Monday, December 30, 2013

All Work Has Value

All work has value. It seems like a simple statement but it's also something that a lot of people sometimes forget. What people seem to remember the most is that their work has value and usually they think it's undervalued. It doesn't matter if you're at the top or at the very bottom - the common belief is that your work is undervalued. Oh if we could only see the other persons' point of view. Perhaps many things would change.

My main point, however, is that all work does have value and sometimes, unless we stop to see it, we miss that very point. Not all of us can write or paint or dance. Those who can, perform an important task for the rest of us and yes, it's their work and we value it. The clerical worker makes sure things - paper, people and ideas - flow. It's a big job and should be appreciated. The production worker or support personnel are responsible for the product or service that the salesperson sells and that the customer wants. Their work has to be appreciated. The driver, the baker, the restaurant worker, the dishwasher all have important and critical jobs and work to perform. Managers have lots of responsibilities and work too. Making sure things keep moving, that there are enough people and material for things to get done. What about administrators and executives? Their work also is important and needs to be valued - fighting systems and meeting regulatory challenges and making sure capital and infastructure is available. Yup. All work has value.

These few examples help me realize how much people's work means in the larger scheme of things. And down deep I know that different tasks will be valued differently. Some people will make more and some people will make less. I think most folks can live with that. Most people understand that they have to fit somewhere along the way - bottom, middle, top. We all strive to keep moving in the upward direction. Some make it more quickly and easily then others. But that minimum wage has to be a living wage and I think we all know that too.

Let me be clear about something else too. It's hard work to be poor or without a job. It's hard work to keep a family fed, sheltered and clothed. None of that is easy and that work should be valued along with everything else.

So every once in awhile as we criticize the poor or the big shot at the top we ought to rethink how we value work and remember that it is important to value all of it and to also stop along the way and help each other out.

And a few more thoughts.......

What we all really do seem to hate is that fairly small segment of our society who really don't work and never have. I'm not talking here about people who are down and out, because as stated previously, living that life is work. No, I'm talking about the privileged class who had nothing to do with their good fortune or wealth - not even the hard work of choosing their parents. This is the class that has their wealth due to privilege. Now this group can, and in many cases throughout history has, done what I would consider the right thing. They have become major philanthropists, giving regularly and greatly to charitable causes. Well done - and it should always continue as a fact of their life. Secondly, there are many examples of people in this class who have committed to and become heavily involved in public service. Both of these things are examples of their work that, as with others, should be respected and valued.

But for those few who do nothing with their wealth and good fortune.....they should be judged by those actions and all of us should try to educate them on ways that their work could be valued, just like the rest of us.

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Bad Government Policy Doesn't Require Party Affiliation

This shouldn't be any surprise to people, but bad policy comes from every political corner. If you're an ideologue this is harder to accept. Liberal or conservative positions are always right - right? No. The reality is that nothing is that concrete, infallible, infinite or whatever other word you want to use. Issues and people are much more complex then that.

In New York State we have a Democratic Governor who has been touted as a liberal, a progressive, a nouveau mix of compassionate liberal/conservative and so on. He is also, whether he admits it or not, interested in the 2016 Presidential nomination. That interest, in the muddled water of national politics, requires positions that appeal to many different forces and factions.

The mood of the average taxpayer makes it imperative to cut taxes, which in turn means cutting expenses and reducing services. Very seldom is the revenue side of anything viewed as a major part of the equation. It is less seldom that the human impact of policy decisions are measured carefully once the public relations aspect of a policy move kicks in.

A great example of all of this right now revolves around mental health and what some refer to as behavioral health issues. What's interesting, is that these issues and decisions have both national and local impacts. The Governor, in an effort to reduce expenses, has proposed the closure of a substantial number of psychiatric centers and developmental centers across the state of NY. From a number of progressive or liberal positions, that seems initially great. People shouldn't have to endure institutional care in any form. It's dehumanizing and ineffective. It's also expensive, so cuts will certainly please the more conservative among us. Seems like a win/win. But it's not. You see, this is where bad policy can come from - making decisions that will supposedly please all sides and ultimately doing it for your own benefit.

One of the problems we have is that mental health is, as it should be, in the forefront of very serious discussions about violence in this country. In that discussion there is and can be a lot of misinformation, confusion and jumping to conclusions, an example being that all people with mental illness can be or are violent. Or that people with intellectual or developmental disabilities are mentally ill and therefore could be violent. Or that those people can't have a mental illness in addition. There are scores of things that need to be sorted out in these discussions and there are some very responsible media reports dealing with these issues. There are also irresponsible and inaccurate reports.

As institutional settings are eliminated, the very real need for and where a discussion should take place, is about what community supports will replace those institutional settings. In addition, it should be recognized right off the bat, that 'community supports' includes the state's responsibility for continued involvement. Otherwise we have the ultimate bad government policy of just shifting responsibility from one place to another.

Community supports for people in behavioral crisis are absolutely necessary and their existence in NYS today varies widely. Ask hospital administrators, emergency room doctors or social service agencies if they are prepared to deal with people in crises in local communities today. Ask sheriffs or other police agencies if they deal with these crises and if they feel they are prepared. In many cases, you'll find that our jails have become the new institutional setting for people with mental health issues. And what about the person with Asperger's Syndrome, Autism, Cerebral Palsy or Down Syndrome? Can they have a mental health problem in addition to that primary disability? Of course they can.

Shifting costs and shifting responsibilities without proper planning or supports is the height of irresponsibility and has the potential of leading to real human tragedy. Clearly Democrats as well as Republicans can make bad public policy. But another question remains. Where are the advocates - self advocates, family member advocates, non-profit advocates, etc.? Where are the people saying hold on, let's do this the right way. Let's plan and combine resources and supports. In the end people with mental health issues and communities will suffer and a tragedy will have to happen to get our attention once again. Bad government policy has no party affiliation.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Nelson Mandela - Thank You Brother!

This is a re-posting of an earlier entry on Nelson Mandela who died today at 95.
"In my country we go to prison first and then become President."
Nelson Mandela

Twenty-seven years in prison. Twenty-seven years - a lifetime for some.
You fathered many over that period, as fathers do, with strength and pride.
Many saw your strength and your struggle and watched in wonderment, learning along the way like sons and daughters do.

You once said "prison is hard no matter how good they may treat you".
Not many would understand that simple but complex statement.
Twenty-seven years - a lifetime for sure.

And then we watched you return - a humble and noble prince, a chief.
The leader of many clans in Africa and around the world.
A man of principle, a man of peace.

You tried to teach reconciliation and forgiveness. Yes, you tried your best.
As you raised your fists and arms to greet the masses that smile persisted.
That smile - impish, innocent, humble and knowing, all at once.

A proud African man wearing the colors of his continent bright and vibrant.
Some watched in awe, some no doubt in anger or with jealousy and some perhaps
in fear. Twenty-seven years - a lifetime I'm sure.

You have guided us for so long.
Some have listened, some have ignored your grace and wisdom.
Their loss, not yours. You have done your job well.

It is hard for many to understand the loss of time and space caused by imprisonment.
It's hard for people to understand control by others and the loss of freedom.
But we are brothers. Twenty-seven years. You are my elder.

Peace Nelson Mandela.
Thank you brother.
Lead on and always be free. We wish you well.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Wanted For Sedition

Many, many years ago a poster hung in my apartment in New York City. The poster was done by Art Young, I believe in 1917. It was promoted and carried around by one of the great radicals that I knew and admired, Ammon Hennacy. The poster is below and depicts Jesus as being wanted for his strange and at times radical beliefs, for hanging out with the poor and down and outs, for agitating.


I was reminded of this poster as I listened to and watched a tape of Rush Limbaugh criticizing Pope Francis as a Marxist and for questioning an economy that leaves many suffering. Francis talked about the idolatry of money, etc. What he said really wasn't that radical, but he said it pretty clearly and with passion.

Art Young, the cartoonist, writer and artist started out as a republican but became a well known socialist writing for The Masses and other leftist publications.

Drug Testing for Congress and Legislature?

Now I'm not a proponent of laws, new or old. Government tends not to be able to fix much of anything. People and communities fix things through personal responsibility. We tend to create laws due to or for the irresponsible. Having said that there's some new information that indicates that about 78% of Americans support drug testing of Congress. Interesting, wouldn't you say?

Of course this comes on the heels of a Congressman from Florida recently being arrested  for cocaine possession and entering a drug treatment program. There's also a long history of lawmakers enjoying a few drugs and alcohol to excess that has gotten them into other difficulties.

These are the same folks who mandate drug testing for welfare and food stamp recipients. The same folks, federal and state, who make it hard for people and organizations to provide services to needy populations with over regulation and oversight thinking that more paperwork will solve the problem. These are the folks who don't realize how crazy and stupid it is to pay caregivers, drivers and other support personnel minimum wage or a bit higher.

People elect these people thinking that they are going to do the task of legislating well, or that they are going to recognize and deal with some of their constituents' most troubling concerns. These people are trusted implicitly with those votes by people who still believe that their vote counts for something. It's fun to at least think about making sure they will have to pee in a cup or have a blood test before they vote on significant issues. What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

A Battle For The Poor and For Peace!

Francis, The Holy Father, has written and released his Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii Gaudium - "Joy of the Gospel". There is much to read, analyze and contemplate. There are parts that some will struggle with and parts that will not be accepted by people. I struggle and don't agree with a good deal of it. But the main focus of this document in my view is a long needed, strong and intense battle for the poor, the vulnerable and disenfranchised, as well as a strong statement for peace and justice. It is long overdue and Francis will need to do a lot more to lead the way. Robes and gold will need to take a different place in the Church. Having said that, he needs to be given credit for speaking out strongly on the side of the poor. He raises serious questions about the morality of economic systems based on individual wealth. And he speaks of peace. 

The entire document can be found here and should be read and thought about. 

To me, the most meaningful and important sections are The Inclusion of The Poor In Society and The Common Good and Peace In Society. From my perspective these are not new or different ideas. These are the teachings of Christ and the Church from its earliest days with an emphasis on the least among us and on peace. 

Many of those who are in leadership positions today are Christians, many Catholics. These are leaders who cut Food Stamps to those who are struggling. These are the leaders who promote and fund joystick wars by manipulating drones far away, with little concern for killing or the collateral  damage of civilians. These are people who need to read Francis' words on the poor and on peace along with the rest of us.

For those who wonder, the Church left me many years ago. Perhaps she's coming back. Perhaps she can be forgiven. The reality is though that the Church I knew was and has been judgmental about so many in society, and in doing so aligned herself with followers who looked away or worse yet, down on so many segments of society. Francis certainly has a job cut out for him to change all of that but I'm grateful that he's trying.

The reality is though that I and others will continue to struggle with the issues of a church that is so judgmental relative to sexual orientation, the ordination of women, and the ability of people to make choices about contraception and their bodies. These are areas that continue to need clarification and discussion. They are by no means black and white, one shoe fits all types of issues. They are very real and of great importance to those who are impacted and who are looking for an embrace from the Church. 

Francis has the right vision of the poor as those who we can all learn from. He voices a respect for them as well as the struggles they engage in. But he does more. He asks everyone else to change their ways and their thinking. We will see. We will see.


Friday, November 22, 2013

Memories of JFK

Nov. 22, 1963 was a dark day in history for many. It has influenced much of where we are today as a country and as individuals. Here are a few memories and thoughts I have of that time.

John F. Kennedy certainly had his flaws, both personally and politically. Some would argue he was far more conservative on military and social issues then history shows. He was a product of the military industrial complex and of political expediency. His life and family experiences, like all of us, influenced how he thought, who he was and decisions that he made. Beyond all of that, he himself influenced a generation.

I was a sophomore in high school in 1960 when John Kennedy was elected President. That election cycle was my first real involvement or interest in politics. I followed the election closely, watched the debates, read articles and was engrossed in the news reporting and the national conventions held that year. I listened to his speeches and heard a message about governing differently, about social issues, etc. I, like many others, also watched and listened to the debate about his Catholicism. The issue was discussed openly. People were actually talking about discrimination and how being an Irish Catholic wouldn't bode well for this young Congressman from Massachusetts.

My family and I were vacationing on Cape Cod that summer before the election. We along with many others went to Hyannis to watch the Kennedys, Jack and Jackie, drive along a parade route to their family's summer retreat. We were close as they drove by waving, reaching out and smiling to the crowd. It was the first of many times that I would drive by the Kennedy complex in Hyannis, by land and by sea.

In the end he was elected. He began raising a nation's consciousness about social responsibility both here and abroad. He emphasized service for a greater good. He established the Peace Corps and started a process of young people becoming engaged with poor people around the world. He shook hands with common people, including the poor and working class Americans. He created a dream for a better world and a place that each of us could influence through political and/or direct action.

By 1963, I had graduated high school and had entered Maryknoll Seminary in Glen Ellyn   Illinois. There had been a Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam appeared as a shadow in the mist and the Civil Rights Movement was unraveling the long standing politics of the South. Martin Luther King, Jr. had delivered his I Have A Dream speech just a few months earlier. Most of the major civil rights legislation didn't exist yet. Things proved not to be so easy for President Kennedy. The world and our country proved to be much more complicated.

And then on Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot in Dallas, Texas and for a moment the world stood still. At Maryknoll as at every other place across the country, regular activities and business stopped. Everyone tried to keep up with the unfolding news. People tried to make sense of what had happened. The pictures and news footage tell the story better then I can. It wasn't just for a day either. The mourning, lying in state, the funeral and burial all went on with everyone watching, trying to understand. Where would we go from here.

As I said when I started this, Kennedy certainly had his flaws, both personally and politically. He most likely wasn't as progressive as many remember him. His history included involvement with Sen. Joe McCarthy and his notorious witch-hunt for communists and left leaning American citizens, the Constitution be damned. Even when he knew what was right, many times he chose the path of political expediency. But here's the thing that I learned from Jack Kennedy and his brother Bobby. People can evolve. Their ideas, ideals and beliefs can change. That was one of the greatest things Kennedy had to offer. We watched him change before our very eyes and that gave people hope. On that day in November 50 years ago that was some of my sadness. Some hope was gone. So we memorialize that day and think about the past and the future. But our image of Kennedy is frozen in time. His evolution stopped and all we have is our own and history's conjecture. Would he or wouldn't he have followed the path of every other US leader relative to Vietnam? Would more or less have happened with civil rights? All we have are dreams.

In the end we have what we were left with and that's our reality 50 years later.

Thursday, November 21, 2013

68th Anniversary of Opening Statement at Nuremberg Military Tribunal

Today, Nov. 21, 2013 marks the 68th anniversary of Justice Robert H Jackson's opening statement at Nuremberg. Everyone should spend some time reading Jackson's speech and thinking about how he laid out the case for the prosecution of defendants accused of horrific war crimes. In addition, his words should be viewed as they may relate to wars that have taken place since Nuremberg. Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and many other conflicts come to mind.

In this speech Justice Roberts was presenting the case on behalf of the International Military Tribunal. The international community knew it had to speak out and take actions against those who committed so many atrocities. Jackson was pointing out leadership responsibilities and roles. He hadn't yet dealt with the issues of those who were just following orders. That would come later. The speech he gave on Nov. 21, 1945 began the prosecution of many of the principle Nazi criminals and leaders who survived World War ll.

Jackson was aware that some may be critical of the trial as a vengeance trial put on by the 'winners ' of that terrible war. He knew history was being made at the trials but who knows how far he thought through the impact his words may have in the future. Jackson was an interesting figure, a Supreme Court Justice from Jamestown, NY who was asked to be the lead prosecutor at Nuremberg. He brought a history of law and judicial understanding to the process.

Here is the official published text of Justice Johnson's opening statement at Nuremberg. There's a lot more information to be found on Justice Jackson including his continuing role at Nuremberg at the Robert H. Jackson Center. Inc. Homepage.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

The Real Issue With Health Care

Different people have different perspectives and different views on health care and how it should work. That's natural. But the Affordable Health Care Act is what this country currently has and as far as I can tell, no one has offered any real alternative to that legislation. It's certainly a shame that the website that was meant to assist people in signing up has huge problems and needs to be fixed but again if we're honest with ourselves, some of that was manufactured by the fights and arguments that took place right up until the last minute of the roll out.

The bottom line is important though and some people seem to have lost sight of it. Thirty to forty million people are currently without health insurance of any kind. This is in addition to the stresses of unemployment, cuts to Food Stamps and other safety net types of programs. And this thirty-forty million isn't made up of just those traditional 'poor' people who can be such a nuisance and a bother to some of the rest of us. No, this group includes veterans, part time and full time workers, single moms, the elderly, people who have been laid off, people with pre-existing conditions, people who put the care of their families above extremely high premiums. These are all people who need and deserve the security of having some decent health care coverage. Lest we forget, these people are the real issue relative to health care. They need it and they deserve it - up to forty million of them.

It has taken way too long for this country to come up with a solution to the health care crisis in this country. Republicans and Democrats have all had their chances through numerous administrations. They traditionally have failed miserably.  What we all need to understand is that everyone pays for it already through increased fees that cover the cost of the uninsured. So if people insist on being critical and finding fault, please provide or offer an alternative. But right now it would be best if folks would just hunker down and fix the one alternative that currently exists.

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

48 Years Ago - Dorothy Day's Union Square Speech

November 6, 1965
"When Jesus walked this earth; True God and True man, and was talking to the multitudes, a woman in the crowd cried out, 'Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breast that nourished you.' And he answered her, 'Yes, but rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it.'

"And the word of God is the new commandment he gave us--to love our enemies, to overcome evil with good, to love others as he loved us--that is, to lay down our lives for our brothers throughout the world, not to take the lives of men, women, and children, young and old, by bombs and napalm and all the other instruments of war.

"Instead he spoke of the instruments of peace, to be practiced by all nations--to feed the hungry of the world,--not to destroy their crops, not to spend billions on defense, which means instruments of destruction. He commanded us to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, to save lives, not to destroy them, these precious lives for whom he willingly sacrificed his own.

"I speak today as one who is old, and who must uphold and endorse the courage of the young who themselves are willing to give up their freedom. I speak as one who is old, and whose whole lifetime has seen the cruelty and hysteria of war in this last half century. But who has also seen, praise God, the emerging nations of Africa and Asia, and Latin America, achieving in many instances their own freedom through non-violent struggles, side by side with violence. Our own country has through tens of thousand of the Negroe people, shown an example to the world of what a non-violent struggle can achieve. This very struggle, begun by students, by the young, by the seemingly helpless, have led the way in vision, in courage, even in a martyrdom, which has been shared by the little children, in the struggle for full freedom and for human dignity which means the right to health, education, and work which is a full development of man's god-given talents.

"We have seen the works of man's genius and vision in the world today, in the conquering of space, in his struggle with plague and famine, and in each and every demonstration such as this one--there is evidence of his struggle against war.

"I wish to place myself beside A. J. Muste speaking, if I am permitted, to show my solidarity of purpose with these young men, and to point out that we too are breaking the law, committing civil disobedience, in advocating and trying to encourage all those who are conscripted, to inform their conscience, to heed the still small voice, and to refuse to participate in the immorality of war. It is the most potent way to end war.

"We too, by law, myself and all who signed the statement of conscience, should be arrested and we would esteem it an honour to share prison penalties with these others. I would like to conclude these few words with a prayer in the words of St. Francis, saint of poverty and peace, 'O Lord, make me an instrument of your peace, Where there is hatred, let me sow love.'"

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The Poor, Immigrants, People with Disabilities Identified as Enemy

As I've listened to the national debate over health care, immigration reform, the government budget and shut down as well as so many other issues, it has been striking how people in public and leadership positions have identified poor and in many cases disenfranchised populations as the enemy and the problem.

The rhetoric is strong but sometimes subtle. It doesn't only come from one party, faction or group but it does seem to come from people who feel very threatened by economic, social and cultural change. The groups and people who are identified as the problem aren't just the folks identified in the title of this post either. You can add the unemployed, people of different sexual orientation, the uninsured, the homeless and on and on.

What's surprising to me is that so many of the individuals who identify these 'problem' people also espouse strong Christian and Biblical beliefs and backgrounds. The Christian principles of the Sermon On The Mount and helping your brother and sister seem to have no place in the thinking of these folks. There seems to be a mindset of keeping people down, in their place and out of sight if not out of the country. These are really harmful and hateful beliefs in my opinion and go against everything that most religions and philosophies stand for in one way or another.

The people I see in all of the groups identified are people who help make this country diverse and who also help get much of the work done. In most cases, the working poor made up of immigrants or people who want to be immigrants, people with disabilities, and others who are struggling in a fragile economy, are people who are doing things as best they can to live their lives just like everyone else. In addition, we have people of different cultures and people from the LBGT community who are some of the best and brightest in our growth industries of technology, medical and health, communications, etc.

But somehow, the inclusion of all of these people in our society is a threat to what I continually hope is a small faction of the population. My best guess is that this diversity itself is a very real threat to people who have always thought that things should and would stay the same forever - that our population would always be dominated in a set pattern. That's really the only conclusion I've been able to reach. If not then why is the immigration debate mainly about Hispanics moving across boarders from Mexico? If not, why does there seem to be such hatred among some of a Black President? If not, why are people challenging a Health Care Act that was passed by Congress, upheld by the Supreme Court and validated through a re-election of the President? Something else is at work here and it really is hateful.

Although I see diversity as challenging, I also see it as something to be welcomed and embraced. It's where ideas, change and growth always come from. I hope more people begin to speak up about this negative rhetoric and belief that others in our society will take us down, will make us worse instead of better and will be a drag on our economy and society.

Friday, October 18, 2013

New Respect for Journalists and Commentators

Like everyone else, I have at times found it easy to criticize and put down the press. There are times that some in the profession make it easy but over the past few weeks I've gained or maybe regained respect for this group who work so hard to keep us informed.

Now I need to be clear, there are issues with some members of the press and probably always will be no different from any other profession. But by and large these are decent people trying to make sure that the rest of us have good information.

The lead up to, and the eventual government shutdown I think brought out the best in many of these folks and in addition it made me think about the job they were doing and how grateful I was. I guess we have Ted Cruz to thank for most of this. It was the first time that I remember seeing commentators become journalists and journalists become commentators (not necessarily a good thing). Perhaps it was because things were happening so fast or because people, including the media found themselves in a state of disbelief at least a couple of times a day.

I have a point of view that's left of center. Some would say far left. Others would probably say not left enough. But even I cringed a bit when some reporters started taking positions on Cruz and the Tea Party in general. It was only a little cringe though. Throughout the ordeal of watching a national party self implode and government ineptitude on every side, I was appreciative of the reporting and opinions I heard more then ever before. So it really did make me think about the role of journalists during a national crisis. I'm talking about all points of view here - right, left and center - factual reporting and opinion pieces. There was comfort in knowing that people were following what was going on and attempting to help us all figure out what it meant, sometimes pointing out that the tragedy would be if we didn't learning anything from the expierience.

Journalism and reporting makes us think. It helps us to question and sometimes provides needed answers. We don't have to agree with what's written or stated but we need to respect it enough to read it or listen. What we get may take us in a new or different direction. I certainly can get as frustrated as anyone else hearing or seeing opinionated reporting or commentary. I think though that I see it with a new set of eyes after the past few weeks and I enjoy it.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

The Gadfly Went Missing

Yes I did, I went missing. Breaks are needed but then sometimes when that happens, you lose track of time or get involved in other things and I guess that's what happened to me.

I've gotten involved with a small group of good people in Penn Yan, NY who have started a series of community conversations on Race and Justice. They took their lead from the President's comments after the George Zimmerman trial where he encouraged communities to start having these important conversations. Anyway, that's taken some time and attention.

I've also done some traveling and have really gotten immersed in my family's genealogy. Something I thought was pretty straightforward can really become complicated pretty quickly. Especially when you're researching common names like Wilson, Kelly and Heller. I've learned a lot and found out that little mistakes in census records like adding an L or using an initial one time and not another can change where information takes you. But it's been fun and I've found out a lot about my roots and relatives. I'm planning some specific trips to addresses and cemeteries where some family members lived and died.

Then there was and is the political turmoil. I became totally enthralled with watching and trying to understand the recent show in Washington, D.C. over the past month or so. I'll probably have more to say about this at some point but watching it and seeing the craziness was difficult to pull myself away from. The danger is that we didn't learn something from all of this.

I've also been working with a group of professionals that I'm close to, trying to assist them in getting good information relative to the issues that are impacting them and the work they do.

So it has been busy but The Gadfly's back, at least until something else grabs my attention and gets me off track. Gotta get this place ready for winter.

Friday, September 13, 2013

War and Peace - The Syrian Dilemma

Many years ago when I first became involved with the Catholic Worker movement discussions took place around the country, in churches, schools, colleges and in the media relative to not just the Vietnam War but the larger questions related to opposition to war itself. Everyone weighed in - theologians, commentators, students and so on. Much of this was due to the fact that members of the Catholic community were taking strong stands in opposition to the war in Vietnam. It struck some as contradictory, confusing, unpatriotic and misleading. Catholics as conscientious objectors was not a very common place thing, although there was a history of that position being taken during other conflicts and wars. The Catholic Church after all was not one of the recognized peace churches. No, instead the Catholic Church was best known for the justification of war through the 'just war theory'. But Vietnam was different for other reasons. Atrocities of war were being brought into people's living rooms by TV news reports. People were seeing casualties and the reality of a war far off in an Asian country that many knew little about.

As I said there were many discussions during this time frame about Catholics as pacifists, Catholics as conscientious objectors, as well as the just war theory. In discussions and arguments people would raise examples of Hitler, the holocaust and the ultimate rationalization for violence - "but what would you do if someone raped your sister, your mother, your wife?" Remember, this was a male dominated discussion.

I lay all of this out because we are facing a real moral dilemma in Syria that brings many of these issues to the table. The horrific use of chemical weapons by any party. The killing of well over 100,000 people to date in Syria. The flood of refugees into neighboring countries and their settlement in refugee camps. The whole world is watching as they say as all of these horrors go on. There are very real cries for peace, not war.

At the same time there are those who's calls for restraint are in the simplest terms political and disingenuous. The left and the right both have demagogues in this debate. It seems to me that your position on war and killing shouldn't change based on your political party or who is sitting in the Oval Office.

Dorothy Day lost many of her own supporters during both the Spanish Civil War and World War ll because of her her unwavering pacifist position. She stuck to it in the face of fascism and Hitler's inhumanity. Her Catholicism led her down that road and her Church was not supportive of her position. If you read her writings, you know there were struggles of conscience and positions. But she always returned to the scriptures and found her way.

And yet here we are today debating a military strike on Syria. Here we are witnessing a tyrant, a bully and rebels of questionable standing and the use of chemicals and poisons on innocent civilians including children. Here we are with a President trying to find a way to use military action in an acceptable way while our own citizens are weary of war and still struggling with the loss of life in many families as a result of the last war. Here we are with people struggling in an economy that fed a defense budget but cut supports and services to citizens and infrastructure. If there was ever a time when military action could be justified, this is probably it.

But I'm going to continue my journey with Dorothy Day. The violence on all sides needs to be condemned but shouldn't be used to justify more violence. Reconciliation requires hard work, discussions, negotiations and at times consequences. There continue to be plenty of options for peace and peace talks. There may be economic and other sanctions that will need to be placed on Assad and Syria. Regime change may be part of the international discussion and solution. The bottom line though is that we, all of us, have to keep trying other ways besides violence. And credit should be given where due. Barack Obamba forced us all to take a few deep breaths to think about and talk about what we want to do. When was the last time that happened?

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

50th Anniversary of "I Have A Dream" Time To Pause

Today is truly a day to pause and to think about what happened 50 years ago and to review how we're doing. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his magnificent "I Have A Dream" speech at the 1963 March On Washington for Jobs and Justice.

The march itself was unprecedented and there was fear on the part of elected and public officials of violence and the potential for discriminatory pushback. There was pressure from those in the Black community for more and quicker action.

It's important to remember that this march was about jobs, economics and amazing injustice. People had been through bombings, jailing, and beatings. But poverty was the call. Jobs were the call. And yes, justice was the call.

Today we have to be careful about over celebrating in my view. We should certainly remember, commemorate and revive the memories and stories. But my hope is that most know that we still have a long way to go. The issues around jobs and the economy continue with many in real pain. Immigration reform and the different view that many citizens have of Hispanics vs other immigrants has to be addressed. Although attitudes about LGBT issues and people are changing, discrimination and homophobia certainly still exist. People with disabilities and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities specifically are still struggling to be recognized as equal partners in our society. The people who support them are not recognized for the importance of their work. Institutional discrimination continues even though the legal framework exists to end it. What we've seen recently relative to the Trayvon Martin story, the Supreme Court decision on Voting Rights and various "stop and frisk" issues all tell us that we have a long way to go.

So let's pause and take it all in for a few brief moments but then remember that the struggle continues. "Let Freedom Ring"!


Thursday, August 22, 2013

Human Rights - The Evolution

As we approach the 50th Anniversary of the March On Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" speech, it's important to remember and note not only Dr. King's, but many of our own evolutions from civil rights to human rights. The civil rights movement was critically important in helping people to understand that rights are shared by all of us. Dr. King,prior to his death, was evolving in his own beliefs. He knew that poverty and wage inequality as well as war, were things that impacted everyone no matter what color of your skin.

Today, many more understand that human rights are about people, all people globally. Leaders like Dr. King could only embrace the inclusiveness of human rights - all cultures, religions and races, sexual orientation and abilities/disabilities. There are those who think all of this is just political correctness. No, it's an important evolution and recognition of how big and how broad human rights are and how everyone needs to be included. We all suffer when someone is excluded or discriminated against.

Sunday, August 11, 2013

Eking Out Justice From A Bureaucracy!

This is a long and complicated story. It goes back two and a half years ago when stories started appearing in the New York Times by reporter Danny Hakim about abuses in services and supports for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities in New York State. These were not stories about dark and dreary institutions where people were warehoused like farm animals. No, that was in our past. Willowbrook, the notorious institution that helped inspire the closure of large institutions across the country had been closed for decades. These new stories were about abuses occurring in community settings - settings like community residences and day programs around the state. The stories were based on whistle blower type reports and involved both state operated and non-profit, private providers of supports. They also were driven by the frustration and anger of Michael Carey, the father of a young man who died from abusive actions by staff at a NYS Developmental Center. In addition to abuse and neglect, the series included examples of highly paid executives and other questionable administrative practices.

As with many series or exposes there was sometimes excellent and sometimes questionable reporting. As also happens, an entire field as well as large numbers of hard working employees, direct support staff and agency administrators, were all painted with the same brush. The actions of a few brought the actions of the vast majority into question. I know a lot of people in this particular field and they are some of the most dedicated and hardworking people around. They live and breath what they do. They establish relationships with people who many others in our society choose to ignore. They work and fight for families everyday. But there were, have been and probably will always be some rotten eggs along the way.

So the story took some fairly normal courses - government and the public were outraged. This had to stop. A newly elected Governor who seemed to exist on the fumes of good press/bad press and public relations in general took the bull by the horns. He had already appointed a new commissioner of the agency responsible (Office for People with Developmental Disabilities) and now he was tasking her with fixing internal issues. In addition, he appointed a respected individual, Clarence Sundram, to look at a whole host of issues related to the treatment and reporting of abuse and neglect of vulnerable populations in New York State.

Sundram took the necessary time and looked at data and interviewed a broad range of people. He identified a hodgepodge of  reporting systems as well as state agencies where very little reporting of abuse and neglect even existed. In the end, the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, did quite well in terms of systems, procedures and reporting mechanisms. Sundram made solid recommendations relative to consistency across state agencies dealing with vulnerable and special populations including children, the elderly and people with mental health, physical and developmental disabilities. Sundram's report can be found here. It is an important document and should be referred to continuously.

The major result of all of this was Governor Cuomo's announcement in 2012 of the creation of the NYS Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs. The announcement was classic Cuomo. Supporters, State Agency Heads, advocates, legislators and of course the press filled a room where the Governor announced his proposal. Applauds from everyone, for who could be against such a noble charge and goal. Advocates and private agencies were given pre approved quotes and a short time to agree to their use. And so it went. All of this required legislation that was passed easily in June of '12. Although the legislation was passed things began to slow down. Staff were transferred from other state agencies to begin staffing the Justice Center. This also reduced some state agency budgets and built the $40M plus budget for the Justice Center.

With this as a backdrop, the NYS 2013 Budget contained a surprise for people supporting people with developmental disabilities. The Governor proposed a $120M cut to these services and effectively ended up with a $90M cut. With these cuts came lots of rhetoric about how these cuts could be absorbed in administrative areas by non profit providers. Another legislative fight took place and the NY Senate and Assembly thought they restored much of these dollars. Surprise - they weren't truly restored but that's another story.

So, close to twelve months after the announcement and approval of the Justice Center, a Director is hired and the Center is scheduled to open on June 30, 2013. The Governor's announcement is here. It has proven to be a bureaucratic nightmare. I base this on antidotal information from providers and from communications I have seen from state agencies, providers and the Justice Center itself. It seems the Center wasn't really completely ready to open. There didn't seem to be any idea of how many reports they would be receiving on a regular basis. Part of the legislation calls for a statewide registry of people found guilty of abuse and neglect and agencies need to submit names of new employees so they can be cross checked against this list. Now the fact is there is a lot of hiring on an ongoing basis in this field of work (another story). Agencies regulated by the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities had for numerous years already been getting criminal background checks on prospective employees. Now these names are all being sent to the Justice Center so they can be checked against a list that currently doesn't even exist (this has been recently fixed to some degree). Fax machines have been designated as secure communication devices rather then email and the machines couldn't keep up.

There are more examples but the bottom line is that government is trying to legislate a solution to a very serious problem and legislation along with bureaucracy are only tools. Sadly they sometimes are the wrong tools.

Recently, Danny Hakim of the NY Times has revisited the issue of abuse and neglect in these areas. He continues to point to problems, many created by the union protecting state employees. The Albany Times Union has also reported on some of the issues facing the Justice Center. All of this has caused me to really think hard about underlying reasons for all of these problems.

There are some things that flow pretty consistently through Clarence Sundram's Report as well as actions that the Office for People with Developmental Disabilities took over the past year. These are also things that many in the private, non-profit community have been saying for years and years. The actions of employees in organizations large and small are driven by values, culture, training and retraining. You cannot mandate or legislate values and culture. It just isn't possible. People have to walk the talk and respect the people they support. If they don't get it, they need to find another career. Supervision is difficult in community settings where people are depending on building relationships with others throughout the community. But again, values and culture have everything to do with expectations and supervision. Training is absolutely imperative but re-training, ongoing training and reenforcement are critical and difficult to commit to continuously. Finally, administrative bashing may make people feel good but it doesn't solve anything. Who do people think are filling out and trying to make sense of all of the new and old administrative mandates from the Justice Center and other entities. It just doesn't add up - reducing dollars and adding administrative responsibilities.

The other issue that's out there is state operations of these programs vs private, non-profit operators. Some will say there's no difference but there is. One set of providers are called State Operated and the other sector are called Voluntary Agencies. I've said before that language is important and here's another great example. Sometimes people use words so often, they forget what they mean. State Operated programs are just that - they're programs that are operated by the state of NY because the state has a mandate to support and take care of its most vulnerable populations. Institutional care is an easy state response. Large numbers of people housed and fed. All of that is what has led to institutional scandals and closures. Public opinion, the courts and other pressures forced these changes. Voluntary providers do what they do voluntarily most of the time driven by strong missions and beliefs in what they do and why they do it. They can be pretty independent and even walk away if necessary. Over the past number of years voluntary providers have become so reliant on state funding that lines are getting blurred.

In addition, NYS built a huge labor workforce in institutional care over many year. Prisons, Developmental Centers, Mental Hygiene facilities have all been staffed and have become economic drivers in many local communities. They have also driven a state budget that can't be supported according to many. Conspiracy theorists could make a pretty good argument that all of the bad press and resulting pressure on labor organizations could be just what Gov. Cuomo wants. It helps build the case for the state to get out of the business of providing supports to people with disabilities. Turn everything over to the private sector. Maybe, but I don't think so.

But the labor issue is real in the latest reporting and controversy. The union involved, CSEA, is making it difficult for the state of NY to terminate employees where there has been pretty clear abuse. The Gov. and the union should be able to work this out and resolve the issue. If they can't, they should be ashamed of themselves. This isn't a pro or anti union issue. It's pro people and anti abuse - so get it done.

I started this piece frustrated at the direction the Justice Center took or was taking. The articles I referred to appeared while I was doing this writing which caused me to go into some new and different directions. I'm convinced, however, that the real issue is that you can't mandate justice. You really have to work at it. You can't and shouldn't create a whole new bureaucracy to replace or worse, duplicate some good things that are already happening. Cameras sound good initially but we need to be cautious. It's an institutional response. I have faith in the vast majority of people supporting people with developmental disabilities and no tolerance for the ones who abuse and neglect.

I'm most disappointed in state wide provider organizations who should be speaking out on all of these issues. They aren't. Partly because they're scared of people in power and partly because they've become dependent on government support. As supports and services move toward managed care worse things can and probably will happen. I hope some voices are left to speak out.

Individualized supports that are person centered and allow for real choices are hard to supply and can be expensive but that's what people deserve. We're not there yet. My fear is that the newest round of bureaucratic responses will make this journey more and more difficult.




Thursday, July 18, 2013

Apologies to Trayvon Martin, His Parents and Young Men of Color

This has nothing to do with the justice system, juries or the courts. It has to do with human decency and common sense. Young black men, black men in general and all men of color have a different expierience with the police and the criminal justice system. That expierience is real and it's a fact of life. These young men need to act differently then white men when followed or confronted by the police. All you have to do is have a conversation with any black family about how they need to talk about this issue to their sons or nephews. It goes something like this - "roll down all four windows, turn on the dome light and put your hands on the wheel and certainly don't argue." Or this - "Never argue with the police. There are only three results. You'll go to jail, you'll go to the hospital or you'll go to the morgue." These are real conversations that some people may not want to think about. These conversations happen everyday.

As a society we need to think about, analyze and do something about this. Conversations have started. People are struggling with understanding how a young black man, walking home, unarmed can be targeted, followed, provoked and in the end shot and killed. I'm struggling with how some people have found ways to blame the victim, indicating he could or should have done something differently.

While that discussion continues I along with other whites, can do one thing very clearly and that's to offer an apology to Trayvon Martin, his parents and all young men of color. This isn't right, it shouldn't happen and I apologize for the behavior that leads to this unfair and often times violent treatment. We all need to do better.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Marriage Equality

The Supreme Court got this one right. Congratulations to all of the people impacted by this decision. Hopefully, the issue will be resolved in all states as soon as possible. Nice!

Voting Rights Attacked

The decision by the Supreme Court of the United States on June 25, 2013 is a sad thing to see and understand. Having marched and demonstrated specifically to bring attention to the unfairness of voting requirements in the south in the mid-60's it is harder to accept. This will allow states to act differently relative to requirements, id's and all sorts of things that will accomplish one thing - keeping people from voting. My hope is that Congress will eventually correct this through some common sense reforms of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. But now its time to get ready for another march.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Where Are His Clothes?


Many remember the story by Hans Christian Anderson about the Emperor who had no clothes but here's a quick synopsis for those who may need to be reminded.
Long ago there was a very vain Emperor who cared for nothing except wearing and displaying fine clothes to impress all of his followers. He hires two swindlers who promise him the finest, best suit of clothes from a fabric that they say is invisible to anyone who is unfit for his position or "hopelessly stupid". The Emperor suspects something and asks two of his most trusted ministers to view the cloth. They cannot see the cloth themselves, but pretend that they can for fear of appearing unfit for their positions and the Emperor does the same. Finally the swindlers report that the suit is finished, they mime dressing him and the Emperor marches in procession before his subjects. The townsfolk play along with the pretense not wanting to appear unfit for their positions or stupid. Then a child in the crowd, too young to understand the desirability of keeping up the pretense, blurts out that the Emperor is wearing nothing at all and the cry is taken up by others. The Emperor cringes, suspecting the assertion is true, but continues the procession.
This story fits so nicely with many things happening around us today. It's interesting how one's view of the world changes or is controlled by what we think we see.
I was reminded of this recently after my last post and various articles I've seen about the restoration of funding for people with developmental disabilities in NYS. The Governor, legislators and statewide advocacy groups have all become more and more vocal and proud of the restoration of $90 Million in the state budget. I've read and reread many of these articles and frankly I can't figure out the math. Dare I say it? I don't think anything has been restored. I think the celebration is much like the procession. In reality, the Emperor has no clothes and yet everyone is shouting and clapping their hands. Of course no one wants to admit that this all ended up being a public relations coup for the Governor and various other elected officials. No one wants to admit that between efficiencies - some real and some manufactured, audit recoupments, the hope of federal incentives and the promise that if there is a shortfall, the difference will be made up - there is no restoration of $90 Million.
All I can say to various groups and individuals is - open your eyes real wide. Look closely. Count the dollars yourself. I for one don't think you've gained anything. I'd love to be proven wrong in this case but I just can't see those clothes.

Friday, June 14, 2013

NYS Set To Restore Support for People With Disabilities

This is an interesting and great development. NYS is supposedly set to vote next week (6-21-13) to restore $90 million that was cut from the state budget to support people with developmental disabilities. The original cut was the direct result of a funding mechanism that the state used for many years to inflate its reimbursement from the federal government. Gov. Cuomo however, tried to blame the cut on non-profit agency administrators. Well that blame game has gone under the bridge with all the water.

Here are a couple of things that I find interesting. Instead of emphasis on the restoration and what it means, the thread that runs through all the articles that I've seen, seems to be about how the Governor worked this solution through to a positive end result by involving and working with various stakeholders. Some would say that's just politics and you have to give the devil his due. I view it differently. There are lessons to be learned here.

First, everyone should be cautious about this 'negotiated settlement' there are details that aren't too clear and that require other dollars being made up through one of those neat new words - 'efficiencies'. We'll see what all of that means.

But there's another aspect to these political statements. They're just not true. Let's be clear. It wasn't the Governor and the large statewide agencies that made this restoration happen. Sure they all want to take credit. They should take credit for what they did - namely put families, people and organizations through a living hell over the past couple of months. The people who can proudly take credit for this restoration, for this change of thinking on the part of the Governor, are family members, individuals with developmental disabilities and leaders of local organizations who helped rally people around this issue, sometimes at great risk. These real advocates made elected and appointed officials accountable and did it very publicly. These individuals embarrassed those in authority, those governing and made them feel foolish in front of the public in general. Again, it's a real lesson in activism. There are things that are outrageous and wrong. There are things that politicians can't be trusted with. There are things that require some risk in speaking up. I personally salute all of these folks - people with disabilities, their family members and supporters. You did it well. You did it right. But now be cautious. This battle is far from over.

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Journalism Is A Craft

In today's world it may be easy to forget that journalism is a craft. It's a craft that needs to be nurtured and worked at and like most everything else, it usually gets better over time. Struggles, errors, experiments are all part of the development of this important craft. At the same time we're experiencing a massive change in communication as well as  journalistic outlets. Newspapers are disappearing. Bloggers are multiplying. News is being reported instantaneously by anyone with a smart phone and a twitter account. That doesn't mean these instant reporters are journalists or craftspeople. It doesn't mean they have a passion for truth, accuracy or even information sharing.

I have a lot of respect for journalists. I've seen my share. Some have been great, others terrible and still others mediocre. But the folks I'm talking about have all been people honing their craft, trying and many times succeeding to get better.

I mention all of this because I think it has become too easy to consider all of the news we read today as the result of journalists and sadly, it just isn't true. Getting through all of the information and discerning what is and what isn't journalism is really a daunting task and it's easy to just accept what we see and what we read as the real thing. So I think it's important to slow down, step back and really take some time to recognize the professional craftspeople who are out there. If you try, you can identify these folks through style, content and above all their attempt always for accuracy.

Where does that leave bloggers like me? At the beginning, I guess. Trying to watch and learn from other people who have studied, practiced and evolved over time. I do fear that all of us want information so badly that we may not question the craftsmanship. This will all work itself through over time but there will be some rough spots along the way. In the meantime, here's to the people who understand and work at their craft of writing and reporting. Those folks who keep a journal of a story and follow it from beginning to end to help the rest of us understand what's happening and why it's happening - an honorable thing to do.

Friday, May 31, 2013

Is Resistance Useless?

No, no, no! At least that's my answer.

I've heard the statement made, many times as an excuse by those who don't resist injustice, that resistance wouldn't, couldn't or doesn't make any difference. Those in power are going to do what they do and you're just one person who cn't really make a difference.

There have been times and instances where people have actually used this reasoning to not just turn their head but to also actually participate in an activity that they knew or thought was wrong, immoral, unethical or unjust. The uselessness of resistance as a justification to do evil. It happens.

Sometimes people over think issues and sometimes we don't think about issues enough. Resistance to evil is one of those. There are those who sometimes think that every act of resistance has to be flamboyant, has to be loud, aggressive and assertive. Possibly, depending on the circumstances, but I think resistance is much more simple and has many more potential responses. There are times when you just walk away. There are times when you speak out. There are times when you disobey unjust laws and go to jail. Non participation and walking away are very valid responses. Resistance can be very quiet. Not every situation, including those that are more public and more dramatic require loud statements or chants. Taking a moral stand speaks for itself and speaks volumes.

As I look around at the issues confronting the world and generations to come, I think resistance will become more and more important. I hope more people resist when they see injustice and evil. I hope more people understand that resistance in every form sends a message to those who may think it's useless.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Death Toll Rises

The death toll in the Bangladesh building collapse 17 days ago has risen to over 1,000 as workers continue to recover bodies. All of this for cheaper clothing. There have been numerous radio, tv, news articles and interviews within the past week discussing and analyzing consumer demands for more clothing at cheaper prices. Corporations understand what consumers want and respond. I get that. What is so disappointing, at least for me, is that basic values for safety and human dignity are so easily dismissed in the quest for cheaper goods. Over 1000 people dead and a government response in Bangladesh that 'accidents happen'.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Happy Birthday to Dan Berrigan

Just wanted to take a moment to send a Happy Birthday wish to Dan Berrigan on his 92 years! Dan has been a troublemaker for peace and justice for a good many of those years. Thank you Dan for all you've done - your writing, your actions and your commitment to justice and peace.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

4000 +

A good round number 4000. Could be anything. It could be the number of new cars sold this month or the number of jobs created by a new economic development program. How about the number of people graduating from some local universities or colleges. Yes it could be anything. But here's what it is, something Americans don't really think about or discuss too often. 4000 + is the number of people killed by drones since the US started using them in our current battles in Afghanistan and Pakistan. I wasn't aware of the number myself until I heard it reported on the news the other day. That 4000 + includes people our government is fighting as well as many innocent bystanders. Our government's policy on drones has to be dissected and discussed. In the end, there needs to be transparency in the policy that's followed. Right now, that's not the case. A very small group of civilians and military leaders sit in rooms daily and decide who will be attacked by drones. Who will be killed? It's a very different kind of war. Some would argue that it is much more civil and much more humane since guilty (?) parties are identified and pinpointed with accuracy.

With that targeting and accuracy, real or imagined, comes greater responsibility and accountability. Mistakes can be costly in more ways then one.

Yes mistakes can be costly and we can easily become what we hate and fight against. Mistakes can be costly and we can create many more people who hate us and what we seem to stand for.

Although the number can represent many things, it represents 4000 + people killed with new technology. I'm just beginning to get my head around this and I don't like it much. Honestly, it won't be long before more countries and powers begin to use this new technology. I suspect we won't think much of that.

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Letter From Birmingham City Jail - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Today, April 16, 2013 is the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s writing of his critically important "Letter from a Birmingham City Jail". It was written in 1963 as King sat in jail and solitary confinement, angry and struggling with establishment clergy who were questioning his involvement not only in civil disobedience but his involvement in social justice and the civil rights movement itself. An angry young man, an outside agitator, a black man who didn't really know his place were just some of the things his fellow clergy were calling him. They were questioning his actions and his leadership.

Struggles about nonviolence and social justice are always intensified when we face and see violence all around us. When we hear people spewing hatred for things and people they usually don't understand. It seems appropriate to take some time to reflect on Dr. King's letter of 50 years ago where he discusses violence and nonviolence, justice and injustice as well as people's attitudes about right and wrong.

I, along with other friends over the years, have found myself called an "outside agitator" and worse. Sometimes the name calling is done to embarrass. Sometimes it is done to discourage people from listening to what you have to say. In the worst cases it is done out of pure hatred for an individual and his or her ideas.

We are living in a time of more hatred and more name calling. It may be about gun violence and trying to control it. It may be about immigration or other countries or political beliefs.

Yesterday a terrible tragedy took place in Boston during that city's famous Marathon. That kind of violence always leads me back to reflections on nonviolence. Click Here to see Dr. King's letter.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Governing In NYS

I'm exhausted and should probably rethink posting this entry but we'll see how it goes. The reason for the exhaustion is that I pulled an all nighter watching the NYS Senate presenting and debating Bills that make up the NYS Budget. I've never watched the process before and was only able to this time because of live streaming over the internet. It looked like, according to the counter, that there were only about 80 of us online. I've tried to think of the best words to describe what I felt watching the process. Here are a few that come to mind - surprise, shock, anger, disgust, disappointment, amazed.

I was watching particularly to see the discussion, debate and action on the proposed $90million cut to supports for people with developmental disabilities. I had high hopes that after weeks, months really, of advocacy by individuals, families and non profit organizations the legislative body would minimally understand the issues related to these cuts, why they were occurring and the consequences. Boy was I surprised on that one.

I started watching the feed at about 8:15pm and finally went to bed at about 3:30am. I remembered how in my younger days I did things like that and how easy it seemed. It's certainly gotten harder. I found my mind wondering, caught myself dosing, thinking about alcohol, sugar and potato chips. I resisted all of those and refocused many times or tried to. The process and the legislators certainly didn't help. I really began to wonder how NY actually functions on a daily basis with this legislative process in place. First there's the mystery. Language like "set aside" or "the Bill is high" that all of these folks seemed to understand. They were in session for ten minutes, then "at ease" while the Finance Committee planned a meeting to act on Budget Bills.

Finally in full session, partisan debates and votes took place on various printed Bills that no one could have read. Democrats attacking the Leadership and the Democratic Governor for anything and everything. Republicans, sponsoring and defending the Bills, the Leadership and the Democratic Governor. Votes down party lines were the norm. No one jumped ship. Every once in awhile someone would express their concern about one thing or the other in a particular Bill but then they would vote with their party.

There are also drama kings and queens in this cast of characters and honestly they should all be forced to go home and watch themselves perform as part of their punishment. Juvenile chiding, back and forth reaching for high and low ground. All of the debate is supposed to go "through the President/Chair" and everyone seems to forget that at some point.

Somewhere around 2am the Aid to Localities Bill came to the floor. This Bill included the 4.5% cut to the Office for People With Developmental Disabilities which will be implemented against private, non profit providers only vs state operations. Many Senators on both sides of the aisle spoke about how horrible these cuts were but in the end the vote on the larger Bill was 51-9 affirming and including these cuts. The debate itself showed that very few of NY's Senators even understand the rationale for these cuts. The sponsors related the cuts to a Congressional Oversight Committee report on NY's Medicaid expenditures rather then the Center on Medicare and Medicaid Services decision and argument with NYS on overcharging the Federal government for many years. Some Senators went so far as to say that the $1.1billion payback to the feds was the direct result of private providers excessive executive compensation practices and these administrative cuts needed to take place. Sadly, they were not challenged on these false allegations. These Senators seemed to be mouthing the Governor's agenda. It was sad to watch.

So this group of statesmen and women are going to let individuals with developmental disabilities, their families and the people dedicating their lives to supporting them figure out how to move forward. At one point a Senator did ask the sponsor of the Bill what would happen to people if a group home was forced to close. The response was that no one expected closures. When pressed the sponsor indicated people would be served. When pressed again about how, he indicated that he didn't know.

So I'm tired - sick and tired of people who don't know what they're doing or why they're doing it. On to the NYS Assembly. They meet tomorrow. I'm going to sleep.

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Sadly, The Media Has Not Done Its Job On NYS Budget

I have a tremendous amount of respect for the news media and journalism. We depend on journalists to dig, to present two, three and as many sides as it takes to bare the truth. They are the seekers of the truth in a world that many times challenges it with misstatements and lies. We need the news media to sometimes force transparency on leaders, on government and on business. Many times they do a great job. But every once in awhile, sadly and usually at the most important times, they fail.

News and news gathering has undergone significant changes. Social media has been a part of the change as well as the competitive push to be the first with a story, facts be damned. Journalists also become comfortable with the people they cover and frankly they sometimes depend on their subjects for information about stories.

Over the past few weeks I've watched along with others how Governor Andrew Cuomo has presented his facts about the NYS Budget to the capitol press corps. Cuomo has a way of chiding, bossing, putting down and generally treating the press like school children. Subtly and not so subtly pointing out that they're foolish if they don't accept his theories and beliefs. A few continue to challenge him but very few. The problem is, what if the emperor is wrong? What if he really has no clothes? What if he's making things up at best and lying at worst? What if people get hurt from the games he plays with the press?

Let's look at what started as his budget proposal to cut $120million from voluntary agencies supporting people with developmental disabilities. As the budget has been negotiated with Legislative Leaders that number looks like it will be more like $90million but the numbers get complicated and are less of the issue then how the Governor spins his story and how the press accepts his spin.

Cuomo insists he cares about the people affected and presents these cuts as not his fault. No it's the federal government. They are asking NYS to payback $1billion that was "over billed" over many years in accordance with an agreement that NYS had with the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Reporters have all accepted Cuomo's version as far as I can tell. No one seems to have contacted CMS or any other source to verify his version. Did CMS say - these voluntary agencies were awful. Take the money from them and from them alone. We mandate that you do it that way. Did CMS ask NYS how the money was spent? The fact is, it was billed as part of a NYS Institutional rate. Do people know how the dollars flowed to NYS? Did they go to programs or did they go into NYS's General Fund?

Cuomo does the same thing when he talks about how these cuts will be targeted and how they should be absorbed by non profits. Cut administrative costs he says. Sounds great. Just what the public wants to hear. But does the press look into this a little further? Do they ask agencies what administrators do or what cuts they've sustained in the past two years? Do they understand that in these agencies administration is much more then an executive director's salary. Things like Human Resources, Quality Assurance and managers of individual residences. Do they ask the Governor if he understands what new administrative regulations he's put in place that these folks need to respond to relative to quality assurance, fire safety, incident reporting and background checks? He wants to support direct support staff. Does anyone ask - how will these agencies implement minimum wage increases while sustaining massive cuts? Does the press push back and ask how he will move forward with $600million of new revenue from the feds to close remaining institutions in NYS while he cuts the legs out from underneath the organizations that in one breath are called administrative hogs and in the next are called partners?

When vulnerable people are at risk, doesn't the press have some responsibility to dig into statements that are being made for their (the press's) benefit or to dig into how priorities are decided - roads, tax relief, a luxury suite at a football stadium, tax credits to move talk shows to NY versus people needing essential and long term support.

The media told the stories of abuse and administrative waste, and allegations of fraud that helped to create this environment without much push back and the Governor has now used the media's stories to his benefit. The people caught in the middle deserve much better questioning of every leader in NYS - executive, administrative and legislative. In addition, the media should begin asking questions about the legality of these cuts on supports for a protected class of individuals. The media can and has done the right thing in the past. We do count on them to do it again.

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Andrew Cuomo Undoing Years of Progress!

It's a shame really. Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York is undoing years of progress for citizens with developmental disabilities. In the process, he's breaking promises made to these people, their families and providers who until now have been partners in building one of the largest systems of independent community support in the country. Like any large system it has had it's problems over the years but look at the alternative. Institutional care, custodial care that has a lurid history exemplified by Willowbrook. What's ironic and sad is that some of the promises he's breaking were made by his father, Mario Cuomo when he was Governor of New York State.

Cuomo and his team at the Division of Budget and the NYS Office for People With Developmental Disabilities have shown their true colors. They are certainly not progressives or advocates for one of the most vulnerable populations in NYS. They will tell you there just isn't an alternative. They will tell you their commitment to no new taxes or no tax increases is something we should all be proud of. They will tell you that the federal government is really to blame because it is disallowing a rate structure that was previously approved for many, many years. They won't tell you that NYS designed the rate structure and the over payments went into NYS's general fund.

Instead, they will sit back and defend a cut of 6% to voluntary, non profit agencies that assist the state in supporting 120,000 people with developmental disabilities in communities across NYS. Imagine being told that within 30 days you need to reduce your budget by 6%. They won't tell you that the agencies they're cutting are referred to as voluntary because they are doing this work voluntarily vs the mandate that NYS has from both legislation and the courts. They also won't tell you that they pay these voluntary agencies almost 50% less then the state spends itself to provide the same service. They won't tell you that they are dismantling a system that has been built on relationships with families and people with disabilities and good work, and that the system they're promoting is based on numbers and slots. They won't tell you a lot of things.

But the worst thing is, there is a meanness, and cold, cruel attitude to these cuts and to the Governor's attitude. This is pretty typical of this Governor. He has an edge to his response to questions and seems to want to present a "so what" attitude to anyone who questions or raises concerns about his actions or positions. He scares advocates and providers. He had his staff in the last week publicly call out and rebuke a state employee who spoke to the press. He is far from transparent. So now he travels to Florida to fundraise for his re-election or perhaps his election. The actions he's taking relative to people with developmental disabilities just go to show once more that he's no Hillary Clinton.

He uses an old trick when balancing the state budget on the backs of the most vulnerable people. He turns it around and tries to make it everyone else's job to find the money to support these people. "Where else should I cut?" he asks. That's your job Governor. You were elected to govern and to lead. Continue to travel across the state and handout your economic development grants. Fund museums and manufacturing plants and all of the things that will get you some votes.

I don't think the Governor really thought out these cuts and the impact they will have on the non-profit sector. I don't think there was a realization that some programs will in fact close and that many jobs will be lost. I don't think there was any thought given to how this will, in fact, slow down the closure of the remaining institutions in NYS. I also don't think there was any thought given to the relationship between providers and the state. People have struggled to develop a partnership over many years. You don't treat true partners this way.

So advocates be prepared to stand up to this Governor and his people. Be prepared for the cavalier glibness. The reality of advocacy is that you'll be pushed back, you'll be intimidated. As you get pushed remember this quote from Fredrick Douglas in 1857 -
 “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never has and it never will.”

Faith and Politics Institute Congressional Pilgrimage 2013

This weekend - March 2 - March 3, 2013, the Faith and Politics Institute is sponsoring and leading their Congressional Pilgrimage to civil rights historical sites in Alabama, culminating in participation in the reenactment of the bridge crossing in Selma, Alabama. Ironically, this week, Justice Scalia referred to voting rights as the perpetuation of racial entitlements. At the same time he admitted that the constitution protects everyone's right to vote. It's sad that he doesn't seem to understand the historical significance of people being not only beaten, but killed in Selma advocating for this basic right to vote.

Congressman John Lewis is leading the Pilgrimage this weekend and you can get updates through the Faith and Politics Institute's Twitter account at Faith & Politics ‏@FaithNPolitics. Congressman Lewis and the Institute use this as an opportunity to bring Senators and Congressman together in a bipartisan manner with other citizens to share in the expierience and the history of the civil rights movement and to promote civility among diverse groups. Something Congress can certainly use at this time.

I have said it before. John Lewis is a true hero. Someone who continues to believe in and fight for non violence and non violent solutions. A committed troublemaker in the best sense.

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

John Lewis and Selma Video

This is a great video on the work of Congressman John Lewis and the Faith and Politics Institute, They are beginning their trip this week to visit many of the scenes of civil rights history in this country. Their trip, a bipartisan trip by members of Congress and other guests, will culminate in a re-enactment of the demonstration and bridge crossing that occurred 48 years ago in Selma, Alabama. That event became know as "Bloody Sunday" and will always be remembered that way. Basically, a police riot against peaceful protesters. I had the privilege of being a foot soldier for justice, marching and demonstrating in Selma for many days after that police action.

Faith and Politics Video Enjoy!

Monday, February 25, 2013

Who Can People With Developmental Disabilities In NYS Count On?


This post and the issues it deals with are very specific to the field I worked for many years, providing support to people with developmental disabilities. Last week, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and his Commissioner of the NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, Courtney Burke, announced what amounts to a $240 million cut to private, non profit providers of supports, to one of the most vulnerable populations in NYS. That figure amounts to a 6% across the board cut to organizations who have sustained major cuts over the past 3 years.

All of this is due to a controversy that the state has been having with the federal government over a rate structure that allowed the state to receive $5000 per day for people residing in state institutions. Initially, the rate sounds deplorable and because few people have explained it, the figure stands out there looking awful. What isn't stated is that the rate was approved by the federal government many years ago. In addition, it was a known fact that NYS was using that rate, meant for institutional care, to help pay for the development of community and more individualized supports - the goal of the federal government. There has been tremendous scrutiny by Congress over this issue, especially in the highly charged environment of federal spending criticisms by various House Committees. 
NYS's Office for People with Developmental Disabilities share of the cuts totals $120 million but when you add the federal share it totals $240 million. The entire amount of these cuts will be to the non profit providers even though the state provides similar services. That's the 6% cut and it needs to go into effect by April 1, 2013. This is not only devastating, it's stupid and irresponsible. As Eriskine Bowles has pointed out relative to federal Sequester across the board cuts - no private business does across the board cuts. You don't take a meat cleaver approach to serious fiscal problems. Your cuts and adjustments need to be precise and effective. These cuts by the way, are coming at the same time that states may be faced with additional cuts forced by the Sequester mentioned above.
At the same time, providers are being asked to do much more relative to government expectations. Organizations are burdened and overwhelmed by regulations that in most cases have been put into place as over reactions to the state's own incompetence in operating supports for people with developmental disabilities. These cuts will have an impact on quality of supports, an economic impact relative to job reductions and much more.
The state then has the gall to ask private providers to stand with them in a partnership to develop more homes in the community while institutions are closed and to come to conferences on visioning and planning. Hopefully the field will be smart enough to boycott these requests and to let the state know that it has shown its true colors in not supporting people with developmental disabilities. Its a shameful action by NYS. Families, providers and people supported legitimately need to ask - who can we count on?

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Use of Drones Requires Debate/Discussion

The debate and discussion on the use of drones as well as their use to go after individuals, US citizens or not, needs to occur. There also needs to be discussion about the existence and use of kill lists, with decisions to target people being made by a few people in authority. There are many people who see no problem with any of this and who believe this is war and the way it works - kind of an anything goes view of war. But there are others, myself included, who have serious questions about the new weapons and their use.

This is part of a changing technological world that we all live in. Every day people struggle to figure out new ethical standards ranging from individual privacy, organizational privacy, our use of social media, employment law and the use of information we all have access to or that we may receive. The difference with drones is the extinction of life with both brutal accuracy and the potential for horrible mistakes.

The debate has not been robust and the media has not necessarily done its job in helping to force or focus the discussion. The confirmation hearings on both John Brennan and Chuck Hagel have brought the issue a bit more into the light. It looks like possibly more people will be following up.

The process for determining how decisions are made, including the maintenance of kill lists should be troubling to people who really think about the issue for any length of time. We're looking at a different type of weaponry as well as a different type of war. The genie is out of this box relative to drones. Others will use the technology and at some point we'll be dealing with drones over our country, controlled by our government or others. So, lets make sure the debate takes place and that people really think through and publicly discuss all of the issues related to drones and their use.