Mark’s Musings – April 24, 2013
As our country mourned the loss of life and the tragedies in Boston and Texas, our own community gathered to recognize the spirit of humanity and the positive influence and impact that several people have made in Coshocton County at the 31st annual Chamber dinner held last Friday at Lake Park Pavilion. It is good that we can continue these traditions to remember that there is indeed much positive in the world and our own community despite the recent events across America and in fact, our own backyard.
Noteworthy among those recognized was Judge C. Fenning Pierce as the 2013 Coshoctonian Award recipient. Being recognized by your peers for a lifetime of achievement is certainly worthy of being honored and Judge Pierce has touched thousands of young people’s lives across our county from his position on the bench and involvement in the community. Congratulations Judge.
Also recognized for their outstanding contributions to our community was Amy Hasseman, graciously accepting the Young Leader award from COTC President Dr. Bonnie Coe, Jed McCoy of Coshocton Job & Family Services as Employee of the Year, Deborah Crowdy with the Coshocton Public Library as Employee of the Year and Ed Kiefer Jr., owner of Kiefer’s Florist, named Small Business of the Year.
Each of these outstanding selections represent the finest that our community possesses. Each was humble, honored, and gracious in their acceptance and appreciative of family, friends and co-workers. It was a refreshing evening with delightful commemorations, refreshment and conversation. The Coshocton County Chamber of Commerce deserves to be recognized itself for its efforts in providing this annual event for our community.
As we turn some of our attention to Boston, more is coming out about the two men involved in the bombings. Links to a radical mosque in Boston – in fact, some consider it the most radical mosque in America has been mentioned. It has also come up in the media that a conservative group’s efforts to discuss possible ties to the Muslim Brotherhood in interviews with staff of the Boston Globe went unheeded and not editorialized. Would that newspaper take the same stance if these two terrorists – as they are being called – were to have used an assault rifle, handgun, take your pick – instead of backpack bombs?
I believe that the vast majority of Beacon readers are intelligent enough to know the answer to that question as our country continues to march down the “PC freedom path.” (I just made that little slogan up but could have read it somewhere, heard it somewhere, who knows?)
It is very possible that in our quest to make everything right, treat everyone and everything equal, and balance everything except the federal budget, that we are moving in the opposite direction that will ultimately cause us the very harm that we are trying to avoid. Common Sense (a little book written by Thomas Paine over 200 years ago) need be applied to much of what our leaders and influential groups in Washington are trying to accomplish sooner rather than later. Perhaps we can avoid another tragedy.
Category: Mark's Musings