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Jamestown Grads Share Memories on Facebook

In Local News, Opinion, Uncategorized on August 9, 2011 at 1:37 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

 

As the school bell begins to ring, signaling the start of a brand new year, I was recently reminded of how fast time slips by and what we miss along the way. Not to mention what we forget about entirely.

One evening, not too long ago, I was lurking on Facebook when I noticed that aJamestown,Ohiopage to which I subscribe was being bombarded by messages. I rarely get a chance to spend more than a few minutes looking at any of this stuff, so, having some free time at the end of the day, I decided to look in on it.

Appropriately titled, “You Know You’re From Jamestown If,” the group page is usually full of nonsense or bad jokes about small town life. On this particular night, however, something more fun and positive was happening.

A group of graduates from the 1980’s were sharing their memories of Greeneview High Shool and growing up inJamestown. I was in the Greeneview class of ’85 and rarely think of my school days. But watching the flood of memories being shared on the chat page was not only fun and entertaining, it was touching as well. Looking back through the eyes of others was a fascinating exploration into perspective.

Memories of people and events long forgotten were being typed and posted as fast as people could think of them. Some things being discussed I didn’t remember at all, while others, the amazing food at our elementary school for example, were clearly visible in my mind.

You know you are fromJamestownif you remember walking to the Pizza Pantry after football games, or if you had a history teacher who hired a belly dancer, or a language teacher that gave A’s to the girls who wore dresses to class. You know you are fromJamestownif you had a shop instructor obsessed with, “Glue and screws,” or a band director who looked like Mr. Kotter.

InJamestown, probably elsewhere too, girls used to wrap their boyfriend’s class ring with yarn so they could wear it on their finger instead of on a chain around their neck. Do they even still do that or has the class ring exchange been replaced with the, “In a relationship with,” notation on Facebook?

Besides their school memories, some people also reminisced about whatJamestownwas like in those days. Before the Wickersham building collapsed and the fires of the early 90’s ravaged the downtown, and before the railroad left,Jamestownwas thriving and busy.

There were gas stations at each end of town, two ice cream stores, and two restaurants: The Grasshopper and Curley’s, where my mother worked. The Jamestown Pharmacy had a soda fountain and while you waited for your ice cream you could go get your favorite candy from the five and dime next door. Back then, you often had to wait for trains to pass by in order to get from one side of town to the other.

Some folks even spent an unusually long time talking about the one, full-time traffic light at the center of town. Though before long, someone promptly noted that there were actually two, reminding everyone that the other one just flashed yellow after school hours.

No doubt we all remember our childhoods in our own way and many posters lamented over easier times. One person commented, “Life back then was so simple.” Another classmate said, “Since graduation I’ve lived inCincinnati,Cleveland,Columbus,Philadelphia,Minneapolis, andEvansville…still the best memories are fromJamestown.” That sentiment was shared by many, including me. Even one of the teachers chimed in to say that he has nothing but wonderful memories about his years at Greeneview.

As the Class of 2012 heads into their finale, here’s a special hat tip to them from the Class of 1985 – and all the classes of Greeneview, and Jamestown High School (yes, there was a “Jamestown High School” at one time), Ross Township, Jefferson Township, and Silvercreek Township High Schools. The Statler Brothers once sang, “Things get complicated when you get past 18.” They couldn’t have been more correct. So thanks for the memories everyone. You made my night.

 

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

 

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Martin Arrest Typifies Bad Judgment of Politicians

In Local News, National News, Opinion, Politics, State News on August 2, 2011 at 8:57 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

Representative Jarrod Martin (R-Beavercreek)

Republican State Representative Jarrod Martin of Beavercreek is facing drunken driving and child endangerment charges following a July 22nd traffic stop inJacksonCounty. Martin was pulled over after swerving over the center line while pulling a trailer without a tail light.

He then allegedly refused a sobriety test claiming that he was embarrassed to be seen on the cruiser’s dashcam. Two other adults and two children were in the vehicle as well.

According to police records, just over a year ago, Martin was found in the early hours of the morning drunk and slumped over a Chevy Suburban that belonged to State Representative William Batchelder, R-Medina, who had left his car in the garage.

State patrol logs indicate that officers tried, unsuccessfully, for more than 20 minutes to wake Martin until medics arrived. He was released to House Republican campaign director Mike Dittoe.

In May of last year Martin and several others were evicted from aBeavercreekhotel after police were called by employees for what they reported to be drunken fighting. Reports indicate that officers found Martin and six others highly intoxicated at a bachelor party. Martin’s parents were called and the men were removed from the hotel. The representative was not charged in either incident.

Martin’s latest problem comes only a few days after another Republican state representative, Robert Mecklenborg ofCincinnati, resigned after he reportedly failed to disclose a drunk-driving arrest.

Let’s face it, politicians are human but at the same time, they should be held to a higher standard. It seems like those who most forcefully argue for stiffer penalties and regulations of alcohol or drugs tend to be the ones who are so publicly misusing them.

Through written statements, Jarrod Martin maintains that alcohol played no part in the most recent incident and intends to vindicate himself in court. However, whether or not he was intoxicated this time, the facts are clear on the previous two incidents and any regular citizen would have been hauled off to jail in either case.

Perhaps some of the officers responding to these incidents simply did not want the headache and paperwork that would come with arresting a sitting legislator. It is possible that they are afraid of being fired or denied promotion and other benefits were they to arrest an important political figure.

Government officials proven to have used their political credentials to avoid prosecution for serious offenses like DUI or child endangerment should be forced to resign. By the same token, law enforcement officers should be fired who ignore their duty because the subject is a politician.

Martin’s guilt or innocence in this most recent occurrence will be determined by the courts, but his records indicate that he clearly has an issue with alcohol. The use of alcohol, or any other drug, is a choice. If he is going to continue to do it, he is going to continue to have problems.

The official reports show that Martin’s republican associates have covered for him time and time again. Is theOhiorepublican party guilty of willingly participating in a campaign of misinformation relating to the sobriety of their members? And what does it say about a state representative whose mommy and daddy have to come rescue him from a drunken party?

The whole situation is disappointing and Ohioans should think twice about returning government representatives to Columbus who they already know to have bad judgment.

Constituents should keep in mind, when it’s time to vote on important issues like alcohol and child welfare, that same poor judgment could be employed on the floor of the state legislature.

Gery L. Deer is a local business writer and columnist. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

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How Does A Federal Shutdown Affect You?

In Business, Economy, Local News, National News, Opinion, Uncategorized on July 26, 2011 at 8:01 am

By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

 

In a live address July 25th, President Obama urged Americans to pressure congressional leaders to move toward a compromise. (AP Photo)

On Monday, July 25, in his seventh prime time televised address to the nation, President Obama pleaded with Americans to pressure their congressional representatives to make a deal on the debt ceiling. While Mr. Obama argues against the GOP plans or any sort of a short term solution, Speaker of the House John Boehner is resolute against handing the president, what he called, “Another blank check.”

Both parties are using fear to motivate the public to demand action. But Americans who rely on federal funds to survive watch helplessly as Washington continues to bicker with itself and worry about how they will eat and pay the bills if there is a government shutdown amidst an already sluggish economy.

According to a CBS poll taken earlier this week, 79 percent of Americans are angry about the way the debt problem is being handled. There is also a great deal of speculation and misinformation about exactly what will happen should an agreement fail to be reached by the August 2nd deadline.

During the Clinton administration, three different government shut downs occurred, the longest lasting 21 days. Each resulted in the forced furlough of more than 800,000 federal employees. For information about how a federal closure would affect specific programs, contact the individual department directly. In the meantime, here are some examples of how a shutdown might affect the average citizen.

Many agencies like the CDC and National Institute of Health will scale back operations during the shutdown, with only essential personnel staying on the job. Law enforcement, public safety and national security employees would remain working, including the FBI, Department of Homeland Security and the national military. Some other agencies, not thoroughly funded by the government, like the postal service, would continue to operate as well.

Many employees of those departments may not be paid during that time, however. No factual information was available on which agencies will continue to issue paychecks, but one congressional aid told The Washington Post that military personnel would likely receive a paycheck during the first week of any shutdown, but possibly nothing after that.

For employees of government contractors the situation is even more ambiguous. Whether contractors work or get paid will depend on the employer, the specific area of the government being serviced and the projects involved. Workers in these situations should contact their company’s human resourced department for information.

Planning a summer vacation to a national park over the next few weeks? It might be a good idea to look into alternatives. If federal dollars are cut off, any national park that requires a Forest Service employee to be on site would be closed. Locally, that would include the Wright Brothers sites throughout theMiamiValleywhich are part of the Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park.

Officials are being tight-lipped about the full impact of the shutdown. Those who are talking agree that many civilian employees will be forced to take an unpaid vacation and it is unlikely that pay will be made retroactively once things start up again.

In 2010, an unprecedented number of people voted for a divided government – and sometimes it has merit. But usually such a total split of ideology just brings out the worst in politicians and leaves important issues mired in partisan rhetoric.

Possibly more maddening is the idea that the Washington egos in charge of this mess are mostly people of wealth who do not have to worry about where their next paycheck will come from. Given their childlike behavior and inability to compromise for the good of the people, come November of 2012, the most sensible actions that Americans can take is to show them the door.

 

Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist based in Jamestown, Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Electric Cars Are Coal Powered

In Business, Economy, Local News, National News, Opinion, Politics on June 28, 2011 at 2:54 pm

By Gery L. Deer
Deer In Headlines

A few years ago gasoline prices were hovering around the 5-dollar per gallon
mark driving automakers around the world to meet the sweeping demand for
alternatively powered vehicles. Within a year, nearly every company had unveiled
its own version of either a hybrid or fully electric passenger car.

The first electrically-powered cars were introduced in the U.S. and Europe
around the mid-nineteenth century. Though it is unclear who actually invented
the concept back in those days, today there is every reason to believe that the
electric car is no better of a solution than its gasoline ancestors; at least
not yet.

According to the United States Energy Information Administration, almost half
(45 percent) of America’s electrical power is currently generated by burning
coal. Natural gas and nuclear power come in second and third, 23-percent and
20-percent, respectively. Wind and hydroelectric power providers barely even
register on the scale.

With these facts in mind, it may as well be said that an electric car being
operated in the United States is essentially powered by coal. Yes, coal; and
environmentally-minded drivers need to know that there’s nearly nothing green
about driving an electric car.

Coal mining requires the excavation of substantial areas of land and poses a
host of environmental hazards including soil erosion, excessive noise and
pollution of the air and water. In an effort to appear more environmentally
friendly over the years, mining companies have done a better job at covering
their tracks. However, backfilling and tree planting will ever undo the overall
destruction caused by the extraction process.

Mining also takes a toll in human life. In 2010, for example, 48 people died
working in American coal mines. At the same time, China lost more than 2,400
workers to mining accidents.

Once mined, coal is burned to boil water for immense steam turbines which
generate electricity. Burning coal is a dirty process; a statement that cannot
be easily disputed. Burning coal gives off a mixture of sulfur dioxide, carbon
dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Any ideas that so-called clean coal technologies will help to curtail
environmental damage is idealistic but finally erroneous. Adding
chemical-filtering scrubbers to the chimneys of power plants will only slightly
reduce the amount of toxins released into the atmosphere over time because of
the increasing number of plants needed to meet power demands.

And what happens to the contaminants when reusable scrubbers are cleaned? Some
scientists claim that the filtered toxic waste ends up in the soil and water
supplies in close proximity to the power plants. There is no consensus on an
answer to this question.

Eventually, the world’s coal supply will be exhausted, just as petroleum stores
will be and vehicle designers will be back to square one. But the immediate
issue rests in how to limit America’s dependence on foreign fuel supplies. For
the moment, electricity seems to be the go-to technology, but even the cars
themselves pose an environmental threat.

While they may not directly create a pollution problem, electric cars have some
particularly toxic components, particularly the lithium-ion batteries which
power the motors. Currently, the federal government says these batteries can be
freely disposed of in normal municipal landfills.

Toyota, on the other hand, recently stated that lithium-ion batteries were far
too hazardous to be used in passenger cars at all. If sold en mass, these
batteries could create a significant amount of solid waste, with no
predetermined plan for their complete disposal or breakdown.

Trading one problem for another is not a solution. For now, the amount of
petroleum needed to generate wind and solar power prevents either from becoming
immediately affordable or practical. There is no perfect answer but until there
is a viable option, not just for gasoline but also for coal, the electric car is
not going to help the environmental problem.

In the end, using more electricity to run the millions of automobiles in the
United States will, at least in the short term, generate more pollution and
waste. Anyone looking down their environmentally-friendly noses from behind the
wheel of an electric car should remember just how much damage they may still be
doing.


Gery L. Deer is an independent columnist and business writer based in Jamestown,
Ohio. Read more at http://www.deerinheadlines.com.

Bin Laden Is Dead. Now What?

In Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized on May 2, 2011 at 3:37 pm

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

Deer In Headlines

As the free world celebrates the final demise of Osama Bin Laden, it’s important to keep the victory in perspective. The death of this vicious murderer signals neither the end of global terrorism nor the collapse of Al Qaeda.

Security has been increased at air ports and military bases around the country and the world in preparation for possible retaliatory strikes against the United States. Officials at the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately raise the terror threat level, but are telling the media that they are keeping a, “heightened state of vigilance.”

Once the jubilation settles down, Americans will be saying, “Ok, we got him, now what?” Good question. The answer is that there is no answer. When Adolf Hitler was confirmed dead, the world celebrated. Needless to say, Hitler killed millions more than Bin Laden, but the sentimental comparison is similar.

The difference was that Hitler, for all of his madness, was the leader of a definable government. Once Berlin fell and Hitler was dead, the healing could begin. German citizens could begin rebuilding their country and try to undo the horrors he’d laid at their feet.

Bin Laden, on the other hand, was the leader of an ideal more so than an organization. His murderous followers firmly believe in the fanatical ideas that he preached, most notably that the United States and its allies are the evil scourge of the world and should be eradicated.

There is no doubt that they will continue his efforts undaunted by his death. If anything, he’s now a martyr to them, possibly fueling their fanaticism even further.

The so-called “War on Terror” is not over, by any stretch of the imagination, but the world can breathe for a minute while a stunned Al Qaeda regroups. American and Allied forces will continue their efforts to smoke out the remaining leaders of the organization and fight for freedom and the safety of all the world’s people.

Every free citizen of the world should be mindful of the level of destruction of which crazed fanatics like Bin Laden are capable. It can all happen again. Government leaders should be careful who they befriend. Where will the next threat come from – a terror group, or an organized government?

Instead of airplanes into buildings, the next attack could be nuclear bombs that wipe out an entire city. Intelligence agencies are working hard to stop these actions before they even get out of the planning stages. So far, they’ve managed to stay ahead of the terrorists, but America must not let her guard down for even a moment.

National security is still of the utmost importance. Every day, terror groups are recruiting new members and global intelligence organizations will do everything possible to keep them under surveillance.

In the meantime, how will the death of the world’s most notorious terrorist affect the daily lives of average Americans? With the possible exception of crackpot conspiracy theorists who believe the U.S. government arranged the 9/11 attacks, most Americans will be celebrating Bin Laden’s death. But it is unlikely that there will be any dramatic change to day-to-day activities.

Alabama will continue its tornado recovery efforts. Congress will maintain bickering across the aisle about budget cuts and party objectives. Commuters will worry about rising gas prices and shrinking paychecks.

Kids will be rushed off to school in the morning and those who have been struggling to find work will do their best to remain hopeful and diligent. Life goes on.

What’s next? Only time will tell. Celebrations will continue for a time, but, eventually, people will become complaisant once again. Osama Bin Laden’s death may yield a false sense of security, but the very nature of the enemy behests vigilance and consistency.

Public Employee Protests Just The Beginning

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Local News, Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, State News, Uncategorized on February 28, 2011 at 8:35 pm

By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

A serious uprising is currently in progress against several state legislatures around the country. In capitol buildings around the country public employees are protesting en mass in response to a proposed bill that, among other things, would limit their collective bargaining power.

When Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker announced that there would be an immediate vote on the bill, thousands of teachers, firefighters, nurses and other public workers descended on the capitol and entrenched themselves in dissent.

A similar bill has been introduced in other states, including Ohio, resulting in the same kinds of resistance. In an unprecedented and brilliant political publicity stunt former Ohio Governor Ted Strickland joined the protestors on Thursday, even donning their red-colored clothing. The red clothing is an effort by union members to steer opinion away from the belief that unions are purely democratic organizations.

While protests flare, the democratic members of the Wisconsin legislature fled the state in an effort to stall the vote. Both states are in a serious budget deficit and their republican legislative members are insisting that correcting the disproportionate benefit investment requirements between the public and private sector employees would help to shore up state coffers.

In addition, the Ohio bill would replace negotiated salaries for teachers with merit raises, which is how wage increases are granted in the majority of private sector jobs. Limiting the power of unions to engage in collective bargaining activities on behalf of public employees has sparked rage across the country, and now the Tea Party movement has jumped into the fight, showing the instability and unfocused actions of its organizers.

The Tea Party’s involvement in the collective bargaining debate serves only to contradict its own foundation. The Tea Party movement began because certain groups of conservative Americans were unhappy with the ways in which their legislative representatives were handling their interests in Washington, in effect, limiting their collective bargaining strength.

The point of a union is to work on behalf of its members to bargain with employers for the best possible working conditions and benefits. Representation of a group of constituents, whether they are made up of voters or union members, is essentially the same concept. In Ohio, Governor John Kasich is not only supporting the current bill but also wants even further union limitations.

If balancing the budget is really the problem, perhaps unions and legislators should do a better job at bargaining in the first place. Some salaries for public workers seem totally off balance with the position. The idea that anyone in a public school system, for example, makes a six-figure income should infuriate people more than anything else.

Consider the superintendent of Dayton Public Schools whose salary, as of July 2010, was $150,000. Why? The Ohio governor earns only $145,000, and that’s only the 14th highest in the country. How does running a school system possibly warrant more money than overseeing the operations of an entire state?

Besides the collective bargaining argument, there is also the debate as to whether public workers should be required to contribute as much to their retirement and healthcare plans as their private sector counterparts. The answer to this is a resounding yes. There is no reason that public employees should have their health care or retirement over-subsidized by the taxpayer when those same constituents already provide their paychecks.

Some teachers are underpaid and some are making too much, as do firefighters, police officers and health care providers. But in the end, they are taxpayers too and they should appreciate that everyone else has to ante up for their benefits and forcing the public to pay the majority of it is unreasonable.

There is no question that that there may be inherent union corruption and their power should be reasonably limited to work for the good of lower level employees, not to boost overinflated benefits of a few. Sadly, unions are still a necessary evil in the continuing effort to ensure fair labor practices whether public or private.  That said, if the governors of these troubled states are paying attention, there are only two words to keep in mind: remember Egypt.

Columnist Gery L. Deer is a freelance journalist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.gerydeer.com

Obama Administration Ignores Small Business

In Business, Economy, Jobs, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized on February 9, 2011 at 9:47 am

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

 

President Obama addressed the United States Chamber of Commerce this week, receiving a less than warm reception. In his speech, the president stated that American companies are sitting on about $2 trillion and encouraged business leaders to spend that money on new jobs.

Escalating regulations, soaring tax increases and sharply negative rhetoric coming from The White House has kept relations tense between the president and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.  The anti-business agendas of congress and the president pushed chamber leaders to spend millions in support of ousting the democratic leadership.

According to their website, the United States Chamber of Commerce is, “The world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.” They go on to state their core purpose as to fight for free enterprise before all areas of government (domestic and international) including congress, the White House, the courts and regulatory agencies.

Many business leaders insist that the very nature of chamber organizations is contrary to most of the goals of the Obama administration. Any olive branch offered by the president is believed to be merely some type of distraction from the hardships created by the economy and exacerbated by government interference.

President Obama’s call to hire more workers is yet another indication of how out of touch he is with the current state of business in America. What seems like a lot of money just hanging out there waiting to be used is actually in the possession of only the largest U.S. companies. Apple, for example, holds approximately $50 billion, with the rest spread among about ten others.

Not so long ago, the president called upon business leaders to tighten their belts and do more with less, just, as he said, the American people were doing. Now, he’s suggesting that those organizations spend what little capital they may have preserved well before the economic crisis has actually passed. Once more, his lack of insight has him ignoring the largest group of players in the game – small business owners.

According to the Small Business Administration, U.S. small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms, generating half of all private sector jobs. Concentration on the survival of these companies seems at least prudent if not essential but they have been largely ignored.

While Washington has handed over billions in tax dollars to rescue big business, government has done nothing to help small businesses secure credit and spur recovery and growth. Because smaller companies have a harder time procuring capital, either through investors or loans, they are unable to take on more employees.

In addition, most business leaders agree that belts should remain tightened until consumer spending increases. Before smaller manufacturers can hire more workers, there must be an increase in demand of their products, a statistic that is not evident in the well-spun economic figures spewing from The White House.

The West Wing might be rejoicing at growth numbers taken out of context but Main Street has to deal with the reality that the rough patches are far from over. Any stockpile of cash being hoarded by America’s largest corporations is useless to the overall growth of the country’s economy because it has no effect on small business.

Until the government begins to turn its attention to the struggles of the little guy, the country will continue to crawl to recovery. Fortunately, small business owners represent the best of America. Their entrepreneurial spirit, determination and ingenuity will carry them through these tough times – no hand outs required. That’s far more than any Wall Street executive can say.

Gery L. Deer is a freelance columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. For more visit http://www.gerydeer.com.

Modern Liberal Society Rewards Self-Destructive Behavior

In Local News, Media, National News, Opinion, Politics, Uncategorized on January 20, 2011 at 2:01 pm

Commentary By Gery L. Deer

DEER IN HEADLINES

Over the last month the rags to riches story of the homeless man with the “golden voice,” Ted Williams, captured national attention. One minute he’s begging for change along a busy intersection in Columbus, and the next he’s being offered high-paying voiceover jobs. The Cleveland Cavaliers even offered Williams his own home at no cost.

During an appearance on The Dr. Phil Show, television host Dr. Phil McGraw asked Williams some tough questions that had to have crossed the minds of millions. Paraphrasing what Dr. Phil said to him, “Ok, so you’ve been in trouble with the law, been on drugs and alcohol, abandoned your wife and children, and now you’re getting a second chance. Why do you think this time will be different?” Williams really had no response.

A few weeks later, Dr. Phil’s concerns are realized when Williams is arrested after a drunken fight with his daughter. He is now in rehab, thanks to some straight talk and a compassionate, if not misplaced intervention by Dr. Phil.

Williams was plucked from homelessness and a life of drugs and drinking and plopped down in the middle of fame and fortune and yet people had some ridiculous idea that he would suddenly change his ways. Why are people so much more willing to help someone with a troubled past than to support people who have stayed on the straight and narrow their entire lives?

For those who work hard their whole lives, struggle to pay the bills, stay away from drugs and booze and do everything they can to secure a home and job, stories like this are extremely frustrating. It seems to some that working hard and staying cleans only means that the breaks will never come.

Modern American (liberal) society seems more and more to look down on the working person and holds the lazy, entitlement-driven, drunken and disorderly in higher regard than ever. Today’s celebrities, for example, are valued not for their talent but for their ability to beat a DUI arrest or drug bust.

Spare the “it’s an addiction” defense. In order to become addicted to something, a person has to start doing it in the first place. It is seriously doubtful that anyone held a gun to Mr. Williams’ head the first time he emptied a bottle of Grey Goose, which he is reported to have been drinking before his latest arrest.

It’s unrealistic and hopelessly optimistic to think that someone with such a long history of destructive behavior is suddenly going to change because he got money and a haircut. In fact, it generally goes the other way. People who are yanked from a sorted existence of their own making only tend to indulge to the extreme when given the opportunity.

So what will become of Mr. Williams? Statistics are against him, unfortunately. Since he did not choose to go to rehab on his own, instead being shamed into the decision on national television, it is unlikely that his recovery will be successful. Adding that he may emerge with more fame and money than was available before his rehab stint, the sudden kick in status from having nothing to getting everything will probably have him seeing the bottom of a bottle sooner than later.

Statistics can be wrong, of course, and the man with the golden voice might just get his life together. After all, not everyone has the opportunity to have Dr. Phil come to their rescue.

For everyone else out there who is working hard and staying clear of temptation, keep it up. It might seem frustrating at times that no bleeding heart do-gooder will ever swoop in to solve your problems for you, but there really is a light at the end of the tunnel. The real trick is to know how to turn it on — hard work, persistence, and faith in yourself.

Gery L. Deer is a freelance columnist and business writer based in Jamestown. Read more at http://www.gerydeer.com.

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There Is Life After Bullying

In Children and Family, Education, Health, National News, Opinion, psychology, sociology, Uncategorized on October 19, 2010 at 10:12 am

dih-logo-SEA recent survey indicated that 77 percent of elementary and middle school students reported that they had been the victims of a bully at some time. The information also revealed that more than half of bullying incidents go unreported.

The recent suicides of several teens that had been tortured by bullies because of their sexuality have prompted a flood of media attention to the problem. I am concerned, however, that the public and the media are forgetting about other groups who have always been the targets of bullying including those with physical and mental disabilities, the impoverished and various ethnicities. I can relate to these issues – I know how they feel.

I was born with a serious congenital birth defect that had me in and out of the hospital for the first 20 years of my life. A multitude of medical issues combined with just being physically smaller than other kids my age made me the perfect target for bullies.

Rustin-Kluge-Anti-Bullying

Rustin-Kluge-Anti-Bullying

Oddly, none of my health problems were openly visible to anyone around me. Virtually everything people knew about me was total conjecture and inaccurate rumors with no factual basis. Unfortunately, facts and reason rarely work with people who are terrified of anyone who is different – whether the differences are obvious or not.

As if I didn’t have enough to contend with at the hospital, at school I was pushed, called names, kicked, hit, had my book bags ransacked, my lockers vandalized and my musical instruments thrown around on the school bus – all to the complete oblivion of school officials. In fact, some stood right there while it all happened, literally choosing to ignore it.

While the majority of the adults around me were supportive and helpful, there were a few who were downright cruel. Teachers, coaches and bus drivers are in a unique position to bully under the guise of maintaining order and discipline. *Despite what the party line might be, each teacher or administrator has his or her favorites – athletes, star students, and so on – who will always get preferential treatment. After all, these adults want (and desperately need due to a horribly low level of self esteem) to be liked by the students as much as the other kids.

A perfect example of this kind of ignorance came in my sixth grade year. I was out of school with a simple case of chicken pox. Noting my absence during roll call, the teacher told the rest of the class they shouldn’t get too attached to me because I had a serious disease and wouldn’t live to see my 15th birthday. With that thoroughly incorrect announcement, the rumors went viral.

So why don’t parents get more involved? Most of the time, parents have no idea what is going on. I never talked about it much. I doubt my parents ever knew how bad it really was.

In the end, I won. Eventually, I realized that it wasn’t my fault that people couldn’t deal with me. At the ripe old age of 43, my health is good, I’m a successful writer and entrepreneur and, despite my sixth grade teacher’s prediction, I am still here.

I carry no anger or malice towards the kids who spent so much of their time trying to better themselves by humiliating me. Oddly enough, a couple of them have already preceded me in death. As for those who are still with us, I actually feel sorry for them and genuinely hope they grew up to succeed in life. The adults, on the other hand, were the true villains.

It was nearly impossible to keep my personal issues private in a tiny farm town where everyone gossiped about things they didn’t even understand. I can’t imagine what kids today are going through as every detail of their lives are posted online for all to see – especially those struggling with personal identity issues.

Sadly, bullies are not just in school and, as I pointed out, adults can be just as bad as kids. A bully can be someone who abuses or oversteps her authority as a supervisor at work, a civic official or a teacher who ignores the academic struggles of a student in class because he or she is not one of the star athletes. Bullies are everywhere but you don’t have to take their abuse.

If you have been the victim of a bully, try to forgive them. They are small, sad and hopeless people who have nothing but pain inside. Forget trying to reason with them, it never works.

Whatever you do, don’t lower yourself to their level. Walk away. Turn off the computer. Seek out help and surround yourself with people who care and who will support you. None of these pathetically insecure people is worth your dignity … or your life.