Over the past few weeks, some have called on the Clarkston News to give its endorsement to certain issues. The paper has been in town for decades, so it would make sense for it to take a stand on important issues in the community, to tell people what it thinks about them.
I wish the paper could do that ? it could also tell me where all the typos are this week. The paper, on the editorial (reporter) side, is made up of individuals, of course. Most of us, including me, do not live in the Clarkston area. We also write individual columns, so whatever opinions we have are likely to make themselves well known.
For myself, I would vote for the senior center bond and millage if I lived here. I voted for things like that where I live in Flint Township when they came up. Seniors deserve to have a decent activities center. When my parents moved back east, an important criteria was the local senior center and the activities it presents (they settled on Davison).
People have disagreed about who would get to use a new Independence Township center, but I doubt if many would argue that the current center is just fine. It’s not. It’s a house, built for a family young enough to climb stairs and small enough to get by with narrow hallways.
Not to be too irreverent, but it reminds of the Brady Bunch movie they made a few years ago. One of its jokes was that the Mike Brady character, an architect, would present designs for things like gas stations or restaurants that would all look just like the Brady family house, just with a sign or a few gas pumps on the outside. Brady did manage to find a client who was interested in his design, but in real life, hopefully people won’t settle on using a house design for a public building.
Several have written in to share their views, which I’ve put into the paper. That’s great ? this is an issue to be settled by the local voters. They should be the ones to get a say in it.
As for the state-wide issues, which apply to me and everyone else in Michigan, my decision is coming down to which campaign is the least insulting. When I get to the polls, I’m probably going to go with my gut, which has been influenced by all the television advertising, though probably not in the way their sponsors meant.
The affirmative action ban was sponsored by some guy from California, so I should oppose it. I thought all the good ideas came from California. Mourning doves need to be protected? They’re one of the most abundant game bird in the United States. Supreme Court justices standing outside people’s homes? I hate it when that happens. Mandatory school funding levels? Wasn’t Proposal A supposed to take care of that?
The important thing, of course, is to vote. At least then we’ll know who to blame.