The tag line for this blog, Fair and Biased News and Commentary, often gets one of two reactions. The most frequent is laughter followed by the exclamation, “I love that!” The next most frequent reaction is, “You can’t be both!”
I say, you’re not being fair if you are not upfront about your bias.
A few weeks back the Asbury Park Press had an editorial chastising FoxNews because its owners had made significant financial contributions to Republican causes. The jist of the editorial was that the contributions proved that FoxNews was biased, not “Fair and Balanced.” The APP editorial board wrote of how hard legitimate journalists work to present to the news objectively. If that is true, it isn’t working.
Earlier this week Governor Christie held a town hall in Raritan where he got into it with a school teacher. I’ve found two videos of the event, one published by RealClearPolitics the other by NJ.com under the tag Star Ledger videos.
One of the video presentations is fair and biased. The other is just biased.
After viewing those two videos I’m left with the question, “is that teacher more concerned about paying her bills or is she more concerned about her students getting enough to eat.
Posted: September 10th, 2010 | Author:Art Gallagher | Filed under:Uncategorized | Comments Off on Fair and Biased
Come Join Scott Sipprelle as we rally in celebration of the American spirit and in remembrance of those who lost their lives on 9/11 and those they left behind.
September 11
3-4pm
Thompson Park, Monroe
We will meet at grove 3A off of Lakeview Dr. (adjacent to Manalapan Lake) Parking is located immediately before grove 3A.
We will sing Patriotic songs and Scott will address the crowd.All are welcome!
This weekend marks the 9th anniversary of the 9-11 attack that shook our nation and had profound impact on so many families and communities in New Jersey. There will be many memorial ceremonies throughout the area.
There’s a great deal more happening in Monmouth County this weekend too. Greg Kelly @ Monmouth County Life went to the trouble of putting it all together in one place.
MIDDLETOWN – Township officials adopted an amended $64.7 million budget that reflects ongoing efforts to cut costs and keep the tax rate stable by cutting spending an additional $400,000.
“This year’s budget reflects a reduction of 40 staff positions, a salary freeze and across-the-board reductions in departmental operating budgets,” said Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger. “In sum, the Township’s amended budget represents a 2.67% increase in total property taxes in an extraordinarily difficult economic year.”
Under the amended budget, the municipal tax rate will increase 4.6 cents to 39.75 cents per $100 of assessed value. This equates to approximately $17 per month for the average Township home assessed at $435,000.
“This year, municipal taxes represent just 23% of a resident’s tax bill, with 62% being levied for schools and 15% for the county,” concluded Scharfenberger.
The adopted budget addresses nearly $10 million in lost revenue, including:
$1.6 million cut in state aid.
$1.4 million obligation for retroactive pay under resolved labor contracts.
$1 million in increased health care costs and nearly $1 million in deferred excess claims from 2009.
$900,000 for extraordinary snow and storm clean-up.
$1.8 million in deferred pension payments mandated by the state.
The United States of America, also known as the “Land of the Free” and the “Home of the Brave”, is also home to many churches, mosques, synagogues, and temples representing almost every religion existing in the modern world. No other country has principled itself so strongly upon tolerance of religious differences, and the right to worship in the manner of one’s choosing. We even offer asylum to foreign persons who are persecuted because of their faith or political beliefs, permitting them safe refuge within the United States where they can freely practice their religion and fully and openly express their beliefs. There can be no doubt that freedom of religion is respected here.
The attack in New York City on 9.11.01 was an act of war; neither by a nation nor any particular faith, but by a radical network of terrorists who claim “Islamic Jihad” as the moral basis for the destruction of the American way of life. As a phoenix rises from its ashes, Americans lifted each other from the dust of the collapsed buildings and helped each other walk to safety. American flags were erected, hung and worn as clothing by everyone as proof that the United States of America remained strong. Donations of emergency items, food and water for rescue workers, and medical supplies were shipped from the Highlands Borough staging area to NY City.
My family and countless others in Congressional District 6 were deeply affected by what transpired on the morning of September 11, 2001. Many of us have pledged that “We will never forget” that fateful day and the lives lost. May we also never forget the patriotism and natural impulse we felt to care for each other. In Highlands, volunteers lined the streets, one person per vehicle, offering rides to all who exited the ferries. The “Highlands Heroes” (First Aid, Fire Department, Police, Borough Employees and Elected Mayor and Council) were the first triage unit and evacuation point from New York City. Many evacuees did not even know where they were.
My husband exited a ferry some time before 2pm on 9.11.01 shocked that after he directed traffic to keep intersections clear for First Responders to get to the towers, most of those he helped to enter the buildings died in their collapse. To this day he will not describe the horrors he witnessed as people jumped from the buildings, and landed on roof tops, lamp posts, or the pavement. He refuses to mention the countless cars parked in ferry parking lots in Highlands, covered with dust, left for days before they were claimed by grieving family members, or towed away. He cannot forget his life flashing before his eyes with thoughts of his young children as he handed out masks from a floating hospital to asthma sufferers while a cloud of dust engulfed him, not once but twice. He is grateful it was not a nuclear device, this time. One of the many walking wounded who still suffer from this event, he and many others will continue to suffer for the rest of their lives.
Our family is blessed because my husband came home that day alive and physically unharmed. How many families were broken by the death of a loved one who expired trapped in the collapsing towers or while trying to rescue someone on that fateful day? Everyone remembers where he or she was and what we were doing when the planes hit the towers, the Pentagon, the field in Pennsylvania. The last words of a brave citizen “Let’s Roll” are burned forever in our minds as an example of the inextinguishable American Spirit.
Just because it is legally possible for a Mosque to be built near “Ground Zero”, the former site of the World Trade Towers and the earthly grave of those who perished in the 9.11.01 attack does not mean such a building should be there. The freedom to do this does not make the action morally sensitive or correct. The profound nature of what occurred at “Ground Zero” and the great sacrifices made by honorable Americans on that day merit respect and reverence. The religious symbol co-opted by the Jihadist terrorists responsible for the modern act of war would be out of place and inappropriate at “Ground Zero”. Thoughts of it have already stirred anger, grief and resentment. It does not promote peace and tolerance in the hearts of fellow Americans. Located on that site I propose that it never will.
I call upon Americans of all faiths to bond together once again in the face of our “Jihadist” enemy, who would use our freedoms and our perceived religious differences to defeat us and extinguish the American way of life. Full disclosure of financial records disproving any connection with Jihadist terrorists would demonstrate sensitivity to those who still suffer and respect for those who perished on 9.11.01. In America, despite our differences, we share a pride and national spirit which is our inextinguishable strength.
If and when any development occurs at or near “Ground Zero”, I urge all parties to be sensitive and respectful to each other, appropriate in planning, with open dialogue and compromise which promotes peace and unity among Americans of all nationalities and faiths. Mutual respect, unity in spirit and compromise are the antithesis to the terror imposed by our enemy. We must not give in to terror. We must not live in fear. Our enemy will use our differences to divide us. Only united as fellow Americans can we prevail.
