There was a day when to be a citizen meant dropping everything at the clang of a bell or a rider shouting, “To arms! To arms! The British are coming!” Whether to douse a fire or grab the family flintlock and powder horn from above the mantle and fall in with his fellows in defense of home, family, and country, it was done instantly, without thought of cost to farm, business, or, in some cases, family or life.
A recent study underscores the fact that good health isn’t just a matter of personal choice for Americans.
It’s expected that transportation will be the biggest local issue in the 2008 elections. Most people aren’t happy. But instead of trying to find scapegoats, let’s review some history to see why we’re paying higher transportation taxes for longer commutes.
I learned a new word this week: NIMBY. As in Not In My Back Yard. As in “the NIMBYs don’t really have a good reason why they don’t want this project, they just know they don’t want to be next to it.”
(Editor’s note: This column is in response to one in this space last week -- “Examining Advocacy” -- that criticized NIMBY-ism.)
How do we reclaim the title citizen? Last time, I lamented the loss of connection – the essence of citizenship -- between those who think of themselves as citizens and the community within which they live.
Given the wretchedly cold, wet weather of late I must ask: global warming, where are you now that we need you? Go ahead you environmentalists, toss your brickbats, but I’m here to tell you this winter testifies that maybe the hype – and the dire threats – over the impending catastrophe of global warming ain’t necessarily so.
