Matters of Opinion

Afghanistanism, The Next Generation.

   The old cliche among editorial writers was that if you didn't have the nerve to write something critical of the governor, the mayor or the school board -- or if they hadn't given you cause to write something critical of them -- you could always write about Afghanistan.
   Probably, nobody in your circulation area would care very much, so they wouldn't get mad at whatever you wrote. Almost certainly, nobody in your readership would know enough to call you on it if you were wrong. We called it "Afghanistanism" and it was often a way to call another newspaper, or your own, cowardly.
   Not any more.

- Listen to the generals - The Buffalo News
   This cannot be a political decision. It must be a strategic one, based wholly on strategic -- not political -- considerations. The decisions to be made must be taken with an eye toward wise policy, not the politics of the moment.
- The president fiddles, Afghanistan burns - The Washington Times
- Obama is playing Emily Litella on Afghanistan - The Kansas City Star
- What's next in Afghanistan - The Dallas Morning News
- Be sure we know our goal in Afghanistan - The Gazette-Times of Corvallis, Ore.
- The Taliban Threat - The Washington Post
- Obama's Afghanistan options: no easy outs - The Orange County Register
- No good options in Afghanistan - The Wichita Eagle  
- Not Good Enough - Thomas Friedman/The New York Times

  Actually, the trend in these editorials is to punt, basically admitting we don't know the best course of action, or even the least worst one, setting some goals and hoping out loud that the president gets it right.
   Welcome to Afghanistanism, The Next Generation.

   Meanwhile, for some reason, no one else seems to care about Erie Community College. But, then, that's the problem.
- ECC needs repair funding
   ECC is the county’s second-largest post-secondary school after the University at Buffalo. It is not an educational afterthought for an ever-growing student population that relies on it for an education. It must not be a political or economic afterthought for county leaders.

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News

Peace prize punditry

   Paul Greenberg, editorialist in chief of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, is among the most admired wordsmiths of his generation -- at least among other editorial writers. Most days, his wise words are hidden behind his newspaper's subscription-only barrier.  [Get used to it.]
   But he was decent enough to share his editorial on the controversial news that President Obama had been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Which was not all that difficult, given Greenberg's trademark brevity.
   This is the entire editorial:
Enough said
   What is one to say on hearing that the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to . . . Barack Obama?
How about, for one brief shining moment of national unity, a little simple propriety, for there is no better guide to the perplexed than good manners:
   Congratulations, Mr. President!

   Our editorial was longer.

   So were the thoughts put forward by:
- Russ Douthat - Obama should have refused to accept it.
- Thomas L. Friedman - Obama should accept it on behalf of U.S. peacekeepers around the world.
- Maureen Dowd - Gandhi wuz robbed
- Andrew Sullivan- This doesn't make sense unless you grasp how much the rest of the world hated George W. Bush. Or, more accurately, how much it hated Dick Cheney.
   And, hold on to your propeller beanies:
- Bill O'Reilly - There are times when what's good for America should trump partisan politics. President Obama was honored today. And deserved or not, the world is hearing America and peace in the same sentence. That's good.

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News
  

The revolution will not be sponsored.

   I swore I would not be one of those newspaper writers who filled his space with cute stuff his kids did. But I don't think this qualifies as "cute."

   On the train each morning on the way to school, my 9-year-old son manages to find various ways to amuse himself, and me. The last few days, he has been folding bits of paper into Star Wars Rebel Alliance X-wing Fighters, Imperial Shuttles, or reasonable facsimiles thereof. One of the pieces of paper was a scrap of a coupon for some kind of medicine. I said it looked like he had sold sponsorships on his space ship.

   Without hesitation, he said, "Rebellions don't have sponsors."

   There is a profound reply hovering out there somewhere. I just wish I could think of it.

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News

The most important man you never heard of.

   I'm from Iowa. I only work in outer space.
- Adm. James T. Kirk

   Norman Borlaug was from Iowa, too. He worked mostly in Mexico, Africa and Asia, but he might as well have been light years away for all the attention the news media paid little attention to him. Until he died a week ago last Saturday at the age of 95. 
- Borlaug, who saved millions from hunger, dies  
    Scientist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug rose from his childhood on an Iowa farm to develop a type of wheat that helped feed the world, fostering a movement that is credited with saving up to 1 billion people from starvation. [AP/The Buffalo News. Honors list]

    Our editorial praised his accomplishments, with a little "yes, but" thrown in:
- A giant passes
   The first round of the Green Revolution is not sustainable. But, if the next generation is as smart and as industrious as Norman Borlaug was, it won’t have to be.

   A few years ago, I wrote a book about him. OK, it was a page (43) in a book about the sins of modern agriculture called "Raising Less Corn, More Hell."
   Anything is better than mass starvation, plus all the migration, social upheaval, epidemics, and wars that would certainly accompany any significant increase in the number of hungry people. Thus, when the scientist whose work was credited for sparking the Green Revolution, American agronomist Norman Borlaug, was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1970, it was not one of the science prizes. He received the Nobel Peace Prize.
    Still, this substantial victory has come at substantial costs, costs that have been driven by political and economic factors at least as much as by any changes in crop science. In fact, Borlaug could rightfully be compared to better-known atomic geniuses such as Albert Einstein, Leo Szilard, and Enrico Fermi, whose understanding and development of nuclear energy were co-opted to become the property of governments and industries that would happily sell a hundred Nobel Peace Prizes for short-term gain.

   Other commentary from The New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Philadelphia Inquirer, Des Moines Register, National Post and The Wall Street Journal.

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News   

Playing the race card -- or not

Former President Jimmy Carter has decided to play the race card and the Obama administration wants him to put it back into the deck.

Who's to say whether it's too late but now that the cat's out of the bag and Carter has made a stand on what he views as outright racial bigotry being lodged against President Barack Obama, let's talk about it.

Or, not.

Carter has expressed his opinion that the way this president was treated in a recent speech to Congress on health care reform last week was unprecedented -- such behavior never before exhibited on the congressional floor, showing such an enormous amount of disrespect toward the head of state. 

For those who missed it, Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina shouted, "You lie!" following Obama's exertion that his health reform plan would not cover illegal immigrants. Other acts of outrage demonstrated by members of Congress and how the scene compared to the British parliament are masterfully outlined in a column by Eugene Robinson.

Republican National Chairman Michael Steele, who is also African-American, has said that any objection to Obama's policies have nothing to do with race and saying so is an outrage.

But Carter has obviously taken the matter as a personal affront, telling a television interviewer that racism in American "has bubbled up to the surface because of the belief among many white people, not just in the south but around the country, that African-Americans are not qualified to lead this great country."

Is he right? 

After all, does it strike anyone as odd that the president of the United States is roundly criticized for wanting to talk to school children and that some principals and headmasters would not allow their students to hear what the president had to say to them?

Some would argue that this nation, despite electing to office its first African-American president, is far from being ready to discuss race.  Obama delivered a poignant speech on the subject back in March 2008 about the complexities of race in this country which have never been worked through that apparently fell on deaf ears, at least in some sectors.

The Obama administration has, so far, stayed out of any debate regarding the president's "true origin," caricatures showing him in white-face, or other undignified, disgusting and vile references to himself or his family and reports from the Southern Poverty Law Center about an uptick in the activities of white supremacists groups.

Good for Mr. President for remaining above the fray. But is America missing one of its most important "teachable" moments?

Dawn Marie Bracely/Editorial Writer

Kofi Annan and global thinking

Former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan may have been speaking to University at Buffalo students last night when he urged them to "think globally" but his words applied to each and every one of us in the crowd.

An elegant choice to kick off the 2009-10 Distinguished Speakers Series at UB's Alumni Arena, Annan brought a wide breadth of experience in his decision-making roles that affected outcomes on a world stage and includes a Nobel Peace Prize.

Speaking in low, mellifluous tones, Annan painted vivid images of difficult situations endured in Rwanda, Kosovo and other places once torn apart by civil unrest. Of course, he spoke of the long road yet ahead for Darfur.  

But he spoke about the interconnectedness of all nations and, as outlined in The News article on the event, emphasized collective responsibility, global prosperity, human rights and the rule of law, accountability and multilateralism.

With technology shrinking the world further and events on one side of the world directly impacting the other, it is impossible not to consider our place and the need to "think globally." And that extends to what role the United States should play and when. (Annan made clear his early objection to the Iraq War). It also extends to immigration policies and issues facing this and other countries. 

Annan's visit to Buffalo kicked off a series of erudite and enlightening speakers, all of whom undoubtedly will broaden our vision of where we stand.

Dawn Marie Bracely

Riding through one of Buffalo's Markets

So, I’m riding my bicycle to work and decide to stop at the Downtown Country Market that sets up twice a week along Main Street, being drawn toward the fresh produce and scrumptious apples in particular.  This is a far departure from my last foray here when I decided to pick up a few items for the office which included jelly candy, a choice that got roundly and dutifully criticized by my coworkers for purchasing one of the few unhealthy available items. (Of course, they had no problem helping me eat it).

 

My recent excursion to one of Buffalo’s local farmers' markets got me thinking about the issue of access to fresh produce, farmers' markets in general and smart growth. My colleague George Pyle wrote an excellent series on the subject of farmers' markets: Neighborhood Dining: It's time to eat locally; Past and Present: Broadway Market and Lexington Co-Op and Seeing the face of the farmer.

 

 

 

As part of a general push to save Rust Belt cities including upstate New York, experts discuss smart growth initiatives and ways to enhance the downtown core.  Personally, I’ve only lived in Buffalo for nearly 10 years but spent the previous decade down the Thruway in Rochester.  Both cities evoke similar statements of curiosity and incredulity when telling my hometown Washington D.C.-suburban Maryland friends where I’m currently living.  “It’s cold up there!” and, “What about the snow!” Well, yes, but there are also many reasons why natives try to return after leaving and those who’ve moved here decide to stay -- despite the stray bus rider, or two!

 

It’s all food for thought.

 

Dawn Marie Bracely/Editorial Writer

A teachable moment

   When my brother was in the first grade, he got what may have been the only failing grade of his life. A frowny face on a book report.
   It was the first grade, you understand, and all the book report had to be was, written neatly, the title of the book, the name of the author and a sentence or two in response to the prompting, "I liked this book because:" His answer: "I didn't like this book very much." That was my brother all over.
   He might well have avoided the red pencil frown if he had said why he didn't like the book. [It was dull and he could have drawn better pictures himself.] But we all took it as a pedagogical statement that he was supposed to like the book, and that dissent was not tolerated.
   I thought of that when I read what the White House correctly described as an "inartfully worded" first draft of the study guide that went along with President Obama's speech to American students. The part that suggested students "write letters to themselves about what they can do to help the president." It was rapidly changed to something less partisan, and the study guides and the speech then went off without much further fuss.
   They should have left that bullet point alone. And they should have let it be known that it would be fully acceptable for any student to write something like, "I don't want to help the president. He's a dirty dog Democrat and I hope he fails in everything he tries." Just as long as it was correctly spelled, used complete sentences and was responsive to the question, it would have properly served as an educational exercise.
   Anyhow, here's the story, the Buffalo News editorial, the Clarence Page column -- which rightly wonders why we are worried that a school system that can't teach anything to anyone for the other 179 days a year can turn all our children into socialistic Obamatons on the first day.
   Other views from The Plain Dealer in Cleveland; The Philadelphia Inquirer; The Tribune in San Luis Obispo, Calif.; The Tulsa World; and The Miami Herald; and a pretty darn good one from the people who hold my old pulpit at The Salina [Kan.] Journal. The Los Angeles Times offers a side-by-side of Obama's points and recent remarks from Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.
   And, if you're still hungry, here's the study guide for pK-6 and for 7-12. Here's the speech. And here's the speech:

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News

City of Good Neighbors?

So, I'm on the bus this morning and heading downtown. I plop down in the first seat of a momentarily near-empty bus in the disabled/elderly section at the front. Others picked up along the way, a fit-looking middle-aged construction worker type, a late teen/early 20-something and a middle-aged woman also decide the front of the bus is as good a place as any to park themselves. The young woman spends the entire time on her cell phone locked in an intense, if not self-important conversation.

Several stops into the ride down Genesee Street the bus stops and a frail, elderly woman probably in her 80s and sporting a cane and, upon close inspection, a bit of shakiness that often goes along with such advanced years, makes her way onto the bus. The driver immediately starts to set down the plank at the foot of the bus but you could tell the woman's pride overtook her because she shimmied her way up, instead.

Immediately I know I'm wrong. In fact, I knew that as soon as I sat down in the designated "disabled/elderly" section but I also knew that I wasn't alone. All of us "guilty" and somewhat fit folks, at least more so than this poor woman, should have jumped up and offered not one but ALL of the seats to her. I stare over at the construction worker guy. Nothing. He's lazily gazing straight ahead. The chatty young woman. Nothing. She's still chatting. My partner in crime next to me. Nothing.

The elderly lady glances at the full section and starts, slowly, to make her way to the other, less convenient seats to the rear. "Ma'am," I ask, while simultaneously jumping up, grabbing my gear and heading over to one of the seating areas in the middle section. "Here, please take my seat." She looked surprised. And grateful. It was as if that hadn't happened before and was remarkably unusual. That's sad.

Worse, another couple of stops and this time an elderly man carrying a cane enters the bus. He's a bit more able than his predecessor but nonetheless a little shaky and uncertain. After scanning the disabled/elderly section he, too, decides to silently and slowly head to the rear of the bus. No one moved!

People, we all should remember, myself included, that the disabled/elderly section of the bus, train or plane belongs to those who deserve it. (Same also could be said of parking passes but that's another of my colleague's blogs, Outrages & Insights). And the responsibility doesn't necessarily belong to the bus driver who could risk getting his block knocked off trying to enforce such a simple rule and whose primary job it is to drive.

Common courtesy. Respect. And decency. That's it.

I'm sure, or would like to think in this City of Good Neighbors, that such scenarios do not play themselves out on a regular, semi-regular or occasional basis. Perhaps my experience on that bus was out of the ordinary. One would hope so.

It's a lesson learned, or one that should be. Areas designated for specific individuals should be available, at all times, for the intended parties.

Dawn Marie Bracely/Editorial Writer

Probe. Merge. Pay. Beware.

   The lead editorial in today's Buffalo News Opinion page encourages Niagara Falls' new mayor, Paul Dyster [right], to look at the FBI probe of his city's government as a never-waste-a-crisis chance for reform.
- Probe in Niagara Falls
   The City of Niagara Falls is renowned for a lot of things. Corruption should not be one of them.
   News background articles:
- Gross is target of federal probe in Falls
- Bax allegedly forced firm to hire Gross 
- Plumber for firm in FBI probe pulled off city board

   The second editorial notes a new report from the University at Buffalo's Regional Institute about how much money could be saved by consolidating school districts. In most cases, they find, it's not much. But it's some.
- Consider school consolidations 
   This region needs a full debate and investigation of the range of governance reform options available. This policy brief is a good start.
   The press release is here. The whole report is here.

   Today's Another Voice column belongs to Sam Williams, chairman of the Western New York chapter of the Working Families Party. He takes the other side of the argument, raised by our Wednesday editorial Create more jobs, on whether it makes sense for county industrial development agencies to require construction projects they aid to pay the union-preferred "prevailing wage." 
- Economic expansion starts with good wages 
   Considerable research shows that wage standards in general, and prevailing wage regulations in construction in particular, have several economic positive benefits, including increasing productivity, reducing injuries and workers’ compensation costs and expanding health care coverage for workers so taxpayers aren’t footing the bill.

   And in the My View slot, Lockport's Mary Clista Dahl outs herself as Deadhead
- Deadheads among us, so beware the tie-dye
   Until the National Deadhead Registry is published and flyers are sent home in your children’s backpack with our photos, you are on your own, so be careful while you sleep. You may just wake up with roses on your pillow or a peace sign on your pajamas and an overwhelming urge to mellow out. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
   Well. No registry that I can find. But there is, of course, an official Dead Website.

   Truckin' up to Buffalo.

-- George Pyle/The Buffalo News