Sal's Reflections

I am blessed to be part of two wonderful families. The family of my birth and the family of my marriage are both exceptional gifts but they differ in many ways. The family of my birth is the more traditional and conservative. They have iron clad wondrous ethical and moral standards and have made the world a better place. My other family, equally rock solid in their ethics and morals, differs in that they are more liberal and have diverse political and religious views. Like the family of my birth they have made the world a better place. The point woth noting for me is that despite thes differences they love and respect each other, and never sever that reality because of diverse paths.That commitment is one as a citizen I hope that I will alays honor and chersih.Democracy is not based on one size fits all but rather a system where all are heard and respected.

Recently a friend with a heavy dose of sarcasm said”Sal you are ever a bleeding heart.”Some would take offense at the remark but I wear those words with pride. It is true that I refuse to accept the limitations of society with regard to the words of the founding Fathers”life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness I care that every person regardles of color,creed,religion or sexual preference has a fair chance to have a meaningful life. At the core of my being I think most people are inherently worthwhile and given a chance will become productive members of society. With all of the technological advances there are few plausible reasons that stste that we cannot solve hunger,poor education,decent jobs and housing. If that is naive then sorry but that’s where I am and will never cease to strive toward those goals.

There is no doubt in my mind that Romney won the debate last night. Obama was way off his game. Give Romney and his team credit for that performance. For those of you on my side of the aisle remember the following issues if last night lessened your enthusiasm:
Supreme Court Appointees
Women’s equal pay and rights
Birt Control coverage
Repeal of affordable health care
Pre-existing conditions
Trickle down economics
Citizens United ruling
Medicare vouchers
privization of Social Security
Voter registration restrictions
Weakening the safety net
Bellicose history of the other party
Medical invasive procedures for women
equal rights for Gay citizens
Foreign policy
collective bargaining.

There is a wonderful closing scene in the movie”A Few Good Men” where the marine colonel being cross examined bluntly states” You can’t hanle the Truth.” This statement reflects the age old bromide that the American public can’t hanle the truth so politicians talk about trivia instead of facing vital challenges. It is widely believed that if you tell the truth about major issues and your solutions the public will vote for the other guy.I sense that this is no longer true across the board. Everyone I know realizes that the challenges are mammoth and I believe it is time to stop talking about personality and focus on Vision and Strategy. The time for protecting sacred cows has vanished and the public is hungering for truth and leadership. It is not important that we like the hard facts but we have to hear them and do whatever is necessary. We are not a nation of whimps and there have been numerous times in our history when the future was bleak. It is time to trust the public and lay out where we are going and what it will take to get there.

In the search to know that we make a difference we often miss the obvious. Everyone yearns for some great achievement like writing the great American novel or finding a cure for a major disease. Certainly we all want our presence marked in the sand but greatness can also be found in being extrordinary with the ordinary. Today there will be a host of opportunities that appear insignificant but they over time will form legacies. Listening to the child that scraped her knee with attention and love is an opportunity.Reviewing the possibilities for managing a difficult relationship with new strategies.Calling a caretaker who is in the midst of a tragic illness to a loved one. Every day there are moments that seem trivial but they are the cornerstones that allow each of us to make a difference.The power of one is rarely noticed but it changes the world.A friend once pointed out to me the reality that when a spider moves the entire web is changed. When you move toward the little concerns of others the entire world is changed.

Growng up in the city it was a constant reminder to always consider what people would say about your choices.Certainly there was societal value in this overriding consideration. You follow the straight and narrow because of family guidance and other moral guidelines an all will be wonderful. However,there were choices that were based too much on what other people thought and the restrictions of this influence often frustrated worthwhile goals and objectives. There was this pressure to be safe in all choices and God forbid that you failed at something. What wouuld others say? To lead your life boxed in by the whims and confinement in every goal is to place your hands and destiny in the hands of others. They don’t always know what is best for you, and even though their intentions are worthwhile they may constrain the dreams and aspirations that deserve exploration. Maybe some of these may lead to failures but if you spend all of your life locked in the box of “What will people say?, you may miss the joy of being the captain of your own ship.

I have been mezmerized by watching the Ryder Cup. Two teams pitted against each other with overriding devotion to winning the cup. National pride drives the golfers and individual egos are buried in order to truly be part of the team.The level of excitement and enthusiasm for the tasks is off the charts. Despite the electricity of the competion there appears to be a deep and abiding respect for the other team. The behavior of the players toward each other is a gracious model that would serve us well in all walks of like .One need not be ugly to those we compete with and there is little excuse to diminish those that have different goals. Being accepting of the other is not a sign of weakness and we don’t diminish our passionate beliefs by being gracipous.Wanting to win while being respectful of the other side would be a good model for us to follow in the current election period.

The challenges facing American education are so mammoth that the temptation is merely to shrug the shoulders and accept the status quo.No one has a solution that fits all sizes in the scenario but every little bit helps.Pressing legislators to find places that are truly successful and replicating them.. Reallocating the way we fund all schools. Seeking the best and the brightest to become teachers and putting our money in rewarding excellent teaching. Also no longer tolerating the situations like “the rubber room ” in New York where the worst teachers are housed and paid their full salaries despite the fact that they do no work.Somehow each of us can make a difference in at least one child’s life.To continue to ignore the challenge will only put off thr inevitable.. If we don’t embrace all children those that are ignored will in some way or another force us to deal with them as adults. Time for courage and to find steps that work.

It is not enough to merely shrug our shoulers at the fact that many kids in this country go to schools that ill prepare them for life. It is a waste of time to point fingers and feel good that we have identified the villains. It is time where we find meaningfull solutions so that every kid has a chance at a decent life. There are wonderful examples where learning is happening in places where there is little to be hopeful. Teachers, parents and administrators are overcoming tremendous odds and preparing children to fully access the wonders of learning. These are wonderful stories but they are not enough. Our future as well as our beliefs about life,liberty and the pursuit of happiness ride on all of us pitching in to make the schools places where children learn,grow and reach their potential.At some point in life we will have to deal with children that are left behind and the human and financial costs will be astronomical.There are solutions and it is the solemn obligation of all of us to speak up,speak out and act.

I watched a heartbreaking movie about the plight of parents and children who desire to have a quality education, but through no fault of their own are stuck in dismal educational facilities..There are so few educational opportunities for many of our children and one of the hopes is that they place their names in lotteries which determine the educational opportunities of so few. I do not want to place blame, but it is a national disgrace that children are deprived of a quality education. The last scene in the documentary clearly shows the pain of the parents and students that did not have rtheir number called. I have never had to face such pain in my quest for an education and as citizens we must assist in finding ways to make “no child left behind” more than a slogan..