LOOKING AHEAD THIS WEEK
TRICK OR TREAT
Chris Carmody,
In pursuit of the ultimate prize, it's not just the outfit that determines whether you get candy or a box of raisins (note: I have nothing against raisins, but how is that an acceptable treat?). It's also how you get there. Are there any formidable obstacles? Do you lose candy on the way? What is your margin of victory? Wait, what? Yes, Halloween is Wednesday, but I am talking about the College Football Playoff Committee rankings released on Tuesday. Riding the nation's longest win streak, a treat should be given to the Knights, but there is already talk about the tricky strength of schedule. It's not their fault that some neighborhoods won't let them play. All they've done is dress up like national contenders and act the part. Here's hoping the Knights get a Payday and not a Zero.
WALKING DEAD DEPARTURE
Rogue Gallart, president, Central Florida Disability Chamber: Fans of the Epic Zombie show “The Walking Dead” on AMC stem from all over the world to right here in our very own backyard of Central Florida. As many of you know, the actor who plays Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln and fan favorite) will be leaving the show in the next two episodes as his character will meet with his final demise on the show. “The Walking Dead” will probably run for years after Lincoln's exit, and it will surely survive more cast turnover, as it has before this. But for the first time, the show seems interested in thinking about the big picture once it ends. Get your tissues ready.
REVITALIZE URBAN AREAS Jane Healy, former
It's encouraging to see more and more politicians interested in revitalizing urban areas. A major issue in the Casselberry City Commission race, for instance, is redeveloping that city. Casselberry has plenty of residents in its many subdivisions but needs to attract more businesses so that residents spend their money there rather than having to go to places like Winter Park. Meanwhile, the Orange County Commission has addressed a different problem. It has set aside $567,000 to help bring senior housing to an underused shopping center. Pine Hills is desperate for revitalization, so repurposing its struggling shopping centers is a positive step. So was rebuilding Evans High and opening a trail for bicycles and pedestrians.
DIGNITY FOR DISTRESSED NEIGHBORHOODS Phil Hissom,
Our friends in the media have a responsibility to portray underappreciated communities with nuance and empathy, as do we all. Recent stories have used pejorative labels like crime-invested, impoverished and blighted. These labels stick and negatively impact what is thought possible and therefore what is pursued and achieved. A major issue is simply a lack of appreciation for the skills, interests and potential that exists in these communities. It doesn't mean that the real challenges should not be reported, but picking a label without qualification just because it plays well in a soundbite is irresponsible and has consequences.
LIFT UP IMMIGRANTS Joel C. Hunter,
The migrant caravan coming toward the United States is confronting us about the system we need to fix and the philosophy we need to develop as a nation. Whether it's perceived as an attempted mass invasion, or as individuals seeking to survive and offer their skills, we can find ways to welcome some people who will make our country a better place to live. With decreasing needs for unskilled labor and increasing scarcity of housing, we do no good to create a permanent underclass. Yet we need to improve our country, not just isolate it.
STONERS BEHIND THE WHEEL
J. Matthew Knight,
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that traffic accidents are up 6 percent in four states where recreational marijuana is legal compared to surrounding states where it is not. Although hardly conclusive, these findings are not surprising: Cannabis is a depressant/hallucinogen with profound effects on cognition, especially when combined with alcohol. But this doesn't mean that recreational pot should remain illegal in Florida. Responsibility is the price of freedom; the consequences for driving high should mirror those for driving drunk. Before this happens, we need better roadside biological tests for marijuana impairment and improved police training on the signs of marijuana intoxication.
FINANCIAL DAMNATION
T.J. Legacy-Cole,
The distrust many in the black community have stems from decades of outsiders coming into our communities with the sole purpose of exploitation. The financial exploitation of the black community contributes to our collective economic deprivation, especially with a lack of financial literacy. Which is why I take exception to the new wave of pastors “pimpin' ” from the pulpits, as they introduce their congregations' to get-rich-quick pyramid schemes. Shame on Pastor Derrick L. McRae and other clergy for leading our community down a path of what could be financial damnation. Financial freedom is our only hope for liberation, but not if God's messengers use their influence to keep us shackled in bondage.