shifting culture

Editorial comments on recent Florida news

011212 Chalk

Chalk one up for totalitarian government.  Totalitarianism survives on creative interpretations of laws to circumvent constitutional protections.  The Government is making much that the “chalker” made no resistance to going to jail for his non-crime.  Smart kid, to question would have been termed resistance and probably have led to his severe beating and possibly death which the government would have called justified defense of freedoms.  The City need to pass a new law to ban all chalk sales, imprison chalk smugglers along with children, teachers and artists who have ever polluted the environment with chalk dust.  How’s that for an ‘ex post facto’ creative interpretation of environmental law.  (Ref Orlando mayor’s counter to occupy movement actions. The “crime” was to chalk ‘justice for all’ on the sidewalk.  After keeping the young man in jail for several days (18?) he was released without ever seeing a courtroom.  Similar actions across the country by authorities seem to indicate a conspiracy by government leaders to silence increasing popular dissent.)

011712 FAMU

In the less than growing debate over hazing one point seem to escaped debate.  Hazing has always been around and probably always will be but there has been a cultural change that accepts abuse.  In the FAMU case a man died and not a case of child play that got out of hand.  His death followed a long period of well-known serious injuries to other adults.  The subsequent media focused is on band hazing but it is probable that there are other examples of hazing at the school.  The administration signaled that hazing was acceptable by ignoring and covering up hazing.  It continues to do so by hiring a PR firm to “improve its image” read that as diverting attention from and covering up administration complicity in murder.  Instead of proactive classes in ethics, reforms or even psychological assessments the administration chose to spend its money on PR dis-information. The Band doesn’t need to be suspended instead the Administration should be permanently suspended.  Otherwise the problem continues to grow as soon as public focus shifts. A fitting tribute to the victim would be real cultural reform by a Robert Champion moral code of conduct for the school.  (Ref the hazing beating death of a young man.)

011912 Tax the internet

Florida merchants term Internet sales as unfair because most do not charge Florida sales tax.  The merchants are correct; Internet sources are unfair but not because of no sales tax.  Most people would much rather pay sixty-five cents in sales tax on a ten-dollar item rather than a ten-dollar shipping and handling charge and three day wait.  The unfairness is that outsiders provide products and services scorned by local merchants.  Customers are forced to spend half a day and gallons of gas going from mall to mall before giving up local searches for the simplest product.  Customers discovered sales personnel are only marginally qualified to take payments, can provide no product information and are surly if not outright abusive. Customers who turn to the Internet, in a matter of minutes, can find the item they are looking for, information on use and comparison of products.  They can order online even talk to a real person who for the most part is civil if not outright nice and knowledgeable of the product line.  Legislation instead of imposing taxes on Internet sales should force local merchants and sales personnel to provide products and services customers need.  In the era of the customer is always wrong the Internet is our only savior.   (Ref a major legislative push by merchants and business oriented governor to suppress Internet sales.)

112012 Internet cafes

To state it clearly, I am opposed to eliminating Internet cafes.  I don’t use them but multitudes do staying informed and in touch with friends.   The shutdown justifications given by officials are bogus and not supported by any data.  Ever since the so-called “Arab Spring” politicians have been petrified that electronic media may focus on them and expose their failures to govern in the democratic interest of the people.  Totalitarian states have repeatedly attempted to shut down the Internet and failed.  Now politicians are using spurious justifications in attempts to legislate a piecemeal Internet shutdown.   Yes Internet commerce does cut into profits of friendly political contributors but more importantly it provides a voice to the powerless, who have no paid access to legislators.  The governor’s latest thrust will only benefit his business friends and suppress dissent for only so long before it boils over into an American Spring.”  The people need a voice even if the powerful don’t listen.  Fight to protect the one few remaining freedoms (wide access to information in order to become the informed public that democratic freedoms require.)