory transfer and, for that, I was critical.
Over time, however, I found her professionalism and true love for the school, and, most importantly, the students of Newbury, was second to none. She really did care about what was happening to these kids in their final year and truly worked hard to ensure they will be taken care of in the months/years ahead. For that, I wanted to say, “Thank You.”
At the end of the day, I realized that the “Death of Newbury School” is much like the death of a friend or a reflection of our own mortality. In the end, our entire lives are reduced to a “dash” representing our time on this earth. We were born in one year and we die in another year, and in between, on our headstones, it merely shows “the dash” summing up a lifetime of accomplishments. A box, filled with pictures, valuables and trinkets of personal milestones in our journey, is all that is left to represent us and what we held dear in our lives.
I walked out of Newbury School for the last time with a box. A box of memories of sports teams I played on, of trinkets with “Black Knight Pride” embossed on them, of small items which will forever paint a smile on my face when I think of all the great times I had at Newbury School.
For those in the community that cared about the school I say, they cannot take our memories away. Be proud. Be thankful. Cherish the friends and feelings forever. The buildings may be gone but the fond memories will last a lifetime.
Goodbye Newbury School, we will miss you: 1927-2020.
Phil Paradise Jr.
Newbury Township
First Responders, Citizens’ Rights
In the recent article summarizing the Geauga County commissioners meeting, one commissioner was quoted as saying, “That should be a shootable offense,” referring to the action of a person who attempts to destroy a veterans monument, adding ‘I mean here’s the line, and you crossed. It’s that simple.”
Apparently, the monument referred to by the commissioner was in Virginia. Many southern statues/monuments are dedicated to southern military officers who rebelled against the United States.
Is this commissioner indicating the destruction of public property (monuments) by an American citizen should be met with gunfire from authorities?
Of course, law enforcement needs to take legal and responsible action when confronted with any misdemeanor or felony.
If this is an accurate summary of what was stated or implied, several areas of significant concern come to mind:
- American citizens continue to believe in innocent until proven guilty.
- American citizens continue to believe that law enforcement appropriately makes arrests, but does not dispense justice.
- American citizens continue to believe that a human life is more valuable than property, public or private.
- American citizens are not familiar with and the federal constitution and state civil codes do not address the vague concept of ‘shootable offense’.
- American citizens are not familiar with the subjective criteria of ‘here’s the line and you crossed it.’
- American citizens would support law enforcement for taking lethal action when a citizen’s life or a civil servant’s life is in immediate danger, however, even then it is never that simple.
I strongly agree with an important point made by the commissioners in that same meeting, that we need to ‘look out for the best interests of our first responders out there.’ This sentiment in conjunction with the vitally important sentiment that the civil servant needs to look out for the constitutional rights of the citizen will produce a safe and just representative democracy, strengthened by the walls of due process.
Sheldon Firem
Hambden Township
