Thumbs up, thumbs down
Thumbs down to “swatting.” Following a national trend, Connecticut schools have been victimized in recent weeks by false claims of school threats that
can lead to panic or worse. In the state where Sandy Hook became synonymous with every parent’s worst fears, and only months after a similarly devastating mass shooting in Texas, no one is going to take threats likely. But Connecticut schools and many others across the country have been victimized by false reports of active threats, which invite a police response that will likely someday lead to tragedy. Many of these threats come from social media, and in some cases it may be a case of someone making idle threats. But authorities cannot afford to be lax. No one can take a chance on the worst happening again, which means these threats must be stopped.
Thumbs down to a flurry of negative responses to day one of the Sound on Sound festival in Bridgeport, which featured an outstanding lineup of performers but a tidal wave of complaints from attendees online. People who paid a lot of money for tickets said the grounds were not prepared for the number of people they needed to accommodate, and long lines were reported for food, merchandise and even bathrooms. Parking was a nightmare. Even something as simple as walkways to get through crowds was apparently neglected in the preparation. To their credit, organizers appear to have listened to complaints on day one, and some problems were corrected on the second day. But for many people who came from far away, they left with a bitter taste of Connecticut in their mouths.
Thumbs down to threats made to Ferguson Library staffers over the Drag Storytime program, which the Stamford library has been hosting for seven
years. The event, in which performers don drag and read stories intended to teach lessons about diversity, inclusion and tolerance, remarkably attracted intolerance instead. The program has drawn complaints in the past, but comments that staffers should “watch your back when you go to your car tonight” is further evidence in the erosion of civil exchanges. Police are monitoring the situation, but the offending parties should be able to recognize the inappropriateness of such actions. Libraries are a hub of many communities, and the people there deserve to be applauded for their efforts, not targeted with cowardly threats.
Thumbs up to a decline in many crimes across the state. Especially in the height of election season, this is welcome news for incumbents, but there are
areas of concern that whoever is elected in November will need to keep a close eye on. The COVID pandemic was blamed for a rise in certain types of crimes, including car thefts, but the most recent numbers show a 10 percent decline statewide in that category. Burglary, robbery and aggravated assault are also down from a year ago. Crime is always a sensitive topic, and public perception often has little to do with verifiable facts. If people don’t feel safe, no statistics are going to help. But these numbers should help assuage some fears and make clear that Connecticut is among the safest states in the nation.
Thumbs down to a COVID statistic that many experts feared, and too many people ignore. The presence of COVID-19 has not only increased in schools
this September, but represents an uptick of nearly four times as many cases as there were a year ago. That 2,773 students reportedly had COVID in state schools as of Sept. 22 is alarming enough, but the 800 infected staff members hint at just how quickly it could further spread throughout the semester. Overall numbers in Connecticut have decreased, which also suggests students and staff are more vulnerable than the rest of the population. It is hard to ignore that low vaccination rates among children is likely a contributing factor.
Thumbs down to Connecticut landing in the bottom half of national rankings of states rating the ease to cast a vote. Connecticut ranked 30th in the Cost of Voting Index, which weighs factors such as registration, early voting and hours. Support for early voting on the ballot this November could swing Connecticut’s ranking in a better direction. Oregon continued to top the list, and New Hampshire clung to the lowest ranking. Many states codified early voting measures taken during COVID. Connecticut is overdue to take similar action.