8 FEB 05: THE BOX AND ONE
I'm the one. The box is my InBox. Let's catch up on some blog e-mail today, beginning with this reply to our mention of police receiving bananas to eat before Jesse Jackson's January march:
Did you know that Mayor Poydasheff asked Chief Boren to apologize for the "banana incident"? Needless to say, Chief Boren refused. Can you imagine what a bigger mess this city would be in if we started apologizing every time a citizen being overly sensitive was offended? Scary, isn't it?
Well, I suppose it depends on the situation. If I became offended by a traffic ticket, I might escape a fine.
In cases such as this, sometimes I go to the potentially offended people - and ask for a list of EVERYTHING that might offend them. If I know in advance, I can prepare for it. But I've found when people have to stop and think about what offends them, they tend to have a very short list -- or none at all.
Now let's let the mysterious "Is Our City Safe" out of our cyber-penalty box from last week. This mass e-mailer has sparked an online discussion about public safety with Columbus Councilor Gary Allen -- and of course, the Internet is spreading it:
Councilor Allen:
I would like to hear your plan to improve moral, increase Officers pay and at the same time maintain the solvency of the City so that we are able to continue to provide the Citizens with the services they expect and deserve. It is easy to anonymously sit back and throw rocks at those who are trying to work towards quality pay while we are under financial constraints. So please share with us what ideas do you propose?
IsOurCitySafe:
So Councilor Allen, you want me to work my normal 6 day work week, my four part-time jobs, spend time with my family when I can, find time to sleep, and do your job too?
If I am supposed to do my jobs and your job, then what are you there for? What are we paying you to do? We pay you and the other fine Councilors to solve these problems.
I promise you that if the problems aren't fixed, when you need the Police the most, they wont be there.
Keep pushing the men and women in blue and one day they are going to push back.
..And I am going to keep throwing rocks at you anonymously by telling the citizens what really goes on so they will start coming down on you and your fellow workers. The citizens of Columbus are going to hear the truth and maybe next time, someone else will be sitting on your seat at the round table.
So "Is Our City Safe" has a six-day work week AND four part-time jobs? I'm starting to think this person is a Columbus radio broadcaster....
I hear all the time from people with long work weeks and families, who DO have answers to all these things. At least, I assume they're the people calling talk radio stations.
What Gary Allen seems to be pointing out here is the difference between criticism and "constructive criticism." The latter, of course, means you tear someone or something down -- then leave an instruction sheet for rebuilding.
The discussion involving Councilor Allen and public safety continued in a separate message:
Concerned citizen:
Are you aware that the recent proposed tax was shot down because there was apparently no guarantee that the funds would be designated for that which they were proposed? I think what Columbus is experiencing is a group of men and women who want to see that they are respected, cared about, and yes, given remuneration for their dedication. I know in order to be fulfilled and successful at this job you have to have a "calling." You cannot be in it for the money. But what about households that need to be fed and bills that need to be paid?
Councilor Allen:
I agree there was a misunderstanding of the need for the sales tax but if you talk to the FOP leadership they will tell you Council made a commitment to them. I would like to correct all the pay problems but we can't do it if we do not have the funds. Hopefully the economy will get better and our tax digest will grow then we can address our issues. I would like to hear any ideas on how you think we could address this issue since the sales tax did not pass?
Concerned citizen:
Nowadays, a "commitment" is not the handshake or gentlemen's agreement it used to be. Get it in writing. As I recall $80,000 was spent to give Columbus a legacy name. Why was an out-of-town company hired to spend this type of money when I would be most willing to speculate that someone (or group) born and raised in this progressive city could have managed to come up with something just as fitting? Grant you $80,000 might not have gone very far, but when you have underpaid, understaffed, underappreciated people who witness this type of incongruent expenditures, how do you expect them to react?
Concerned citizen:
I would not say that I am anonymously responding to issues. I indeed have written to the editor of the L-E, as have other concerned citizens. In spite of some media coverage, for the most part the risks and crime rate in Columbus is not made public. In fact, I would venture to say that a lot of it is purposely kept quite to create a false security.
Councilor Allen:
The commitment was made face to face in front of other city leaders so it was not just a casual statement. The $80,000 was made up of donations. My anonymous comment was directed to "IsOurCitySafe". I am interested in your ideas or suggestions anytime you would like to share them. We are elected and have ideas but we as individuals are not any different than you. We would like to do more but if the revenue is not there it's difficult to make it happen. I expect staff to act as they have, with respect and for the most part they always do. I am not aware of anyone acting without respect.
Concerned citizen:
Re Banana event
How is it disrespectful if the entire group of Officers are eating bananas?
Councilor Allen:
My point exactly. These people had not eaten all day and are made an issue of for simply eating. They were not supported.... they were apologized for.
We advised the Mayor an apology was not necessary since there was a variety of fruit and juices available and this is a normal course of business for such events. We cannot control what he does or says but did let him know we disagreed with the apology.
Concerned citizen:
At least I am glad to hear that. That is exactly what I am talking about. These officers need to know that they are supported in some fashion, even if nothing comes from it at that particular time. Doesn't it validate your position you feel that someone acknowledges your frustrations? It gives you the feeling that somewhere, somebody has heard you and you are more willing to "work with the system" to a greater extent.
Councilor Allen:
I agree!
Concerned citizen:
At least we agree on that point. So to end this conversation, because I do have to work.... more needs to be done to applaud the many fine efforts of all safety workers. Perhaps reporting on events where they have gone above and beyond the call of duty, particular occasions when they have really made a difference in the community, ways they sacrifice so that citizens feel safe, and education to the public as to what those officers are doing (extra jobs) when seen in uniform in places such as church parking lots, grocery stores, and malls. A little praise goes a long way, but only so far. Compare your paycheck with one of them and ask yourself if you would want to leave home in the AM or PM with a very real sense that you might not make it back home to your wife and kids.
Councilor Allen:
I couldn't agree more!!!! It would be good if the media would spot light Officers as they do with teachers.
Concerned citizen:
I have several friends who are teachers. So don't get me started on their pay and what they have to put up with. Thanks for the discussion. I'm sure you have the clout to see what you can do about the spotlighting. That is if they all haven't gotten so mad at this point that you can't get their attention. There is such a thing as point of no return.
There's a lot here to chew on - but those bananas keep coming up! Only in Columbus would a bunch of bananas cause so many sour grapes.
I agree with the concerned citizen about how some professions involve a "calling," and not being "in it for the money." But if you would like to make a donation to build a better blog, I accept PayPal.
Hey, I've got an idea! We could raise money for Columbus public safety the way other charities do it! Sell tickets in a raffle for the "Police and Fire Dream House!" Of course, it would need built-in sprinklers, a fire extinguisher, an automated security system - and the winner probably still would have to pay property tax on it.
As for that "legacy name:" someone I know dared to ask the other day if anything has come to Columbus because of "What Progress Has Preserved." No one ever bothered asking Jesse Jackson if that influenced his decision to march downtown.
But hold on -- what do you mean the Columbus crime rate "is not made public?!" I thought the police released those numbers every year. If Mayor Poydasheff doesn't call a news conference to talk about the numbers improving, you can probably draw a conclusion from that....
I'm glad we all agree with the concerned citizen, that our law officers "need to know that they are supported in some fashion...." Which reminds me - how DID the new Marshal pay for his deputies to have new uniforms? Maybe he's taking the stuff Ken Suddeth returns, and selling it online.
Regular blog readers should know by now about the uniformed officers at churches. But I should note the night I went to Cascade Hills Church, the officers were NOT in the parking lot. They were right outside the sanctuary door - and the sermon was about tithing! [True] How much DOES the Fraternal Order of Police donate to church groups?
Some people apparently have forgotten WRBL once offered awards for law officers, similar to the "Golden Apple Award" for teachers. It was a monthly award - but after a few months it disappeared. I hope the security company which sponsored that feature didn't smuggle it to Mexico.
Somewhere in the midst of this exchange, Councilor Gary Allen raised a good point with "Is Our City Safe."
So you are saying you have time to send out all these emails but you don't have time to offer just one suggestion?
Maybe that's why the e-mailer barely has time to get any sleep. Or then again, maybe they're written IN his/her sleep - with a "ThinkPad" or something.
We have three more messages about public safety - but this has been rather lengthy, so we'll hold those for another time. We conclude by proving people ARE talking about other things. Take the newly-named "Club Antifreeze" which we mentioned Sunday:
Well, let's see....they have Club Oxygen, Club Antifreeze, maybe the next club to open will be called 'Club Carbon Monoxide' or 'Club Coolant'?
Hmmmm - how about one for retired politicians? We could call it "Club Airbag."
Simply out of curiosity, I did a Google search Monday night for the phrase "Club Antifreeze." There's no other nightclub mentioned with that name - but there was something about "Catawba Country Club Antifreeze." It must be made specially for golf carts.
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