|
More Senseless Deaths
The deaths of two firefighters - Joseph Graffagnino and Robert Beddia - attacking an “industrial blaze” in the abandoned Deutsche Bank building in Lower Manhattan and word from Utah that the missing miners likely never will be found comes only a week after The Tablet’s reflection on the dignity of work.
The events move us to underline our comments and especially Pope John Paul II’s clear teaching on the subject. The deaths and the teaching bear the restatements of universal truths that should move each of us.
The firemen’s deaths touch home in a particular way. Firefighter Graffagnino was a parishioner at St. Ephrem’s, Dyker Heights, where his funeral Mass was celebrated.
By all counts, both men were typical of the heroic people who staff our public service institutions.
Important questions remain following the death of these two local heroes, both of whom had seen action at nearby Ground Zero on 9/11/01. How many more will die because of the horrific actions of that notorious date? Even more important, we must ask why such a death trap was still standing, almost six years since the tragedy that befell the World Trade Center. Why was work allowed to continue there despite 20 violations that had been cited at the site? State and local officials have a lot of explaining to do, especially to the families and colleagues of the fallen men.
We’ve heard enough talking and paid for enough studies, what we need now is some action. Politicians need to stop dragging their feet and finish the clean-up job necessary in Lower Manhattan. Had this been tended to in a timely manner, two heroic men would still be alive.
A Marathon Campaign
A recent addition to the phenomenon of political campaigning is the “Candidates Forum.” Originally, we could speak of the “Presidential Forum” but now the exercise has worked its way down to the campaign for the proverbial alderman.
The forum had its origin in the Presidential Debates, more specifically the Kennedy-Nixon Debates of historic memory, but the debates now have expanded in number and participants until we should speak of forums or fora depending on our respect for Latin origins.
In any event we will use forums leaving to the final analysis whether we should recognize them as significant additions to the American scene or only some kind of traveling road show. The case for the “road show” dismissal rests on the fact that the expansion of participants leaves opportunity for only cosmetic preparation for the TV cameras and individual statements that are little more than campaign sound-bites, without opportunity for dialogue or even a decision to choose the appropriate subject for substantial debate.
Each candidate repeats his or her carefully crafted statement and sits back for the expected responses and so the forum comes off with similarly superficial analyses of who came off best or advanced his or her position at least a half step. There are occasional flares of controversy but they are usually smothered with the efficiency of a local fire department.
Those who would argue for the significance of the forums point to the care and preparation that goes into them and the analysis that follows. A candidate would miss one only at personal peril and a quick relegation to second level candidacy. Such is the reality of today’s media and political life.
We cannot stand back from it all despite the suspicions that we are being manipulated rather than informed. We have to be in the contest selecting winners and losers even if our choice resembles our athletic team loyalties.
This is America and our civic responsibility lies in improving the quality of our choices rather than avoiding the responsibility of selection.
When we get beyond forums to the whole political process and the inflated campaign and campaign seasons, we have to look at how the length of it all increases costs and feeds upon the role and price of amenities such as consultants.
Every political office appears to be up for sale, if not on the option block, at least in the cost for necessary tools for running, beginning and perhaps ending with television. We should look at our ultimate choices and at least try to filter out substance from hype. We should become clear on the issues, seeking out what is important to us and the makings of a just and humane society. Of course, the deeper we probe, the harder it gets, as we are hindered by the debris of personal prejudice and past loyalties.
Length isn’t the only caution to take to our campaign analysis. There is the work of campaign “analysts” who have studied our attitudes and approaches to issues. We fear that they have learned more about us than we know about ourselves. These are important days to read the newspapers and be careful about other more superficial forms of communication. An educated voter isn’t born, but formed and educated. We shouldn’t be afraid of our vote; certainly we should not avoid it but accept it as a God-given opportunity.
To make yourself even more informed, join a political action group in your parish. If there is not one there, look to the political advocacy network set up by the New York State Catholic Conference. Simply, log onto www.nyscatholic.org and follow the directions to enroll.
|
