Monday, August 22, 2005
Apparently Someone Does Care
My entry dated August 18, 2005 entitled "Does Anyone Care?"
seems to have hit a nerve with some folks in this little slice
of paradise. I've received several comments on this issue and
want to share a couple of them with you.
***
One note came from a local educator - a person with impeccable credentials and a unique perspective on local issues. The following is excerpted from her message:
"It is not just the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach where there is a lack of interest and participation in government. And it is ironic that we are fighting a war and spending billions of tax dollars to bring democracy to the Middle East when most of our citizens don't participate in the democratic process in their own country. The underbelly of a democracy is an informed electorate, and clearly that is lacking in our country. News has to be entertaining and visual and reporting about complex issues does not lend itself to those formats. As Neal Postman said over 30 years ago, "we are amusing ourselves to death." I have been teaching MBA students at UCI for 25 years, and increasingly find many of them don't read a newspaper, are not aware of who represents them, don't vote, and appear to have no concern about how laws and appointments made by their elected and appointed representatives impact their lives. And these students are our future leaders. Not sure how to change this. Wish I knew!
Judy B. Rosener, Ph.D.
Paul Merage School of Business
UCIrvine"
***
Business owner and community activist Mirna Burciaga wrote to share the difficulties she encountered when she first decided to get involved. After a lengthy description of the trials she and her family experienced as she tried to fix a problem in this community - in which she took on the powers-that-be and prevailed - she commented, "Many people don’t voice their concerns or participate because they don’t want to put themselves in risk of retaliation or to be criticized."
She went on to comment that she intends to continue to be involved in community activities because she's concerned about this city's direction. Again, to quote her as she addressed her perception of the feelings of most of the residents of our city: "I believe that the majority are very concerned about the road that our city is taking, to see how our city council is voting, how the majority of the council is making decision after decision based on their political or personal agendas."
***
Those are but two voices from within our community - one from a concerned academic and the other from a person battle-tested in the municipal trenches. Each, for different reasons, affirmed my opinion and left me even less comfortable with the current condition of political awareness and community involvement.
I suspect there might be other viewpoints floating around out there and I'd be happy to hear them. Those would be shared only after specific permission is granted by the writer - and maybe not at all. If you choose to enlighten me, please go to the "Share Your Opinion" page, click on the link to email me.
10:59 pm pdt
***
One note came from a local educator - a person with impeccable credentials and a unique perspective on local issues. The following is excerpted from her message:
"It is not just the cities of Costa Mesa and Newport Beach where there is a lack of interest and participation in government. And it is ironic that we are fighting a war and spending billions of tax dollars to bring democracy to the Middle East when most of our citizens don't participate in the democratic process in their own country. The underbelly of a democracy is an informed electorate, and clearly that is lacking in our country. News has to be entertaining and visual and reporting about complex issues does not lend itself to those formats. As Neal Postman said over 30 years ago, "we are amusing ourselves to death." I have been teaching MBA students at UCI for 25 years, and increasingly find many of them don't read a newspaper, are not aware of who represents them, don't vote, and appear to have no concern about how laws and appointments made by their elected and appointed representatives impact their lives. And these students are our future leaders. Not sure how to change this. Wish I knew!
Judy B. Rosener, Ph.D.
Paul Merage School of Business
UCIrvine"
***
Business owner and community activist Mirna Burciaga wrote to share the difficulties she encountered when she first decided to get involved. After a lengthy description of the trials she and her family experienced as she tried to fix a problem in this community - in which she took on the powers-that-be and prevailed - she commented, "Many people don’t voice their concerns or participate because they don’t want to put themselves in risk of retaliation or to be criticized."
She went on to comment that she intends to continue to be involved in community activities because she's concerned about this city's direction. Again, to quote her as she addressed her perception of the feelings of most of the residents of our city: "I believe that the majority are very concerned about the road that our city is taking, to see how our city council is voting, how the majority of the council is making decision after decision based on their political or personal agendas."
***
Those are but two voices from within our community - one from a concerned academic and the other from a person battle-tested in the municipal trenches. Each, for different reasons, affirmed my opinion and left me even less comfortable with the current condition of political awareness and community involvement.
I suspect there might be other viewpoints floating around out there and I'd be happy to hear them. Those would be shared only after specific permission is granted by the writer - and maybe not at all. If you choose to enlighten me, please go to the "Share Your Opinion" page, click on the link to email me.
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