Random Thoughts

Ok, I have to address two major areas of local news this morning. One, the Cleveland Heights City Council has voted to offer city employees who are gays and lesbians in committed relationships of one year or more the same opportunity to receive health benefits as married employees. Two, the teachers union is on strike against the city of East Cleveland for unfair wages and improper working conditions.

I’ll begin with Cleveland Heights. Props to you for passing this groundbreaking law, now stand behind it. As for those opposed to the ordinance, what are you afraid of? A gay person getting a $5 co-pay at your doctor’s office. I don’t get it; the city expects no more than 5 individuals to take advantage of this new legislation because the benefit is taxable according to Federal Law, and suddenly there is an influx of people who don’t even live in Cleveland Heights up in arms about it. This isn’t an attack on marriage and family. Remember, we still won’t “let” gays and lesbians get married. This is an opportunity for people to receive benefits because they can’t get them the “traditional” way. All the cohabitating heterosexuals crawl out of the woodwork to say it’s unfair. My ass, go down to the courthouse and get married if it is that important to you, at least you have the right to. I am not going to debate the morality of homosexuality because it is not my place. We will ALL own up to the way we lived our lives on judgement day (that includes you bible tappers). But I will say this, if you object to health care benefits for anyone, you need to seriously re-evaluate your thinking. One last thing: No, grandparents, parents, adult siblings, and random strangers do not apply, but keep working on it, maybe someday; for now though, butt the hell out of this debate.

On to the strike. If you know me, you know I have no use for unions and I wish they would all go away. The many union members I have met in recent years seem to think the world owes them a job because they happen to be in a union (with no regard to whether or not they are actually good at said job). My favorite picketers are those outside K-Mart, who drink beer and play cards all day. Yeah, they are inspiring me to shop a union store to keep their benefits protected. Get a life. Get a job. And STOP WHINING. However, I do think the East Cleveland school teachers have a small portion of a point. They are underpaid (if they are paid at all), East Cleveland is notorious for not paying their bills, and their working conditions are hazardous. You should see the schools here; they are all falling apart, but it costs too much for the unions to rebuild them. Yet, consistently East Cleveland is one of the lowest scoring districts in state tests for aptitude and proficiency. With this level of ineptitude, how is it that they are able to demand 6% raises over the next 3 years? Show us some improvement and we will THINK about it. Last night there was a rally to try and get the district to settle with the union, and a mother got on tv and said her son needed his teacher back because he is supposed to be graduating soon and he still has to pass the ninth grade proficiency test. His TEACHER is supposed to help him, not some substitute. Well, ma’am I hate to tell you this, but if he hasn’t been helped by now, it isn’t going to happen. Frankly, I am sickened by the fact he can graduate anything other than the ninth grade at all. Anyway, best of luck with that.

P.S. Remember Cleveland, keep on picketing! The rest of us who work for a living really owe you something.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 17th, 2002 at 9:57 am and is filed under Main. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.