VALLEY: Here's a few pointers for you

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July 8, 2010

Anonymous The Journal-Register The Journal-Register Thu Jul 08, 2010, 12:55 PM EDT

MEDINA —

When something of a major consequence goes wrong, it’s funny how quickly there’s a finger-pointer ready to place blame on someone. I’m talking about those people whose knee-jerk reactions result in unfounded accusations before any analysis or reasonable investigation has been made.

It happens all the time. The lack of compunction leads one to believe that these individuals have come to the conclusion that finger-pointing is a problem-solving method (if not, at least, a therapeutic one). I, on the other hand, am of the belief that premature accusations do not solve problems, they just muddle them.

Several recent examples come to mind. First, I offer you North Carolina Republican (and congressional candidate) Bill Randall.

Randall, who considers himself a “Tea Party” type of guy, has made remarks that the worst environmental disaster in this country’s history was intentional. He claims that the Obama administration and BP were in collusion to cause the Gulf-region’s horrific oil spill.

Nice try, Bill, but as Joe Garagiola sarcastically said in the movie “Major League” (when the pitcher threw the ball into the dugout instead of anywhere near home plate): “Just a tad outside.”

Randall further stated that he had “no evidence” that his claims were true. Really? Color me surprised! And he added, “I’m not necessarily a conspiracy person.”

Well, I’ve got news for Mr. Bill: You say you’ve got no evidence, but you think that the president of the United States is responsible for the disastrous oil spill in the Gulf? Well then, yes Bill, you are a “conspiracy person.” Your accusations are not only the definition, but the epitome of what you claim not to be. Move over cynicism, there’s a new sheriff in your mind and it’s called paranoia.

Some Democrats were just as guilty when they blamed George W. Bush for Katrina and 9/11.

Locally, a sad story involving the fatal shooting of a 15-year-old is what I would consider another case of misplaced finger pointing. Attention was focused on the school system for dismissing the young man for “wandering the halls and insubordination.” I agree that a reassessment of the system’s policy should be undertaken — as was promised by Superintendent James A. Williams — but I don’t understand why the school, alone, is signaled out as the culprit in this case.

I’m not willing to let the school off the hook, but to hear a community activist direct his accusatory tirade of “that was a preventable death” to the school system is another case of attacking the symptoms and not the disease.

Here are some other questions that should be asked: Where’s the public outrage at the murderer? Where’s the outrage at the mayor, City Council and chief of police for allowing the streets to be like a war zone? Is that the schools’ fault?

We are all a part of a community that has — over the past few decades — witnessed the decay of civility. Violence has usurped decency and common sense.

No one deserves to be at risk of being shot, but it’s not just the schools’ responsibility for a much larger problem that, for some reason, is not being addressed in this incident.

Years ago, the schools’ purpose was to the teach. Period. When did they add 24-hour guardian to the curriculum? They weren’t paid in those days to baby-sit and pander to students who showed up without the supposed home-taught skills — like respect and discipline. Nor were they in charge of making our streets safe, and thus, not held accountable for something beyond their reasonable control (in the outside world).

All in all, it’s a terrible situation when a young man is gunned down by some punk thug. By all accounts, this young man was far from a “troubled kid.” He certainly didn’t deserve such a fate. But before we accuse a particular “system,” it’s helpful to understand that we are all a part of that system — and one even larger than that.

And that’s the way it looks from the Valley.

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