Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Knowledge is the key to improving Trenton, but cleaning up is important too
Information is power. Politics is local. Not taking credit for these wonderful insights but they offer a perfect segue into a recent Back Talk contribution.
“Unless the residents of Chambersburg are all first generation immigrants and unaware of City sanitation schedules then they shouldn’t have put their trash out for pick up! While I’ve always thought it to be a waste of space, the City does publish information about City services on its website; just a mouse click away. I’ll also add that for those folks that had their trash rummaged by critters, I hope they had the decency to clean up the mess and re-bag their trash before their “normal” garbage day pick ups.”
First, many residents of Chambersburg indeed are first generation immigrants and unaware of City sanitation schedules. Period. Many of those same people do not speak or read English. Many of those same people do not own a computer or have access to one unless they travel to the city’s lone library on Academy St.
Right about now the Back Talk dweeb revved up his computer for a comment about immigrants should learn English as if first generation Italians, Irish and Polish people were reading and writing American prose an hour after they stepped onto Ellis Island.
Trenton started dummying down residents when politicians closed four satellite libraries, followed by that deafening sound of crickets. Libraries remain the lifeblood of communities although New Jersey cities have opted to shutter these learning institutions as education takes a back seat to law enforcement.
This “just access the Internet” parallels New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s assault on newspapers with his desire that lets municipalities off the hook about posting legal notices in the newspaper. Unless Mr. Christie promises a computer in every household then news dispensation in the interest of honest and good government requires reaching the masses by any means necessary.
Instead, political pushback moves this idea that people always should know when garbage collection occurs even in the face of inconsistency. I mean, everybody owns a computer. Right?
Who knew that city workers would have off the Friday before New Year’s Day and the following Monday? City employees apparently worked the Friday before Christmas then had off the following Monday.
The problem with government tethers technology as people with the means to own I-phones, computers and all other gadgets have a distinct advantage over those without.
Government officials must offset economic and information access disadvantages by alerting residents about most situations. Garbage issues in Chambersburg exists as no phenomena, however, the fact that government leaders have not introduced new ways to attack the problem remains the core issue.
Government requires a pressing of flesh, faceto-face meetings, think tanks, and a litany of other communications.
Posting bilingual information in supermarkets, laundromats, newspapers and churches about garbage collection, health initiatives, law enforcement, and other concerns sounds beneficial.
Building a better Trenton requires understanding circumstances of all people, not just those who own computers and certainly not just those who speak English.
Chambersburg residents remain underserved under represented and face serious challenges as victims of crime.
Yes, they need instruction about garbage collection, education and even insights about contacting police after they have been robbed of a week’s wages.
A personal move back into Trenton four years ago meant a desired residency and to play a role in immigration reform and to support this city’s newcomers in Chambersburg.
While people throughout Trenton need information, support and services, Chambersburg residents suffer more than most. Terrible housing conditions, more bars and definitely more people in need of information and education about what’s expected from them.
U.S. author Scott Turow wrote that “Widespread public access to knowledge, like public education, is one of the pillars of democracy, a guarantee that we can maintain a well-informed citizenry.”
Thomas Jefferson espoused that “Whenever the people are well informed, they can be trusted with their own government; that whenever things get so far wrong as to attract their notice, they may be relied on to set them to rights.”
It’s time to make life right in Chambersburg.