CONSIDER THIS: Perpetuating a Vicious Cycle

By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
editor@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

It amuses me when I encounter individuals who claim to have the city’s best interest at heart yet spew vile rhetoric about its people.

Too many times have I read comments, fielded phone calls and met with individuals who, on the surface, appear to advocate for all that is just in San Benito but preface their plights with acrimonious, divisive remarks. Ulterior motives then become apparent when a dramatic “God help us” concludes comments that ooze rancor and hatred – oh the contradiction, to plant seeds of doubt within clandestine local governing practices all while veiling these efforts with a universal theme, like faith, for the sake of appearances. This is a vicious cycle perpetuated at the expense of our public institutions and the people they serve.

And so I’ve wondered – are concerns being shared for the public’s well-being or for the exclusive benefit of the sole person harboring them? This is what often makes our job so difficult – separating the good-intentioned whistleblowers from the opportunistic alarmists.

Still, at the risk of patting ourselves on the back, I’d like to think that we at the San Benito News have always used sound judgment when identifying genuine concern that warrants our involvement. Sometimes, that involvement justifies the use of our resources in hopes of providing the community with comprehensive coverage of all that is of interest to San Benito. And sometimes, preconceived dilemmas are dispelled without making headlines.

Take, for instance, recent tips that have come across my desk. For more than a week, I’ve been in contact with an anonymous source who called into question the San Benito school district’s annual Employee “Back-to-School” Convocation. Specifically, we were asked if the district can lease or rent a church to serve as the venue for the event, how much it would cost taxpayers and whether a pastor can act as the keynote speaker. Clearly, this raised separation of church and state issues that we were obligated to research. Before we were given the chance, however, the tipster informed me that all had been resolved. As it turns out, initial plans to hold the event at a local church were just that – plans. The Convocation will instead be held at San Benito High School and – as a result – without incident.

Our source wasn’t so bloodthirsty to demand the public lambasting of the district and its decision-makers because they were neither the cause nor the source of the person’s concern. Beware, however, of those who are not satisfied with mutual resolve and scheme for something far more detestable than their original complaint – the politicizing of otherwise relevant matters.

This month marks the 10th year that my byline has appeared in the News. It’s time that I’ve also used to help analyze the quirks, body languages and facial expressions of many in the community. And so – armed with the identification of certain individuals’ habits and eccentricities – it’s now fairly easy to discern lies from truth. The Convocation tipster’s intentions were rooted in genuine concern, but those who appear to take joy in revealing all of San Benito’s dirty secrets let on more about themselves and their tawdry character than they realize.

It is far worse to use the public’s wounds for your own advancement than it is to be the cause of the pain. This is something you must all remember before inciting an unforgiving and already-disillusioned people. To ensure that your cause is the public’s cause is to act responsibly when expressing discontent to the media. Otherwise, you’re no better than the people who found themselves in your crosshairs. A savvy reporter can spot this from a mile away, but a seasoned journalist will know better than to entertain a wild-goose chase.