Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Kim Davis Is An Example - For Change

This column appeared in The Sun Chronicle on Monday, September 7, 2015.


GOUVEIA: Kim Davis controversy reminds us we should appoint, not elect, clerks

Print
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size
Posted: Sunday, September 6, 2015 8:45 pm | Updated: 11:33 am, Tue Sep 8, 2015.
BY BILL GOUVEIA FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE |2 comments
Thank you, Kim Davis. You made a point I have been advancing for decades far better than I have ever done. Good job.
For those who don't know, Kim Davis is the elected county clerk in Rowan County, Ky. At this writing she is residing in the Carter County Detention Center because she refuses to issue marriage licenses to gay couples despite the fact that is part of her job.
To the far right and conservative politicians like Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee, she is a hero standing up for her fundamental Christian beliefs. To the courts, she is a disobedient elected official who is in contempt of court for failing to follow the law.
To me, she is Exhibit A in the list of reasons why town/city/county clerks should be appointed rather than elected. That is a battle I have been fighting for the better part of the last three decades. But Kim Davis has brought all the reasons supporting it into much clearer focus than I could have ever done.
Davis is a fundamentalist Christian who believes gay marriage is a sin and an abomination. She says it goes against her conscience and beliefs to award marriage licenses to gay couples. She claims she should not have to go against her beliefs in issuing said licenses.
The courts have ruled she is a municipal employee who is refusing to do her job. The Supreme Court has ruled such licenses are legal, and Clerk Davis believes she has the right to ignore that.
Let's give Davis the benefit of the doubt and assume her religious beliefs are honestly and closely held. If they mean that much to her, if she cannot possibly allow herself to grant wedding licenses, she has a few valid options.
She could refuse to do it personally and have others in her office handle the licensing. Or she could truly follow her conscience and show that the religious beliefs are at the heart of her objection - and resign. She could just refuse to be a part of what she believes to be wrong.
But Davis doesn't feel THAT strongly about it. She has demonstrated she's willing to go to jail over the issue, which certainly speaks to her commitment (or her intelligence, depending on your point of view).
She has clearly stated "God's authority" supersedes the law in this instance. Which makes her totally unfit for the position she holds. Being a clerk has nothing to do with God, religion, or personal beliefs. It is a job. The person holding it is a paid employee. They are subject to the rules and laws of the land.
If Davis were an appointed official, she could be fired for failing to do her job. But because she is elected, the process to remove her is political, long and arduous. She knows this, or she would not be taking the hardline position she currently holds.
This is exactly why local clerk positions should also be appointed and not elected - because their personal beliefs have absolutely nothing to do with the job they must perform.
Think about it. We don't elect school superintendents, who spend the lion's share of our local budgets. We don't elect police and fire chiefs, who are responsible for our safety and that of our families. We don't elect the town managers/town administrators who oversee them.
But for the most part, we still elect clerks. Why? Because we always have. Because it seems more democratic. Because "they can't keep taking away our right to vote".
But when we elect a clerk rather than hiring one, we lose a large amount of control. We can't set firm hours. We can't insist the operation of the office comply with town procedures and rules. And more importantly - we can't easily fire them if they screw up.
So I would like to publicly thank Kim Davis. By being a bigoted scofflaw who places herself above the law and those she serves, she has perfectly illustrated why I and others have fought to make town and city clerks appointed. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Let's hope our local communities learn a lesson from Kim Davis.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be emailed at aninsidelook@aol.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
Posted by at No comments:

Friday, September 4, 2015

More Guns Is Not The Answer

This column is from the Sun Chronicle of September 4, 2015


GOUVEIA: When less is really more

Print
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size
Posted: Thursday, September 3, 2015 10:47 pm | Updated: 1:54 am, Fri Sep 4, 2015.
BY BILL GOUVEIA For THE SUN CHRONICLE |0 comments
When this country decided to get serious about the drug problem, the main approach to a solution was clear: Make fewer dangerous drugs available to people.
When we decided to address the problem of air and water pollution, the ultimate solution was equally clear: Add fewer pollutants to our lakes and atmosphere.
When conservatives and others discuss the problems caused by illegal immigration to America, they agree on one thing: Fewer illegal and unregistered aliens in our country.
But when the topic is guns and gun violence, there is a sudden and inexplicable reversal in the thought process of at least half of Americans. It goes something like this:
Guns are being used to murder many innocent people in our country. So to stop this wave of death and destruction, we must supply more guns.
More guns. More bullets. More weapons that can kill in the hands of more people. That is the solution put forth to solve the problems of schoolchildren being shot in Connecticut, moviegoers being shot in Colorado, and members of Congress like Gabby Giffords being shot in public places. Not to mention the thousands of victims you don't hear about on the news.
This just makes no sense.
Are these same people suggesting we combat the spread of drugs like heroin by making more of it available? Are they claiming we won't notice air pollution as much if there was just more of it? Would their solution to the litter problem have been to encourage people to throw more trash everywhere?
Of course, none of these are truly valid comparisons. But they all highlight the silly, nonsensical attitude towards guns that exists today in our country.
As I always do, let me say this upfront: I support the right of responsible people to own guns.
But I do not support the insane notion that having national gun registration laws will result in the greatest loss of freedom since King George taxed tea. I do not support the crazy idea that everyone without a criminal record or history of psychological issues has the right to own semi-automatic guns. I do not support the concept that hollow-point ammunition is something everyone should be able to keep in their homes.
I do favor gun registration. I do favor closing the loopholes that allow sales at gun shows. I do favor mandatory national background checks before you can buy a weapon. I do favor trigger locks and similar restrictions that make guns safer.
And I am sick to death (pardon the grim pun) of those who want to make this about the right to own guns. I understand your concerns, and I support that right.
But like your car, you should have to register them. You should have to demonstrate you can operate them safely, the way you get a driver's license. And you should have your right to use them taken away if you break certain laws, become mentally unstable or pose a clear threat to society.
Why is this so hard for some to understand?
Arming teachers does not make schoolchildren safer. Arming movie ushers does not make theater patrons safer. Stop that foolishness.
Guns don't kill people - people do. That old saying is true. Well, somewhat true.
People with guns kill people. They do it far too often.
And yes, people kill people with knives, their hands, cars and a variety of other things. But no one has ever died from a gunshot wound that did not originate from a gun.
I'm OK if you hunt. I'm fine if you are a collector. I'm not opposed to you owning a gun for personal protection. You can keep one just because it's shiny, for all I care.
But the burden of proof is on you to show you can handle it. Be one of the many responsible gun owners who support national gun laws. Agree to reasonable standards that not only keep your family safe, but everyone safe.
Owning a gun might be a right, but it is definitely a responsibility. As a country, we need to take the latter as seriously as we take the former.
Less NRA - more common sense.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be emailed at aninsidelook@aol.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
Posted by at No comments:

Wednesday, September 2, 2015

Remembering My Old Friend Tom

It was 14 years ago today that my friend and co-worker Tom Bell died.  I gave a eulogy at his funeral, and this is what I said.  It just seemed fitting to share it here today.



TOM BELL

            As I was deciding what to say this morning, I came across a quote from the late Sir Winston Churchill.  It seemed particularly appropriate for today. 

As he neared the end of his life, Churchill said:  “I am indeed ready to meet my Maker.  But whether or not my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter.”

Tom Bell worked for Atlantic Stainless for more than 15 years.  He was our Sales Manager, and the best salesmen I have ever seen.  He was a dedicated professional, and inspired tremendous loyalty from his customers – some of whom are here today.

Over the course of 15 years Tom and I became friends – in between the times we were fighting and arguing, of course.  As those who knew him well will attest, Tom Bell despised being told he couldn’t do something.  And as his immediate boss, I was often the one who had to tell him “No”.  He hated that – almost as much, I must admit, as I enjoyed it.

Tom and I had a mutual understanding.  He always let me think that I was in charge, and I always looked the other way when he did all the things I told him not to do.  But Tom got away with things no one else did because he earned the right.  For 15 years he gave our company his complete and total loyalty, the first one there in the morning and the last one out the door at night.  He cared about his job, his company, and his customers. 

But beyond his professional side, I got to know Tom the person.  Tom Bell loved to try and make everyone think he was some kind of tough guy.  He growled a lot, talked a good game, and tried to intimidate you right off the bat.  But if you got past the blustery exterior, you soon discovered that unless you were trying to sell him something, Tom was really just a big pushover.

And most of all – Tom loved to talk.  If you didn’t stop him, Tom would have talked 24 hours a day.  Sometimes I would go to the office men’s room just to get away from him as he was yakking on and on about the Red Sox or whatever else struck his fancy that day.  That didn’t stop him though – he talked to me through the door like nothing ever happened.  Once Tom got going, you just couldn’t stop him.

There were two major topics that Tom talked about more than anything else.  Going in reverse order, the second of those was the Carver Little League.

Tom and his family are the only people any of us in the office know in Carver.  Despite that, I bet most of us could recite the starting line-up for the Padres team every year Tom coached them.  He would tell us who was pitching that day, who he was planning to pitch next week, how his shortstop was getting so much better on ground balls, and how he was going to draft Jimmy’s brother next season.  We had absolutely no idea who or what he was talking about, but that never stopped him.

Tom loved kids, and he loved the Carver Little League.  He tried to pretend that he only coached to help the kids, but the truth is he loved being around them.  Every year he would tell us this was his last year – and then he would do it again.  The trunk of his company car was always full of equipment bags, gloves, balls and bats.  The only time he ever asked to leave work early was when he had a game that night.

And he despised what he called “Serial Coaches”, those who placed winning above the welfare of the kids on his or her team.  Tom knew every kid, knew their problems, their family situations, their needs.  He brought them home, bought them ice cream and pizza, and taught them baseball.  But more than that, he also was an authority figure, someone they respected and they looked to for advice.  And he never let them down.  He was truly a symbol of what youth sports leaders can and should be all about.

The other thing Tom talked about constantly, more than anything else, were his girls, Diana and Kym.  Okay, maybe Pat got thrown in there once in a while too, but most of the time we were all regaled with the stories of how beautiful, how talented, how smart, and how amazing his two daughters were.

When Diana got a new job, we all knew about it – in great detail.  When Kym made the varsity basketball team, even the UPS driver who came to Atlantic heard all about it.  When Diana straightened out a guy who had gotten rude with her, Tom bragged about it for weeks.  And every time Kym wrote a paper that impressed Tom, we had to listen to it time and time again.  To say Tom was a proud father would be the understatement of the ages.

Tom’s love for his family was simple, complete, and unconditional.  It extended beyond Pat and the girls, to his mother, his late father, his mother-in-law, his brother and sister and their families too.  It wasn’t always a gushy, sentimental kind of love.  It was a quiet but solid commitment to family that was ingrained in him.

But I am not here today to portray Tom as some kind of saint – he definitely wouldn’t want me to do that.  The truth is he could be downright irritating much of the time, and lacked a lot of the finer social skills – or at least, just never cared enough to use them.  He thought there were only two ways to do things – his way, and the wrong way.  He made the proverbial bull in the china shop look petite and dainty.  He could never walk across the entire office without bumping into at least one person.  And he should be in the Guinness Book of World Records for using the word “OK” more in one lifetime than any other human being.  He had a style that was – well, uniquely Tom Bell.

I would give anything just to have Tom walk into my office one more time complaining about one of his orders that hadn’t shipped yet.  I wish I could hear just one more Little League story, one more of his corny jokes.  It is so hard to believe he won’t be there after this Christmas, wearing whatever his daughters gave him for a present.  I’d give anything just to see him scowl one more time.

But while none of that will happen, we can all step back and thank Tom for what he added to our lives.  While our heart goes out to his family for this loss, we also join them in celebrating the good life he lived.  When it came to the important things, Tom never took a single step back.  Right or wrong, he was always consistent – and it is hard to ask for more than that.

To close my remarks, I would like to read an old toast that I told to Tom one day, and he always liked a lot.  It sums up the spirit of Tom Bell, especially the one we knew at work for 15 years.  It goes like this:

“Here’s to you, and here’s to me, and may we never disagree.  But if we do – the hell with you.  Here’s to me.”


So long Tom.  I’ll never forget you.
Posted by at No comments:

Monday, August 24, 2015

Controversy Over Feehan Gate Ending??

This column originally appeared in The Sun Chronical on Monday, August 24, 2015


GOUVEIA: Compromise should end Feehan-Gate -- or will it?

Print
Font Size:
Default font size
Larger font size
Posted: Sunday, August 23, 2015 10:45 pm | Updated: 11:14 am, Mon Aug 24, 2015.
BY BILL GOUVEIA FOR THE SUN CHRONICLE |0 comments
The Great Feehan-Gate controversy is inching closer to a final resolution - or more accurately, another long-term temporary settlement.
What erupted into a huge debate during its initial stages has slowly and much more quietly begun to return to what it always was: A dispute between neighbors in which government should never have been significantly involved.
The Attleboro City Council recently voted 9-2 to approve a written deal that calls for Bishop Feehan High School to carry forward with their plans to open a long-closed driveway that leads onto Harvard Street, a public way. In exchange for being allowed to do something they have always had the right to do anyway, city officials will agree not to take extraordinary steps and abandon city land to specifically prevent the private school from utilizing its access to the public way.
That seems fair, right?
Of course, the residents of Harvard Street have a perfect right to be concerned about increased traffic on their quiet road. They have enjoyed a virtual dead-end street for 40 years now. They quite understandably were upset at the prospect of hundreds of cars per day being funneled by their homes.
So under this tentative agreement, the driveway will be used by Feehan only on school days, and even then for only 75 minutes in the morning and 45 minutes in the afternoon. While Harvard Street residents have not proclaimed their approval of said plan, it certainly has to allay most of their fears concerning public safety and quality of life.
Or then again, maybe not.
This still has to be signed off on by the mayor and school officials. Mayor Dumas could still conceivably insist on changes, although that appears unlikely at this stage. Retiring Councilor Walter Thibodeau has skillfully and carefully guided both sides through the web of emotions and legal threats this situation has created, and it almost seemed inevitable all parties involved would end up where they currently sit.
Several councilors boxed themselves in with their initial overreaction to the situation. In their zeal to appease angry voters and taxpayers, they overstated their positions and thrust the city into a precarious legal predicament. The move to abandon part of the roadway - which is still being held up as a possibility at this stage - could have opened Attleboro up to a lawsuit from the private Catholic school.
In the end, many will say the city council worked out a thoughtful compromise here. And that will be at least somewhat true.
But this is also an example of how it is never a good idea for local public officials to jump into a volatile situation too soon.
Elected officials generally love to take any opportunity to help voters, especially when it potentially involves public safety and the sanctity of the home. And while Bishop Feehan is home to many Attleboro students, a large portion of the parents who pay the tab for their children's private education are not Attleboro voters. From a purely political standpoint, going hard on the side of the taxpayers is a no-brainer.
But you need to see the big picture before going too far. While councilors will no doubt say their initial strong reaction was intended to bring Bishop Feehan officials to the bargaining table, the truth is Feehan probably never needed to use the driveway for more than what is called for in the compromise.
Of course, school officials had the luxury of being able to work primarily in private. City councilors have to conduct most of their dealings under the glare of the public spotlight.
Feehan has maintained a very calm and reasonable public stance. It is possible they took a much harder line when only city officials were in the room.
The two votes against the compromise came from Council President Frank Cook of Ward 3 (which includes Harvard Street) and Jonathan Weydt, who is running in one of the few contested races as an at-large candidate after deciding not to run for re-election in his current ward. Coincidence? Perhaps.
It is good to remember that a gate has to open and close - otherwise it is just a fence. It's now time to take the rust off this gate, and close the door on the entire controversy.
Bill Gouveia is a local columnist and longtime local official. He can be emailed at aninsidelook@aol.com and followed on Twitter at @Billinsidelook.
Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)