Reality TV in Rochester

ROCHESTER - Unfortunately Lou Gramm is not starting a show called 'Juke Box Hero' loaded with dumb ass contestants desperately trying to make a name for themselves. This reality TV comes courtesy of the Rochester Police Department. All out of ideas for combating crime, they have turned to Big Brother, and yes, he will be watching.

It is a sad day for a community as innovative and charitable that we have turned to watching people 24/7 because we can not stop crime. This is not the fault of the police, let me be clear. By segregating our city we have created areas of abject poverty. We all share the blame for this. The people who actually take the blame, however, are elected officials and the police. The distracted public looks for the short and easy answer. Never mind the fact it took half a generation to get us to this point. The public demands it be fixed overnight.

As a result, we get things like Zero Tolerance, Project Exile, curfews and now cameras. As we attempt to cure the symptoms, the disease ravages on. I think these ideas are somewhat lazy, even if sometimes somewhat successful. We need long term solutions to solve problems that are created over long periods of time. The idea of cameras strikes me as a complete lack of creativity and will power. As if we have given up. We can't prevent crime, but if we catch it on tape, we can lock someone up for it. I don't like the idea that innocent citizens are being watched along with their nefarious neighbors. Don't tell me that if you aren't doing anything wrong, you have nothing to hide. Going to the bathroom is legal, it doesn't mean I want someone to film me. But more realistically, do you want an officer to show up at midnight and ask to search your house for illegal stuff?

Watching the news the other night, though, softened my absolute disgust for policing cameras. The residents looked delighted to have them. They were excited about the possibility of having safer streets. I realized, my neighborhood is very safe, and I never feel any anxiety or fear about being out after dark, or that others hanging out are actually up to no good. I am lucky for that. I don't know what it is like to live without confidence in my neighborhood, and therefore I can not judge tactics employed in those areas. The woman's face lit up knowing that her street was getting cameras. She said she would once again feel safe walking at night, and she was happy with that.

I still feel that cameras are not a solution to crime. We need to reach for affordable housing, better and more jobs, and improving the access to and quality of public education. If we can improve on those fronts, crime will go down. If it helps people feel safer than before, however, I will have to accept them as band aids.

Good For Paterson

ROCHESTER - God Bless David Paterson! Finally a true leader steps up for ALL New Yorkers and directs state agencies to recognize same sex marriages. This should be law and New York should be allowing municipalities to perform them as well, but let us celebrate the battle before continuing the war.

Not allowing two consenting adults to marry on the basis of sexual orientation is discrimination and immoral. It is not 'more complicated' than that. The State is allowed to step on religion's toes all it wants because the two don't answer to each other. I don't care if the church of some saint won't perform a ceremony (that is their right as a private club), but every city hall government that can perform weddings, must.

If you use an ancient religious text as the basis for a modern argument, you are in trouble. I don't think I need to list the accepted 'outdated' readings, but if some can be ignored, all can be ignored. Don't take the 'high' road with me selectively. If you think same sex marriage is wrong because of the Bible, then, logically, you must believe slavery and human sacrifice are acceptable.

Lastly, marriage is a wonderful institution. It is a bond shared between two people who are in love. We should be promoting marriage, not denying it. The less people are married, the more marriage becomes socially irrelevant.

I don't mean for this to be some anger filled, bitter rant against religion. Some churches are at the forefront of civil rights history and continue to be there. Others used to be progressive, yet have lost their way. The Bible tells me that one should fight injustice, help others that need help, and judge no one. I think most people would agree they get similar lessons. Let us use religion as a unifying force, not a divisive one, as a select few would do.