A taxing but worthwhile Christmas endeavor
• As you read this week’s submission, your commentator is feeling rather fatigued. I just finished recording seven TV and radio shows in eight days and, well I’m a bit older this year than last. Ah, but what great programs we have to edit up and broadcast for you! Last night at the Potenza Auditorium in North Smithfield High School was the last of the high school Christmas/Holiday Concerts, and they were all fantastic. You can catch them on our radio station and streaming TV channel this Sunday, Christmas Day, beginning at 10 a.m. and continuing all day until 6 p.m., and I hope you do. The talent exhibited in these performances buoys my heart each year and I’m sure they’ll do the same for you.
• Our annual Milk Fund Appeal is working hard and having success, but if you look at the total amount raised so far, you’d be very concerned we won’t reach our $50,000 goal to buy milk for those in need all next year. We have just over $10,000 raised with only four days left to raise nearly $40,000 more. Of course, there are many thousands pledged at our auctions and the paper Milk Bottles and other anticipated gifts, but are there forty thousand more? I have to wonder. It’s normal to lag a bit, but this is quite a bit.
• I am reminded by the editor, God bless our editor, that this is supposed to be an opinion column each week and I really should be bringing up a few controversial subjects when I can. So, with no regard to the happiness in my heart, I will now shine the dark light of controversy on a few subjects.
First, don’t believe everything you read. There’s a lot of good being done this holiday season by many local charities. That’s good to see. But I am reminded of one of those endless, attention-seeking surveys released by a group who are so unknown and nameless that I cannot now recall their name, stating that Rhode Island was dead last in charitable giving. To use a reply much heard at this time of year, “Humbug!” I imagine these “nobodies who wish to be somebodies” were looking only at easily-gotten charity figures from large national charities which post their receipts on websites. I further imagine that looking at grassroots, local charitable support would be information too difficult for such people to gather, so they just treated it like it doesn’t happen. I wish they could be here in the Blackstone Valley the last few weeks; they’d hang their own heads in shame instead of trying to shame us, I think. For us, it’s neighbor helping neighbor first. You can keep your national charities for last, thank you.
• I must send my congratulations to my good friend Paulette Hamilton, as the news of her next job was made public this week. Paulette will be helping another local, Lt. Gov. Dan McKee, in his office. As I’ve expressed personally to my friend, I wish I could have lured her to work in my organization, but I cannot compete with the pay and benefits offered by the largest employer in the state…………. the State itself! Maybe next time.
• I find myself compelled to once again comment on the silliness generated by news reports that the Russians tampered in the U.S. Presidential election last November. Get over it, will ya! It happens. What? It’s okay when the U.S. tries to influence the elections of other countries but not okay when it happens to us? Can you say “Double-Standard”? Gee Whiz, boys and girls! You cannot have it both ways.
I don’t personally believe the elections themselves were tampered with. After all, the real election of the president actually happened yesterday by the Electoral College. But on election day, no other country tampered with the results. What Russia is accused of is trying to sway public opinion before they voted, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they did that. And I wouldn’t blame them, either. I’d blame the American voting public for sometimes being lazy and gullible.
We have a very strong and dependable elections system in this country. But we have a voting public which is split between those who do some homework and try to put the best person in each job and those who treat voting for president like voting for a performance on “The Voice” television show. It’s not supposed to be a popularity contest, but we know that cannot be completely eliminated as a factor. But regardless of this, I am firm in my belief that the election process was not compromised, just public opinion.
The good thing which comes of this manufactured controversy, I think, is that it will serve as a moderating factor to those who think we should establish voting over the Internet, where the process itself could actually be compromised. And also it may serve to make those who choose to vote legally days and weeks before Election Day think twice before opting for the convenience.
• Okay, now that I have purged my heart of all negative thoughts, I am back to myself again and wish you all a holiday which warms your heart with memories of good holidays in your past and adds to those of the past with good memories made in the present. “God Bless you, everyone”………. Hmmm. Do I need to pay royalties to use that phrase?