By HEATHER CATHLEEN COX
Staff Writer
reporter@sbnewspaper.com
Heather Cathleen Cox
This city is divided.
Some San Benitians are for, others against the present mayor. There are those for and against a former mayor. Seemingly, the school district is divided, with those for and against the board president or for and against the superintendent. Citizens have differing opinions on the civil service departments as well legal representatives who serve differing factions within the city. I’m even inclined to believe that some people are anti-everyone.
Individuals approach me, sometimes getting up in my face with their stories of alleged woe regarding elected officials, attorneys or city employees. Out of an effort to practice fairness, I listen while such individuals speak their minds, especially since listening could mean helping someone innocent.
Simply said, I believe some people must not understand a reporter’s job, which is to report facts. It’s not my place to decide what is true or false. If official statements or documents have been filed, charges have been pressed, court dates have been set, witnesses have come forward or if someone contacts me with information, it is up to me to collect and sort such data. Next, I report my findings. The end.
A reporter’s job description does not entail perpetuating unfounded opinions which cannot be substantiated, nor does it include omitting facts relevant to citizens within the community.
To put it mildly, some individuals (the Lord knows who they are, and He is my Protector) have not treated me with kindness regarding my inquiries into certain issues which are important to this community. I have even been threatened with fallacious slander, by individuals I thought were my friends or at the very least working acquaintances.
My sole interest in making inquiries abides in a need to uncover and present as much of the whole story as I can muster, in an unbiased fashion, to the readers of the San Benito News. I don’t intend to withhold or alter information just because some individuals ask – or demand – that I do.
City workers and elected officials – not forgetting those who work for the school district, state or federal government – are obligated to respond to the people they serve, pedestrians and media alike, and provide answers for their actions. It’s not okay to shirk calls, lie, decline comment or provide an ambiguously canned answer whenever said officials conveniently don’t wish to answer to the public that elected them.
To the aforementioned officials: If you don’t like the heat, leave the kitchen. You are not irreplaceable.
Proverbs 25:18-19 says, “A person that bears false witness against their neighbor is a maul (tool used to divide, break, tear apart), and a sword, and a sharp arrow (causing destruction). Confidence in an unfaithful man in time of trouble is like a broken tooth, and a foot out of joint.” “Bearing false witness,” as the Bible says, includes spreading lies as much as it includes withholding the truth. In other words, a liar is a trouble-maker, useful only to cause pain or bring division.
The Bible clearly states that what is done in secret (good or bad) will be exposed and will either create great abundance in our lives or cost us everything we have. Luke 8:17-18 says, “For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even which he seemeth to have.”
Politicians and elected officials are no different than anyone else, in the sense that anyone is capable of making honest and dishonest choices. When it is in our power to vindicate that which is right, promotes justice and is fair, and we remain actionless, we are as reprehensible to God as the ones conducting the mischief. This is true for all, regardless of official capacity, and in passages such as these, the Bible is warning sneaky people that one day someone will flip on the light switch. If our hand is in the proverbial cookie jar, we will answer for what we have done.
Whether or not the city of San Benito’s elected officials squeak by with their deceitfulness and attain re-election, God sees and will vindicate righteousness. If the fear of God is not enough to propel the actions of our politicians into uprightness, the city has much bigger problems in store than we now realize.
Read this story in the Nov. 18 edition of the San Benito News, or subscribe to our E-Edition by clicking here.
8 comments
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Jose Rodriguez comments were perfectly stated. When are the citizens going to get involved? I will be attending the upcoming meetings. They seem to forget that we elected them and we will remember!
This beautiful little town has a population of 25k, its a shame that only 10 to 12 % actually vote. The rest are too busy with their lives to care what goes on around them. It’s unfortunate but true. I would like to see Commissioners Meetings televised. That would surely get the “TOO BUSY TO ATTEND” in the loop with what is going on at City Hall, or at least get them aware.
Unfortunately, voter apathy is rampant in our fair city. People just don’t care.
Despite the thousands of Americans that have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the theater of war defending our freedom to vote, some people just don’t give a fill-in-the-blank.
Televising the City Commissioner’s meetings sounds like a good idea but it would eventually be a waste of taxpayer dollars because, as you mentioned, some people just don’t care. The advantage of televising the meetings is the creation on an online documentation of actions or lack thereof taken by the City Commission.
Personally, I attend about 99% of the city commission meetings and budget workshops (sometimes I am the only resident present) and I would love for the rest of the citizens to hear some of the comments or actions (sometimes lack of action) made by members of the City Commission, which includes the Mayor.
I will cite one example of a comment made by a member of the City Commission that I found rather appalling.
During a budget workshop this summer when discussing whether to increase property tax rates, the following comment was made.
Incidentally, I did verify the comment with the reporter present. He also documented the comment but never reported it on his printed media report.
The implication of the comment was that voters/citizens would forget the tax increase by the time the next election arrived.
More citizen involvement will change the political environment in San Benito for the better. Maintaining the “status quo” will certainly doom us.
What is a “Benitian”?
Any relation to a “Martian”?
The incestuous behavior of this community never ceases to amaze me. The City Hall has been infested with crooks as far back as I can remember. Unfortunately none of them have ever gone to jail for their misdeeds. Compadrismo has always reigned supreme.
I just wonder if the newly elected Cameron County District Attorney will let this newest set of sneaks and crooks off the hook? As I understand it, the people in the current administration were big supporters of his campaign. Is this a sign of things to come? We shall see.
So very true Ms. Cox. Keep doing what you are doing.
Thank you, Ms. Cox. You get it. You actually understand!
“When it is in our power to vindicate that which is right, promotes justice and is fair, and we remain actionless, we are as reprehensible to God as the ones conducting the mischief.”
Taking action should not be construed as inflicting harm. Sometimes action is necessary to prevent the infliction of harm.
Outstanding article. Keep up the great words!