Tuesday, December 23, 2008

'Twas a Few Days Before Christmas




'Twas a Few Days Before Christmas


by Roland Tolliver


With all due respect to Clement C. Moore...






'Twas a few days before Christmas, and all through the town,


The shoppers were taking out credit cards and laying them down;


All of the people were out of their houses,


Except for the ones that were at their computers clicking their mouses;


Electronics, games, dolls, and books,


Movies, jewelry, and clothes filling all the crannies and nooks;


In the malls there were Santas galore,


One for each walkway, one for each store.



The children were fighting and whining and way past ready for their beds,


While visions of Game Boys, cell phones, and the latest ads still stuck in their heads;


They were pulled, pushed and dragged through just one more store,


I want this! I want that! We're hungry! We're bored!


It started in October before Halloween, all of this clatter


The decorations, the advertisements, the special sales, as if it mattered,


Shop early! Shop often! Don't worry about cash,


90 days, no payments, no interest, the money's gone in a flash.



The season has become just a blur to the eyes so it appears,


We've become enamored more with decorations and reindeer,


Than the original reason and history of our beloved St. Nick,


Now the kids know more about theWii, computers, games and joy sticks.


And we ask about the craziness and who can be blamed,


Then we pull out our credit cards and list them by name;


Now, Visa! Now, Mastercard! Now, Target and Wal-Mart!


Put it on American Express and Discovery! Put it all in the cart!


To the top of the limit! Put it on lay away, charge it all!


No cash, that's okay. Gotta have it now till the creditors call!


There is no limit that is too high,


We've got to have all of the latest or the kids will cry.




So into the house comes the latest, the greatest, all new,


Our vans and SUV's all full of toys, for mommy and daddy, too.


And then, in an instant, with our charges through the roof,


It seems like we no longer needed proof.


As I reached into my pocket, not a penny to be found,


I realized that to commercialism we've become bound.


And I thought of a baby whose birth was the start of it all,


Born not in grandeur, but in a stall.


With a Father in Heaven and one on earth,


A mother so pure and an angel foretelling His birth.


A star rose in the East and three Wise Men traveled to Bethlehem,


Gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh they brought for Him.


And now we argue over Merry Christmas! and Happy Holidays!


Is this why He came into his world? I wonder what He'd say?


Perhaps, He'd tell us there is war, famine, disease and homelessness, the world's gone berserk,
There are things to be done here on earth; Now, let's get to work!


So let's fill the churches with families and song,


At least once during the year, let's all try to get along;


Let the food pantries be filled, no cupboards be bare,


It all belongs to Him, so we all have something to share.




Let's hope that no child is left with nothing under the tree,


Open our hearts for the less fortunate so that they might see,


Why Christ belongs in the center of our festivities!


The magic of Christmas goes beyond the toys and the clothes,


It means so much more than the ribbons and bows.


We celebrate Christmas for all kinds of reasons,


But, there remains one simple reason for the Season;


A baby was born, so that we may have everlasting life,


And to bring peace, love, joy and hope during times of strife.




And so from our family to yours, as we prepare for this most Holy Night,


We wish a Blessed Christmas to all, and to all, May God keep you in His light.


Monday, December 22, 2008

Goodbye, Again

Once again it is time to say goodbye to a weekly column. The Freeport Focus will have two more editions, tomorrow (12/23/08) and then the last one on Tuesday, December 30th. There was a grand plan to create a new daily newspaper, which would have been the first one in the country this year as far as I know. Unfortunately, it was launched at a time when an economic firestorm hit our community and the country. There was not enough time, nor enough resources to give it a full go of at least one year, which would have been the minimum time necessary to become more fully established.

The competition with the other local paper has lead to greater local coverage and improved quality, but the question is now, will it be sustained? I will miss the weekly deadline and trying to stay topical with the columns, but will try to maintain more frequent postings on this site. It is hard to not want to say something about our current state of affairs in Illinois with Blago, et al and what will happen with President-Elect Obama and the new administration. Our world is so ripe with potential stories that it makes the fingers itch to write about them.

Looking at the state of newspapers, though, makes it easy to understand how it would be difficult to have a new start-up for a newspaper. The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News are cutting back to three days per week and two days per week, respectively. An online presence is a must if there is to be local news disseminated to the public. The ones that will suffer the most will primarily be the geriatric population that relies on the daily paper in print form. Eventually, most people will be online and this will become almost the only source of news in a print format. The news will most likely go the way of The Christian Science Monitor with a daily online edition and a weekly newsmagazine edition.

Welcome to the internet age of news ...

Monday, December 15, 2008

Will He Stay or Will He Go?

Our beloved, okay, not so beloved as bedeviled, Governor, Rod the Mod, is not going to leave quietly, is he? It is quite evident that he should be gone. It is sad that it appears that his wife, Patti, has been complicit in his dealings for more and more money. Shakedowns, extortion, backroom dealings, and selling his soul for a few extra (alright, a lot of extra) dollars.

How does this happen when he knew that he has been under federal investigation since 2003? It boggles the mind to think that he is that brash, brazen, unrepentant, and ignorant all at the same time. Word from the New York Times is that Rod the Mod even blows up at his own personnel when they can't find his prize hairbrush. This is a man who manages to never take responsibility for his actions. I spoke with a relative this past weekend who works with a former elementary school classmate of Rod's. The former classmate is not surprised by the outcome of his governorship. She said that as a student, he never accepted blame for any of his actions. He always managed to blame someone else, or get them in trouble. His "goody-two shoes" act wore thin with his classmates, but he managed to hoodwink the nuns in charge.

There is no excuse for his actions. When reading the Federal Complaint it is apparent that the hubris of our governor is beyond even our worst expectations. Trying to sell a Senate seat, influence peddling with regards to the Tribune and the sell of the Cubs and Wrigley Field, garnering cash for the "Green" lanes of the Illinois Tollways, and shaking down the CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital for public aid money to be released. Holy bleep!

I have written about the Gov for the past several years and wondered when, not if, he would be indicted. I thought that it would most likely be because of his dealings with Tony Rezko. It seems that this was just the tip of the iceberg. How derelict of his duties could one person be? Well, he could have been an investment banker like Bernard Madoff who managed to fraud people of more than $50 billion, but he wasn't running a state into the ground in the meantime.

Complicit in the Gov's dealings was his wife, Patti, or so it appears according to the tapes transcripts. She was at least aware of the Gov's actions against the Chicago Tribune, based on her foul-mouthed tirade against the editorial board. Her father, Ald. Dick Mell, from whom Blago's family has been estranged for the past few years, tried warning us of his son-in-law's actions. Was anybody besides John Kass actually listening? Apparently the FBI was, but they waited for concrete information in order to file the Federal complaint. The Trib is to be commended for withholding information about the wiretaps until the FBI had the necessary information to arrest Rod the Mod.

Now, we need to get on with the process of selecting another Senator for our state. I'm split between getting Patrick Quinn has soon as possible in order to allow him to make a selection, or going with a special eleciton in order to allow both parties to submit potential candidates. I think that the most expeditious option of getting Quinn into office and allowing him to select a Senator who could serve out Barack Obama's term may be the best option for now. Then we can hold our regular election in two years and vote in a well-vetted candidate. Perhaps, the public will actually take a good, long look at the people running and not just vote for the person with the most money in his/her campaign chest and the best television appearance.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

The Column That Was Edited

The following is the column that appeared in The Journal-Standard on Christmas Day, 2006. The letter to Santa from Governor Blagojevich was left out of the online and printed editions, as I was told that the editor didn't feel it was appropriate at the time because "no charges" had been filed against the governor. The editor is long gone, as is the subsequent one and many of the columnists, freelance writers and writers from that Christmas Day two years ago. I guess there is no room for political insight or prognostication in certain publications.

Dear Santa
by
Roland Tolliver

For somehow, not only at Christmas, but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you. —John Greenleaf Whittier

Merry Christmas Morning to You!
I have intercepted some letters that were directed to Santa, but due to the public figures involved in writing these, the letters were to be made available to all. So, here is a sampling...

Dear Santa Dude,
I always, like, loved to hear that Dorothy sing in "The Wizard of Oz," but my favorite character was that Scarecrow guy. It may be because I could, like, relate to him. So, Santa, could you, like, um, bring me a brain for Christmas?
Love,
Britney Spears

Dear Britney,
Why don’t you wait outside with Paris, Nicole, and Lindsay tonight? I’ll see if I can get a four-for-one special. Like, totally, cool, eh!
Love,
Santa Dude

Dear Santa,
I seem to have lost my way. I never should have listened to my friend Tony Rezko. It seems that I put my own power and greed ahead of the people that I was elected to serve. I was going to ask for forgiveness or maybe some way of making restitution, but what I really want is some more hair gel. Thanks.
Yours in Power,
Governor Rod

Dear Governor Rod,
I think that there are quite a few things you could use before I stuff your stocking with hair products. Maybe I could provide you with common sense, a calculator that tells you the real numbers and damage you are doing to your state, and what it means to raid the working people’s hard-earned money. Instead, I’ll just hold off the feds and that indictment for a while longer. Okay?
Wishing I Were the Prosecutor,
Santa

Dear Santa,
I really need your help. I have been in office for six years and now I’m really at an all-time low. The voters chose Democrats to lead both the Senate and the House of Representatives. My poll numbers are slipping lower than Jessica Simpson’s IQ and now Rummy has left me. Would you please give me a clue as to how we can end this mess in Iraq? Thank you.
Respectfully,
President George W. Bush

Dear Mr. President,
There are some things that even Santa has a hard time getting someone for Christmas. I hope that Mr. Gates (not Bill, but the other one, Robert) will aid you in this endeavor. Let’s face it, though, you can’t keep hiding your head in the sand. Our men and women deserve to know what the real plan is. They’re the ones stuck every day in the sands of Iraq. Mrs. Claus and I would like to see them come home safely. Our best to Laura and the twins. By the way, have they been naughty or nice this year?
Wondering Where the Answers Are,
Santa

Dear Mr. Claus,
Perhaps you have heard of me. I have written two best selling books. They loved me in New Hampshire and even in New York. I am gaining momentum with a capital "MO"! I am eloquent, suave and debonair with a flair for the spoken language. I may have made a mistake in doing real estate business with a Mr. Anthony Rezko, but I got a great deal on my mansion. Mr. Claus, sir, what I am most in need of, however, is having done something of substance in my political career, besides, become the golden child of the Democratic Party. Will you help me?
I Could Be Great in ‘08,
Senator Barack Obama

Dear Mr. Obama,
Thank you for writing. The elves have been very busy this year building platforms. Perhaps, they could help you when they’re done. It would be good to have a foundation of substance on which to build your campaign. Let’s see, you did try to make amends with Senator McCain from Arizona and you once visited that nice little town of Freeport in northwest Illinois. And you... and you... well, good luck on that, sir. I wish you the best in your quest, but be wary of Illinois politics. It not only makes for strange bedfellows, but they can turn on their own in a hurry. Say hi to Hillary if she’s still speaking to you.
In a Non-Partisan Way,
Santa

That’s all the space we have folks. May you and your families have a very Merry and Blessed Christmas Day! Till next year....

Letters to Santa, 2008

Two years ago when I did my "Letters to Santa" column for my previous newspaper home with the Journal-Standard, my "request" from the current governor of Illinois was for leniency should he be indicted. This "letter" was omitte from the J-S, because I was informed by the editor at the time that the governor did not have any charges against him. I let him know at the time that he would. Fortunately, my new home newspaper, The Freeport Focus and Village Voices, are more progressive in their format and forward-thinking with their editoral board. This year's "Letters to Santa, 2008" came out yesterday, the same day that the same governor was arrested and removed from his home in handcuffs. We may be small town in comparison with the likes of the Chicago Tribune or Sun-Times, but state politics affect us as much as the rest of the state.

The following column appeared in the December 9, 2008 editions of The Freeport Focus and Village Voices:

Letters to Santa, 2008

By: Roland Tolliver

“One of the problems we have in this country is that too many adults believe in Santa Claus, and too many children don’t.” --Lee Lauer

Dear Santa,
Thank you for letting us fly to Washington, D.C. in our private jets to present our request to Congress for billions of taxpayers’ money. I know that put us on the naughty list, so we drove out in our hybrids the last time and it looks like they will give us some money this time. Does that mean we are now on the nice list?
Signed,
THE BIG (but getting smaller) THREE

Dear Not So Big Anymore Three,
Santa has been flying to his locations for years. Of course, it is my job to give, rather than receive, so people don’t complain about my flights. Besides, I don’t leave much of a carbon footprint, unless you count reindeer gas emissions! Ho! Ho!
P.S. Get your acts together or you’ll be getting the “Bridge Loans to Nowhere” in your stockings.

Dear Santa,
How is it I got away with murder, but now may be spending 15 years or more in prison for kidnapping for some sports memorabilia? Do you remember when I used to be a Hall of Fame running back? Doesn’t that count for anything? By the way, have you seen my other glove?
Insincerely,
O.J.

Dear One Glove,
You must not have remembered the story of Al Capone, did you? He got away with murder, but went to jail for tax evasion. One way or the other bad karma will catch up to you! As your friend and attorney once said, “If you did the crime, you must do the time.” Or was that on an episode of Seinfeld?

Dear Santa,
I refuse to admit that I am on the naughty list. I am a major political figure and do not deserve to be in “Club Fed”! I am an old guy with diabetes and miss eating at the fancy restaurants in Chicago where I dined regularly with major political donors and cronies. So, why am I still in prison? Could you spring a Presidential pardon for me under the Christmas tree this year?Unrepentantly yours,
George Ryan

Dear Father of the Bribe, George,
I’m not usually a vindictive Santa, but you deserve to stay right where you are. There are six children up in Heaven with the last name of Willis who will never see another Christmas with their parents. You at least are well “fed” (sorry, couldn’t help that one!) and have a place to sleep. I will send a personal letter to President Bush on behalf of those children to ask that he leave you where you are. Perhaps, we’ll have a few more Illinois politicians, maybe even another governor, joining you in the near future. Seems like Illinois governors have a propensity for ending up behind bars, don’t they?

Dear Santa,
We’d really like to attend classes without the threat of violence or disruptions in our schools. We know that most of the focus is on the high school, because of the number of incidences here, but we know that there have been problems at the junior high and other schools, as well. If it wouldn’t be too much to ask, do you think you could bring us a more peaceful 2009 school year, so that we can concentrate on getting an education and not have to worry about graffiti, fights, weapons, and threats?
Thank you, Santa.
Praying for Safe Schools,FHS Students and Parents

Dear FHS Students, Parents and Staff,
You may not know this, but Mrs. Claus and I, have been praying for you and other schools throughout the world. We know that prayer isn’t allowed in most schools, but in these trying times we could all use a few extra words with the “Big Man on Campus” for all of us. I can’t offer any guarantees, but consider those that are causing all of this trouble to be on the “naughty list” and know that they’ll get what is coming to them. In the meantime, keep studying and I’ll keep you all on my personal “honor roll!”

Sometimes letters are answered in mysterious ways. Yes, Governor Blagojevich, there is a Santa Claus, and he will be bringing you a lump of coal and an orange jumpsuit.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Who Will Buy this Senatorial Seat?

So, Rod the Mod finally gets his comeuppance. Patrick (the Elliot Ness of today) Fitzgerald and his crack team of investigators and prosecutors have once again put faith into our system. More than two years ago I wrote about the Governor seeking a way out of an indictment and the column was censored by the Journal Standard, because he wasn't "charged" with anything at that time. There was plenty of evidence at that time that he was being investigated, but no charges were forthcoming ... yet. One can clearly speculate that the investigation would one day lead to enough evidence, but the editor at that time was unwilling to allow an opinion to be voiced. Of course, that editor, as well as the publisher and much of the staff there are no longer there.

I wasn't prescient at the time, only well-read and well-versed in Illinois politics. The situation was being followed closely, despite the fact that Illinois voters once again voted a probable criminal into the office of governor. Didn't he learn anything from George "Fed" Ryan? Didn't our citizens learn anything about Chicago politics and the machine that continually produces the "above the law" politicians that screw over the citizenry in order to line their pockets with as much cash as they can take in.

What brashness, hubris, "testicular virility", or ignorance by a member of the government! He should be taken from office as soon as legally possible. This man has created a travesty for our state and the office of governor. What part of a sworn oath to uphold the office of leader of this state did he not understand?

Please, please take him to join George Ryan as quickly as he can be driven to Club Fed. Extortion for money for "green lanes" with a state contractor. Withholding money from Children's Memorial Hospital for shake-down money from their CEO. Threatening to keep money away from the Tribune Company and the sale of Wrigley Field unless editorial board members are fired. Asking for a union position to guarantee a $300,000 a year salary once he is out of office. Selling the Senate seat vacated by President-Elect Obama to the highest bidder. 76 pages worth of the brash acts of a village idiot and his stooge, John Harris.

The criminal complaint against Blago and his chief of staff shows the depths to which this elected official has sunk and how far down he is willing to take this state with him for his personal gain and for his wife. Heaven help us!

Thursday, December 04, 2008

How Safe Are Our Children?

So, now the school district has decided that video cameras are a good idea in the high school? When we asked why these were only being installed in the "special education" classrooms this past Spring, we were told it because they only had enough money to put them in these classes. Did it have anything to do with the complaint filed by one of the aides against a special education teacher, who was cleared of any wrongdoing, but nonetheless is no longer working in a job that she loved? When we pointed out that there were more incidents in the hallways, gym classes, cafeteria and even in the lavatories, we were categorically rebuked and my spouse was made to look foolish for suggesting that cameras were needed in the above mentioned locations.

And now, at last night's board meeting, we were informed that "security consultants" were being contacted and that they were looking for the best deals on security cameras and that they should be able to be tied into the existing intranet system in the school. Why does it take events like those that have happened in the past few weeks to finally get our administrators to take action? Couldn't an effective discourse on the subject taken place when the idea of cameras in certain classrooms was being proposed? It is the old "lock the barn door after the cows are out" mentality that seems to permeate our community at times.

Tim Connors, the speech and drama teacher/coach at the high school presented a letter signed by 71 teachers asking the board to provide three concrete steps in an attempt to rectify the current problems at the high school (and it does run into the junior high, as well). The three primary that he conveyed on behalf of the teachers were:
1. The installation of video monitoring cameras in the appropriate locations throughout the school, including entrances/exits, hallways, and cafeteria among other places and the installation of metal detectors at entrance points;

2. Stricter and consistent disciplinary actions for students that disregard conduct codes and school regulations, this would include expulsions where indicated;

3. The training of security personnel to monitor the school, including additional support personnel.

The teachers have indicated their willingness to work with the administration in an attempt to curtail, and potentially eliminate the onslaught of potentially harmful actions by certain students (and in at least one case a parent and other adult).

The disruption for our students is unprecedented in the eighteen years that we have been residents of this community, including having two children graduate from FHS and one currently attending the school. Not only do I not wish to see any harm come to her, but neither do we wish to see any student, teacher or staff member injured, or worse. The illicit actions of a few are creating an atmosphere of fear, distrust, and in no way is conducive to teaching our children. How can one learn when there is constant distress and duress?

Monday, December 01, 2008

Let it Snow

Early morning in Freeport and apparently salt really is in short supply. Try getting to the junior high or high school when a semi-trailer is stuck at the intersection of Empire Street and West Avenue. There were a few locations where sand had been spread at the intersections, apparently not near the schools, however. This is only the first snowfall and already we are in transportation turmoil in our fair city. I'm sure that the new snow parking restrictions will make everything just hunky-dory, though.

So, welcome to the winter (though it is still officially autumn) in Northwest Illinois.