Category Archives: Commentary

RR Xing – No Horns

A quick rant before I run off to watch the red sox at yankee stadium…

In both of today’s Boston papers, there is a story about a kid who was hit and killed by a commuter train in a suburban town. In the Globe, the story focuses on the fact that, to preserve the quiet of suburbia, many towns have disallowed trains to blow their horns at railroad crossings. Because of this accident, the clamor is now about reversing this trend, and forcing trains to toot at every grade crossing. In the other “paper,” the Herald, the debate was about speed, with clamor for trains to slow down to about 1/3 normal operating speed at all grade crossings.

Now, we happen to live nearby a street which is crossed by tracks for the commuter rail. As a driver, I’m frequently forced to stop as the train passes. As a rider of said train, I enjoy the relatively speedy trip downtown. Now, before a train ever crosses the road, lights flash, gates are lowered, and bells ding. I’ve been taught that when the gates go down, the bells ding and the lights flash, that a train is coming, possibly at high speeds.

I’m sorry about this unfortunate accident, however, I think that both articles completely missed the point. Trains should not have to slow down at every grade crossing; that would make for an arduously long trip. Also, trains should not have to blow their horns at every crossing; this would be legitimately annoying for those living near such crossings. The problem is not in the way the trains are run, rather the parenting of children.

I was taught way back when that when the lights flash and the gate comes down, you stop, wait for the train to pass, and then continue. I was also taught not to walk along active railroad tracks. These two lessons are ones which every parent should impart to his/her children. And, if need be, that child should be shown pictures of those whose last decision was to ignore one of those lessons.

I’m tired of the railroads being blamed for things which are not their fault. Had the gate malfunctioned, it would be another story entirely, but such was not the case. Although we all like safe environments (especially those of us living out in suburbia,) we have got to take responsibility for it ourselves. If a kid, having been told to look before crossing the street, does not, and is hit by a car traveling the speed limit, is the driver at fault? No. And any sane parent will tell his/her kid to look both ways. So instead of blaming incidents such as this on the evil trains, how about taking responsibility for a grave mistake.

Matt’s Presidential Debate Wrap Up

Debate #1: Bush as himself – nuff said.

Debate #2:

Here is some text from that debate which outlines the utmost lack of humility displayed by Mr. Born Again Christian:

GRABEL: President Bush, during the last four years, you have made thousands of decisions that have affected millions of lives. Please give three instances in which you came to realize you had made a wrong decision, and what you did to correct it. Thank you.

BUSH: I have made a lot of decisions, and some of them little, like appointments to boards you never heard of, and some of them big.

And in a war, there’s a lot of — there’s a lot of tactical decisions that historians will look back and say: He shouldn’t have done that. He shouldn’t have made that decision. And I’ll take responsibility for them. I’m human.

But on the big questions, about whether or not we should have gone into Afghanistan, the big question about whether we should have removed somebody in Iraq, I’ll stand by those decisions, because I think they’re right.

That’s really what you’re — when they ask about the mistakes, that’s what they’re talking about. They’re trying to say, “Did you make a mistake going into Iraq?” And the answer is, “Absolutely not.” It was the right decision.

This also serves as a good lead into…

Debate #3:

…where Bush completely deflected answering three major questions.

SCHIEFFER: Let’s go to a new question, Mr. President. Two minutes. And let’s continue on jobs. You know, there are all kind of statistics out there, but I want to bring it down to an individual. Mr. President, what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who’s being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?

BUSH: I’d say, Bob, I’ve got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century. And here’s some help for you to go get an education. Here’s some help for you to go to a community college.

and

SCHIEFFER: Next question to you, Senator Kerry.
The gap between rich and poor is growing wider. More people are dropping into poverty. Yet the minimum wage has been stuck at, what, $5.15 an hour now for about seven years. Is it time to raise it?

**Kerry’s Response**

BUSH: Actually, Mitch McConnell had a minimum-wage plan that I supported that would have increased the minimum wage.

But let me talk about what’s really important for the worker you’re referring to. And that’s to make sure the education system works. It’s to make sure we raise standards.

and

SCHIEFFER: Mr. President, I want to go back to something Senator Kerry said earlier tonight and ask a follow-up of my own. He said, and this will be a new question to you, he said that you had never said whether you would like to overturn Roe v. Wade. So I’d ask you directly, would you like to?

BUSH: What he’s asking me is, will I have a litmus test for my judges? And the answer is, no, I will not have a litmus test. I will pick judges who will interpret the Constitution, but I’ll have no litmus test.

That’s it.

The 700 Club

In keeping with my deeply held belief in diversity and the wonders of cable TV, I decided tonight to watch The 700 Club. For those of you who don’t know, the Club is a human interest news show produced by the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN.) The lead face of this little Jesus cult is Pat Robertson. On tonight’s show, he was interviewing a Urkranian Jew for Jesus living in Jerusalem. This woman had been in the vicinity of a terrorist bomb but luckily survived. She creditied, of course, her survival to JC himself. Another story was about a teen who, to be popular, drank and smoked a little. But, fretting the hollowness of that existance, decided to walk in the path of JC and reclaim his purity. The best segment, though was about a campaign they are doing called Stand United in Prayer. From their site:

We are on the eve of the most important election in our history. So much is at stake: our National Security, the future appointment of Supreme Court Justices, our Christian heritage and even our most basic freedoms.

Yet, our country is so deeply divided. The battle for the hearts and souls of Americans is raging as never before. The Bible tells us that “a house divided cannot stand.” It’s time to unite and pray for America.

On September 24th, we will launch 40 days of prayer and fasting for America. Please join with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ and pray for the upcoming election. May God give us godly and righteous rulers who will do His will. Take a moment and sign up now to pray together for America — declare to the world and future generations that “United We Stand.”

Another interesting part of the website contains a link to their Sanctity of Marriage campaign. Since I love you guys so much (bless your souls,) I’m going to show you the nifty little bumper sticker they have created:

Isn’t that precious? Allelujah!

However, I must admit, the 700 Club is polshed and professionally presented. The two women hosts this night looked very wholesome (read, less dowdy than Lynne Cheney.) One was a plumper white woman and the other was a very light skinned black women. Although I’m not a big fan of the nuveau-Church Lady look, they were agreeable targets of my gaze. There is also a great feeling that the anchors are speaking directly to you. After each segment, one of the anchors moralizes about what’s just been shown for about a minute. As they go on and on about Jesus and love and redemption and salvation, the camera very slowly zooms into a face shot. Their words are hypnotic, and you are literally drawn towards these conduits of Christ.

Now we all feel lonely at times, or unclear about direction. Very cleverly, during each broadcast, they post a 1-800 number, and show a bunch of clean cut operators supposedly talking to callers just off to the periphery of the set. Other partisan shows, like the Daily Show, leave the viewer agreeing with many things, but then off bed. These people go for the kill while the carcas is still steaming. Draw them in, get one phone call out of them, give them a free gift, get their mailing address, snag a new name on the Republican/Christian Coalition roster and get you some votes.

It’s fiendishly clever.

I am Jewish and although I am not particularly religious, having religion be a component of my being, I beleives, sometimes helps me to reflect. I know, Ayn Rand would not be happy, but then again, she’d have one or two other beef’s with me as well… I don’t need to go to temple all the time, keep kosher, or even observe the sabbath every week. The level at which I hold my religious beliefs is deep within me, and certainly not something I’d like to push on others.

But in a way, I can see the lure of these individuals. They shure as heck look friendly and happy. In a modern world so disconnected (i.e. individuals ranting about personal issues to strangers in blogs,) I can see the need to have something to beleive in which is beyond yourself. Organized religion is a great way to fill that void, and of those for whom it does, power to them. And, if in addition to creating personal happiness, it teaches compassion and kindness for other humans, then it is certainly a good thing. In that sense I’m a friend of religion.

But when the right Jews are Jews for Jesus, when our leaders must be followers of Him, and when the Constitution is looked upon as a means for enforcing discrimination, then I wonder if religion is such a good thing after all.

http://www.cbn.com/700club/

Don’t Eat Your TV – yet

Tonight I saw a very heartwarming episode of the Al Franken show on Sundance. Hilights included ex-VP Walter Mondale speaking out eloquently against the abuses perpetuated against this country by our current administration. Ending the show was a wonderful little guitar number by Leo Kottke. What was really heartening about the whole situation is that it was held in a theater in downtown Minneapolis in front of a live audience. It was a mix of informed discussion, justified anger, and the pleasure of being in the company of others who seek positive change in our country’s direction; you could tell by the faces of those in the crowd.

I think the success of Air America (we are now broadcasting a near full lineup in Boston ((Minus Malloy 🙁 ))) and other such leftist venues – (including Howard Stern’s soon to be shit on the FCC) – just goes to show that many Americans are informed and want to discuss important issues that face all of us. That we are not all suckered in by the faux-news of FOX and other such immitators is itself good. And that we are now working together to combat that menace in both its own and alternative formats is even better.

Although I am still largely cynical, and realize that a good portion of Americans would just like to retreat into their outwardly perfect suburban lives and leave the issue of governance to self-appointed (or bought) experts, this seems far less an absolute than I once imagined. I think that sociology class at Trinity scared me a little much…. This country has some brilliant comics, social critics, thinkers and politicians. Watching them on a show like Al Franken showcases them as people, which in itself, I feel, is a truly emboldening message.