STRANGER DANGER

     I think that one of the first and repeating dictates we receive from our parents concerned "stranger danger" and we repeated that dictum to our children and grandchildren. My own grandchildren are subjected to a new scenario or two each time we see each other - even the oldest ones of 22 and almost 19. For those we love there is no repetition to be skipped and they have to know, particularly in this world of ours.
     But actually, much of the danger to kids and to people in the world comes not from strangers but from those we deem to be friends or those who are 'known" strangers, often seen around but not really known. So look at our world today and see from whence comes our danger. Who are really our friends, personally and nationally and internationally. Trump is an American, but is he really within his beliefs and rants? Is he truly part of the covenant of America?
     Brexit. It is done. The vote is in and it has stunned the world. I have spent time this morning trying to figure out how much money will I and others be out when the market opens. The world seemed to be optimistic yesterday on the vote but this morning the markets all over the world have plunged in panic. Why? We all should have known it was coming, but the fact is that we engaged in wishful thinking and doomsday thinking and avoided a balanced view and plan. The danger to ourselves to the world came from within our own ranks.
     Pretty downhearted I noodled around on Facebook and came across the acceptance speech made by Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks upon receiving the Bradley Prize, a prestigious award and recognition of contributions to mankind. He spoke of the need to keep our story, keep the covenant and remain a covenant nation and no, while there were obvious ties to his people, the Jewish people, these comments were about the birth of America and its lifetime story, its covenant it had made with its people and with the world. He spoke of the necessity of being ever alert to the loss of freedom , particularly in the fraught with danger times we live in and he reminded all that hatred of the Jews never ends with them but continues on to envelop all others.
     He spoke of the absolute necessity to yes, create "safe" places, but that those safe places be made for those who wish to speak up, those who may not agree with the current theme of the day. That is what freedom is and what it demands. Today, on campuses all over the country, evidenced by rude and boorish and yes, dangerous behavior, we see the negation of freedom and the acceptance by many that to shut people down is the way to go. We need to remember that what is not exposed to the air begins to fester and infect. We need our organizations, our large and small NGOs, to step up to the plate for these are the pathways to retaining and indeed even strengthening freedom.
     This pertains to any and all political entities and bodies, all levels of the body politic. Including right here in the Village. There are opinions that diverge greatly from each other and that is fine - as long as the opposition is allowed freedom to express, to talk, to explore its rights and speak up for what they feel is correct. Unfortunately we still do not have this here in the Village. Once we did. Once we had a functioning Channel. Once we had a functioning newspaper which maintained its journalistic integrity. Once, that is. Once we had freedom of assembly and speech in all areas of the Village. Once we had freedom of access to all these facilities. And once we had a functioning administration. Once, long ago.
     Today we have a dictatorship and yes, people, there is no other term for this UCO and the truth must be stated. How else to call an administration which cancels Executive Board meetings for two months. How else to call an administration which consists of a roster of the same few names with a few "beards" thrown in. How else to call an administration which will hear no voice other than its own, generally represented by the hermit, David Israel and his buddy, Ed Black. Or possibly by the biased and ill written pieces of The Rag.
    What we get is a pushing of agendas that these people want, that these dictators push, yes, almost like a drug that will turn people's minds off and away from the truth. So we get an obsessed campaign for Broadband which ALREADY EX-
ISTS here in the Village, but no, we should spend millions more on this duplication because that is what David and lackeys want. So are there other places upon which we can lavish these funds that we do not have rather than spend on this obsessional diversion? Let us see.
     1. Attorneys and planning for post Millennium.
     2. Attorneys and planning for post Millennium.
     3. Attorneys and planning for post Millennium.
     4. Waterway cleanup and planning for the future, particularly with the plan for removing harmful and toxic material from it.
     5. Repair breaking and fragile infrastructure.
     6. Repair ancient and broken infrastructure.
     7. Work out a doable and realistic plan for handling the pipe dreams of WPRF.
     8. Work out a plan to buy the facilities of WPRF so that when we fix them they are ours, not more of our money in the pockets of the Levys.
     9. Pay attention to the crisis of the golf course and possible development. Whichever side you support, the Village is primary.
     10. Repair our reserves and figure out exactly how to build it up without breaking the backs of our residents. Avoiding the issue does not make it go away, only get worse.
     11. The roads and walkways are hanging there like a black fog over all of the Village. Crappy and corrupted job done the last time and we need to do it right - and pretty soon.
     12. Irrigation defects and disasters.
     13. Careless and random expenditures that are receiving no oversight.
     14. Repair of our system of administration and bring it back to a true democratic entity as was meant to be.
     15. Term limits need to be reinstated. Presidents for life are for banana republics, not here in the USA.
     16. Attempts to censor the library, public information, etc. must STOP.
     17 - 20. Add in your favorite topics of things gone wrong and neglected in our Village, such as motel buildings, poor planning and advice for associations in trouble and the list marches on.
     Freedom must be fought for, watched over, and paid for in hard work and with the inclusion of all. That is certainly not the case here, today, in the Village, nor for the past almost eight years when we lost our way and allowed not stranger danger, but the enemy within to take us over and harm us.
     Perhaps we need a Brexit of our own. Think about it. The power UCO has is the power we give it, especially when apathy reigns. Wake up, folks. It is your home.