Opinion

During the early part of my life in Parma, my main concerns were my family and my career. During those years, like most of you, I did not think I really had time to get involved in my community. As my children got older and they became involved in activities such as sports and scouting, a lot of my time was then spent helping with those activities. I met a lot of people during those years, listened to everyone’s perspective and really started to see what was happening in this city, state and country. After a short time, I realized I was not proud of the direction in which everything was going. In fact, I was ashamed of the legacy that would be left to my children. I soon realized that the only way to fix the system was to truly be involved with those whom we have entrusted with positions of power and try to hold them accountable.

Parma City Charter Decoded: There will be a primary election in March of this year, not so far away from now. All across the state of Ohio voters will be asked to choose different candidates, especially the candidate that will head up the GOP and run against Obama for President. Voters here in Parma will have a unique choice to make. Thanks to the hard work of some good citizens, the issue of whether or not to seat a charter commission will appear on the ballot in Parma once again. The voters will also have a chance to choose those who will be tasked with producing the charter which will have to be approved by the same voters in a future election. One would be hard-pressed to find a better example of “democracy in action.” 

This book, Old Macdonalds Factory Farm by C. David Coats, exposes the myth of the traditional farm, as most farming is done on large scale factory farms. Chickens, pigs, cows, turkeys, ducks, and sheep, amongst others, are crammed into overcrowded indoor spaces, some in cages so small that even turning around is impossible. These animals rarely, if ever, even go outdoors or are ever treated with compassion and empathy. They are seen as units of production rather than the living creatures they are, that think, have emotions, desires, and experience pain and pleasure. Due to the ever-growing human population, the demand for meat is ever increasing. Factory farming has been replacing the traditional farm and the way the animals are treated is horrific. Their suffering and  death becomes ours as well. The detrimental effect on the health of humans and the environment is very serious and is also revealed in this book.

How’s that for a safe prediction?  Last year saw the cancellation of the end of the world on May 21st, and its rescheduled October 21st date came and went without a deluge of firestones or Godzilla bursting out of the earth’s crust. It was just plain…old…wet – compliments of La Niña. So what can we look forward to in 2012? Brace yourself for more of the same, says the Farmer’s Almanac – at least through the winter – and that means snow, lots of it. Enjoy every flake, as the end date of all end dates approaches - this one sure to relieve you of next year’s Christmas shopping madness! The Mayan calendar ends its cycle on December 21st, and we all know what that means…

In December, Parma City Council was presented with petitions that contained in excess of 3,600 signatures asking that the following question be put on the ballot.

"SHALL A COMMISSION BE CHOSEN TO FRAME A CHARTER?"

A rather simple question, yet one that has certainly caused much outcry from our elected officials at City Hall. This issue was immediately vilified as being "too expensive" and that it would require a special election. Another objection that was raised is that Parma government works, so why fix it? Other objections have also been raised but they are so ridiculous in nature that I won't even dignify them by discussing them here. 

I don't understand how this can possibly be "too expensive." If City Council would stop arguing and simply pass the ordinance authorizing the language, this would be on the March Primary ballot. This does not require a special election, nor should it.

Stating that Parma government works is a matter of opinion, not fact. In my opinion, a more appropriate way of looking at this would be to question if there are things that can be improved. Just because the glass in your windows isn't broken, does that mean the windows are effective and shouldn't be changed?

Since I have gotten older, I have been organizing what is really important to me. Material things are okay. They are fun, but it does not define who I really am. Those goods will last you for so long, and then they leave you.

Andy Rooney is dead. I'm all you've got, so listen up. This article is about the increasingly third-world-caliber stress levels MOST Americans – in particular, the youngest Baby Boomers such as Barack Obama, who was born three months before yours truly -- now face daily. I like to call it the “politics of poverty” a la Bitty Baby Boomer-style.

Sometime during the past couple of years, a local TV station aired a story about the mind-boggling level of incompetence at the Cleveland Division of Water. In the segment, reporters interviewed water division sources from the Denver area as a model of efficiency. Since Denver had its act together, the reasoning went, what could we in Cleveland do differently?

For many years now, we have been hearing terms such as "income inequality" and "the wealthiest one percent." It's not hard to understand why these terms are so easily thrown about by our "leaders" as they create mental images of the "evil rich" rolling around in piles of cash while the poor suffer. Some of the more recent manifestations of this have been President Obama and his non-stop call to "tax the rich" and the Occupy Wall Street movement. These roads lead to class warfare, redistribution of wealth and eventually Communism.

Once again I really don't know where to start; the high schools in the area are done with football and are gearing up now for basketball,wrestling and volleyball, along with swimming, so there is not much to write about in high school at the moment. I am sure that students are working hard to get ready for the competition ahead -- the Parma area has hard-working kids.

Are bowling alleys going the wayside of drive-in theaters?  From the 1940’s through the 1960’s bowling enjoyed its peak in popularity, with over a hundred bowling alleys operational in the greater Cleveland area and the highest concentration of them in Parma (ironically, there are no bowling alleys in Brunswick), making it our iconic recreational activity and symbol of blue-collar leisure.  Today, there are barely over twenty lane facilities still in business for reasons that not only reflect our dire economic times, but the changes in our social and recreational preferences as a culture.

Ever since I started this series of articles, I received a few comments from people. Most of them are from people that I know, like some family and close friends. I have also received comments from some people in the health care profession. A couple of my doctors told me their horror stories about dealing with certain Medicaid insurance companies, particularly about Buckeye.

As you put up your six foot, walking, talking, singing Christmas tree this season, pause a moment; remember a much-loved Christmas tree that strikes a chord in our hearts every time it's aired on TV -- Charlie Brown's Christmas tree.

On November 8, the voters of Ohio overwhelmingly passed a “health care freedom” amendment to the Ohio constitution. Since there was very little publicity about this issue and no organized opposition to it, it passed easily throughout the state. But did the voters really understand what this issue meant?

Last month, seven hundred arrests on a famous bridge awoke the world to a movement so inclusive in its fuzzy agenda that only a fractional privileged few would not be enveloped in its masses but would rather become the target of their dissent. It has been a while since protests grew so big they became events in our national history. Occupy Wall Street aims to do just that for the sake of change – a change that would expose, and hopefully begin to close “the great divide” - that financial chasm that separates the "haves" from the "have-nots" created by an ambitious sector catapulting across to capture the crown of CEO on the other side.

At the risk of offending you, let me say that trying to be politically correct is arguably the most insidious, pernicious disease to ever infect the United States. Honest, open communication has become an anachronism. Peter Hitchens says: “What Americans describe with the casual phrase ‘political correctness’ is the most intolerant system of thought to dominate the British Isles since the Reformation." Good people are scared to tell the truth about something for fear of being labeled as racist or hatemongers. In our efforts to become "politically correct," we have allowed our language to be neutered in many respects and our perceived lack of civility towards each other has markedly increased. Somehow, this has evolved into an all-out attack on the protections we are guaranteed under the First Amendment. Our First Amendment right to free speech is the single most important right we as Americans have. Yet many seem willing to give away this right, just to satisfy the strident cries of a few easily-offended people.

So where did this idea of political correctness come from? There is some evidence of the term being used in the eighteenth century to describe something as being in line with prevailing political thought or theory. This is far different from its current usage, which has its roots in the teachings of Karl Marx and is thought to be one of the first steps in converting a society to Marxism by using linguistic change to create cultural change. Historical evidence shows that this concept was promoted by Marxian theorists such as George Lukacs and Herbert Marcuse in the early twentieth century. The adoption of supposedly neutral terms was being widely used by both liberal and conservative politicians in an effort to promote their beliefs while controlling the argument by changing the language of the debate. This has now resulted in an almost total paralysis of our entire political and legislative processes at all levels.  

What do we do? We must regain control of our language. We must not be afraid to use a term just because someone may be offended. Using a different term in place of a supposedly politically incorrect term does nothing more than eventually make the new term equally as pejorative. The English language is dynamic and vast. Why should we restrict ourselves?
   
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the publisher of this newspaper for allowing the citizens of Parma to have a place to express themselves in their own words. That is certainly supportive of the free speech rights that most of us cherish.

One last thing I want to address before I step off the soapbox: that is your right and duty as an American citizen to vote. This is the single most effective way for your voice to be heard by our elected officials. November 8 is Election Day. No matter how you vote or what candidates or issues you support, VOTE.  

I got a real treat last week, because I went to see the Greenbrier Middle School Team play football against Eiyria Middle School. It was really refreshing to see the youngsters play for the love of the game. My neighbor Joel played, and he loved it. He has never had equipment on in his life, so this was his first real season. He had a grin from ear to ear, and Mom said he loves it. Joel is my snow shoveler in the winter, and when I would bug him, he would tell me that he would rather play basketball; I asked him, "Why not do both?" I also told him that if basketball didn't work out that he should wrestle. The youngsters have to pay $75.00, but I think it is well worth it. He has a  stocky build and probably is better suited for wrestling, but I think they should try them all. I never got the chance to play football until I was in the 9th grade at St. Edward but finished at St. John Cantius,and went on a full scholarship to a division 1 university with a football scholarship, so give yourself a chance. Girls - you too. There are many girls' sports, so give them a try.

I am deeply disappointed that the new senator from Ohio is referring to the health care reform act (known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, or ACA) as a “job killer.” In fact what is the real “job killer” is the antiquated system of employment-based health insurance that has been in place since World War II. In the United States, employers pay an average of 80% of the health insurance premiums for their employees (according to the Employee Benefit Research Institute). This is not money that is being paid out in wages and salaries to the employees and is also a drain on profits.

Before I continue with the series, I would like to introduce my situation for the readers. I am a lifelong diabetic.  I was born in 1970.  In 1971, I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus.  It took three doctors to find out that I have that life-threatening condition.  

For the last several months, the State of Ohio has been torn apart by discussion of SB5. Many of you are probably asking yourselves why it has been such a big issue. The answers to that question are many, the smokescreen of misinformation that has been widely spread on the issue has been difficult to navigate through and the passions on both sides are running at a fever pitch. I would urge each of you to look carefully at the facts before casting your vote and not be misled by advertising on either side. If you believe in smaller, less intrusive government, you will most likely vote for issue 2, otherwise, you won’t.

Some politicians are saying that Medicare is going broke and is unsustainable in its present form. That may be true without any changes in Medicare and Medicare funding. But Medicare will go broke only if we allow it to go broke. First, anyone should think logically who Medicare insures. Medicare insures the oldest and sickest while Medicaid insures the poorest Americans. Medicare covers every American over age 65 and who has been on disability at least two years who has enough credits through social security. You build those credits by working or having some connection to the work force. I ask, would any private health insurance company insure the people insured by Medicare? Of course not, they would lose their shirts, or premiums would be so ridiculously high that only someone like Donald Trump could afford to be insured.

Think back to how you felt on September 12, 2001. Partisan politics, social, racial and economic backgrounds did not matter. On that day we all knew we were Americans and we had to come together against a common but as yet unknown enemy that was trying to destroy us. During the following days and weeks, many vigils were held, much investigating was done and responsibility for the attacks of 9-11 was laid at the feet of Osama bin Laden and Al Queda. Eventually, military forces were deployed to Afghanistan to begin the War on Terror.

The recent news about the Ridge Road store selling only items made in the USA reminded me of a related issue: should we buy American cars to be patriotic? Any intelligent discussion of this requires determining what an American car actually is, because it is different than it used to be.

Turn on your television and turn to your favorite twenty-four hour news channel and you can see the greatest circus that has ever been staged. There is no shortage of talking heads and pundits offering endless analyses and commentary of what is going on in Washington.  Colorful graphics light up the screen with words like “The Great Debt Debate”. The phrase “debt ceiling” has become a household term as we are reminded of looming deadlines. We are flooded with politicians pointing fingers at each other and blaming each other for all of this. The President is telling us to “eat our peas” while Republicans whine about a government “addicted to spending”. Our politicians and leaders are acting like puppets on a stage. It doesn't take long for your eyes to glaze over and your brain to switch to “tune out” mode. As you search for something else to watch, you are overcome with the feeling that none of them know what to do.  It is clear that we are in uncharted territory. We have never faced a mountain of debt the likes of which we face now. Yet there are larger questions in play here. Lurking behind the inflamed arguments and political bomb throwing a more subtle question begs to be answered. Who is the “puppet master”? Who are we as people and how will we answer this crisis? We need to get this one right! 

As a resident of the city of Parma all you need to do is look around this once great city and wonder where the jobs have gone, where the businesses have gone, and where the people have gone. Vacant houses dot our neighborhoods, and empty storefronts greet you as you travel our main roads. When businesses, jobs, and people leave the city, the city’s tax base leaves with them. This means that thousands of dollars in tax revenue no longer flows in to support and pay for the municipal functions of the city. This can affect a wide range of services from trash collection to emergency services.

As a former nurse aide, since Dad died I returned to the traditional work world through the familiar. For a month, I cared for an elderly gentleman out near Amish country while his family was strategizing how best to honor his wish to stay at home. Let’s call him Will. Strong will. And an even stronger sweet tooth. Oh, did I mention he’s a diabetic who needs insulin injections three times a day?

Party Time is always here and time is running out to plan the perfect children’s party. At Zap Entertainment we have been planning parties and special events since 1979.  We have been serving the Parma community since when we first opened our doors here in 1988.

Imagine having powerful Nike-Ajax guided missiles just blocks from your home. Imagine having soldiers, support buildings and underground military storage tanks, just minutes from your door. That was indeed the case from 1957 until about 1968, right here in your community, at a Nike missile launch site. This site was located in the area currently occupied by the properties comprising part of the campus of Tri-C West, along with the present-day James W. Day (formerly, Nike) Park on Pleasant Valley Road.

THIS IS YOUR CITY!

Dreams wander by like billowing white clouds
In a royal blue sky and then jog through our
Minds from time to time during our lives.
Some dreams bear fruit. Others fade away and
Die, being buried in a deep, cold grave at an
Early age.

Dreams can be laid aside, hidden in our busy
Minds and forgotten in our back pocket.
Other dreams make an unexpected detour
Down an unfamiliar road. Years later they
Resurface and become vibrantly alive.

No dream has to really end unless we want it
To, so just look around and you'll find others
Are dreaming, too. Dreams help keep us
Young, stimulating our oft-times stagnant
Minds. Pleasant dreams should be kept alive
Like twinkling, blinking, blazing, shooting
Stars!

Thank you for the many inquiries about Dad over the last two months. Some things are too painful to write about yet. Let me tell you now about Dad’s indomitable spirit. Dad was a fighter. True fighting Irish. During the days that followed his hip replacement surgery, he fought to recover. A post-operative case of pneumonia settled deep in one lung, and he kept fighting. Then, weak from pneumonia and worn down by pain, at some point the battle became overwhelming. Something inexplicable had changed. Lapsing into unconsciousness, his body stopped responding. We prayed, we hoped, we sought expert opinions. We called in our longtime family physician, who concurred with the hospital doctors. With a somber voice, he intoned that there was nothing else that could be done. He recommended hospice.

The Topic for this issue is "Living the Moment" On what does your mind focus most of the time? When people are asked this question, the most frequent response is on the future, then the past, and lastly the present. This is unfortunate because the present is the most critical because that's where the action is. Think about driving a car! Now and then we look back via the rear-view mirror. Occasionally, we look ahead to approaching areas. But mostly we need to focus on the immediate present in order to arrive safely at our destination. This illustration applies to living life as well.

“I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discrimination's. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.”  George Washington in his Farewell Address We are all well aware of the state of political discourse in the United States. Voters are justifiably disgusted with both major political parties, political discourse has reached the level of shrill background noise and little is really being accomplished other than spending money and talking about problems without offering solutions. This holds true at all levels of government. Obviously, we need change and nothing promotes change better than the light provided by public awareness of the issues.    

The topic for this column is Education. There is much concern today about the negative trends in education in America: decline in educational standards, drop in standardized achievement test scores, severe discipline problems, unexcused tardiness and absences, vandalism, theft, cheating, lying, drug abuses and promiscuity, to mention a few. In a November 2010 speech, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan reported that "one-quarter of U.S. high school students drop out or fail to graduate on time. almost one million students leave our schools for the streets each year."

Are you prepared? What would happen if you lost your job? What would you do if you were faced with a disaster such as what happened recently in Japan? What would happen if suddenly you had no way to obtain electricity, water or food? What if this disaster lasted for months? Would you expect the government to provide for you or will you be ready to take care of yourself? Whether the disaster is natural such as an earthquake or man-made such as a terrorist attack, there are 2 questions you need to answer.  What would you do? Are you prepared?

 We have all had occasion to visit a doctor’s or dentist’s office at one time or another. This usually involves spending time in the waiting room surrounded by other people who don’t feel good, uncomfortable lobby furniture, and an endless supply of outdated magazines with the recipient’s name obscured by magic marker scribble. Through the years waiting rooms have changed to include flat screen televisions tuned to benign programming that nobody really watches and “serve yourself” coffee or tea in small Styrofoam cups. Play corners for small children have appeared featuring trucks, cars, dolls, coloring books, and a host of other toys to occupy them as they wait to see the doctor. No play corner would be complete without the universal, quintessential, time proven toy of toys; a set of wooden blocks. Have you ever sat and watched children play with wooden blocks?  Outside of an occasional block ramp that launches a truck or car through the air drawing the ire of a parent, walls begin to appear. It isn’t long before little territories are “blocked” off and boundaries are set. Favorite toys are placed inside these areas for safe keeping from the other children. 

The topic for March is Giving. Giving, as opposed to possessing, means to hand over or part with something one owns to someone else. this could be ones time, talent, treasure, or anything equally valued by most people. Giving is something that doesn't come easily to most people. Human nature leans much more toward getting than giving. the attitude begins to change only when one begins to understand that giving benefits the giver even more than the receiver. "He who refreshes others will himself be refreshed."

I am really sorry that I haven't had an article in the last few editions of the Parma Observer, but I was taken seriously ill and had to be admitted to the Parma Hospital on DEC.2,2010, where I had to spend a couple of days in the Intensive Care Unit. From what I have been told, it seems that it was "touch and go" for awhile. Thanks to the quick response by Parma Fire Department medics, I made it to the hospital, but I don't remember the ride. I had also taken a fall earlier that day which aggravated some of the old injuries in my back, and now I am being told by my therapists that I will probably have to walk with a quad cane for the rest of this beatup old body's life. I can tell from my therapy sessions that it will take some time. Enough about me though; I chose Football and Wrestling in college, and yes moms' out there, I would do it all again!

When I was growing up my father used to say that “success happens when opportunity meets preparation”.  He would go on to say that the only part of this equation that one can control is the preparation, for you have little control over the opportunities that may or may not present themselves. The aim in life, according to my dad, was to be prepared when the opportunity came and thus position yourself for the greatest possibility of success.  How does one prepare? For what should one prepare? The obvious answers to my father were to get as much education and information as you could, but that was not the most important way of preparing to him.  He would constantly ask “what kind of person are you becoming?” To him the best way one could prepare for future success was to be a genuine person of integrity and character. Integrity and character are the basic foundation upon which education, information, and skills are to be built. Without this foundation the building of your life would be shaky and unstable at best and a complete disaster at worst. It is out of this fortress of character, or lack thereof, that we face every question and situation that life throws at us.