Comments on: California is broke.. and broken

By: susie shields

susie shields — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:56:06 +0000

Thanks, Rhonda…ditto

By: Rhonda Erwin

Rhonda Erwin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:38:22 +0000

Susie, I completely agree with you. We should raise the bar, we should expect more from parents!!! Wow, Give a man a fish (do the work for them) he can eat for a day; Teach him how to fish (“EXPECT MORE from parents rather than to just rescue them before they need rescuing) he’ll eat for a lifetime. Wonderful post

I completely agree and AMEN “I think as a society, we’ve veered away from personal responsibility and have enabled parents to disconnect from the rigors and responsibilities of raising kids. It’s hard, it’s expensive, it’s often thankless, but it’s a real responsibility that needs to be supported and encouraged, not replaced.” Susie, I completely respect and appreciate you and all that you do for the youth (tackling the school system…) and the community as a whole (speaking up, your genuine concern and your heart to rally troops together….) You are truly appreciated and I don’t take anything you say lightly I put much weight on ALL that you contribute. Thank you

By: M. Johnston

M. Johnston — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:24:11 +0000

Thanks Rhonda

Susie said: I think as a society, we’ve veered away from personal responsibility and have enabled parents to disconnect from the rigors and responsibilities of raising kid

Amen to that

By: susie shields

susie shields — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 21:33:06 +0000

Great comments everybody. After reading through them, I wanted to make it clear that I, too, believe we all need to have a hand in helping take care of the kids. What I want to reiterate, however, is that we must raise the bar for parents. I hear this statement from my friends time and again “If we don’t do it, who will?” I don’t want to abandon anyone or ignore those that need support and help. What I’m simply saying is we should EXPECT MORE from parents rather than to just rescue them before they need rescuing. I believe most parents love their kids unconditionally. I believe that most want what’s best for their kids. I believe that many may not realize that they’re disenfranchised from the nurturing of their offspring; therefore, we need to encourage them to step-up. Give them a chance to do what is right before we pull the rug of responsibility out from under them.

I think as a society, we’ve veered away from personal responsibility and have enabled parents to disconnect from the rigors and responsibilities of raising kids. It’s hard, it’s expensive, it’s often thankless, but it’s a real responsibility that needs to be supported and encouraged, not replaced. Okay, now I’ve given four cents worth

By: Ed Diggs

Ed Diggs — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 18:34:25 +0000

Your comment about how you view wealth from a spiritual perspective is very interesting. I used to live in orange county where people often make wealth their primary objective in life. Spiritually speaking that would be problematic since God would like himself to be everyone’s primary objective.

But back to the article: I think a reason that universities should be invested in is because they lead to a more prosperous economy. The reason that California is so wealthy is because of the investments in higher education in the sixties and fifties. And a reason that states might not invest as much as they should is because their investments often move across the country.

By: Rhonda Erwin

Rhonda Erwin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 05:11:13 +0000

Mark, your mother is a beautiful woman- and the fruit does not fall far from the tree. Your post is beautiful. Oh, and when I read the following sentence I felt chills—-I absolutely agree!!! “We don’t view comfort and luxury as “rights,” we view them as blessings. We don’t believe anyone has a “right” to anything on God’s earth”

It is so nice to be in the village with you!!! Blessings to you and your family

By: M. Johnston

M. Johnston — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 03:38:28 +0000

I agree it takes a village!! That is so on point. And the thing is, people just don’t seem to want to help each other. So many people want to be left alone. They just want to get their kids into Stanford and screw everyone else. See, I am not down with that. Never have been. Honestly I don’t comprehend how people can so be selfish. for better or for worse, I have this alarm that goes off inside me every time I am raking in money (which has NOT been a recurring event in my life – ha!) that pesters me with questions such as “Hey what are you doing for OTHER PEOPLE lately big shot!!?” And there’s no shutting that voice up…. unless I cave and appease it. I’m not saying I’m special. Heck sometimes I think it’s a curse. Thanks Mom! I’m kidding of course. I’d rather be no other way. And I thank my parents for teaching me early on there is SO much MORE to life than MONEY. I’m thankful I am not a slave to it… which segues me to 2112’s question:

since when is it a crime to be wealthy? i thought it was every americans right TO be wealthy.

This question/observation crosses over into spiritual territory for me, because personally—and this is just me so don’t get bent out of shape—-in my religion we’re grateful just to have food on the table and a roof over our heads. To me and my family that’s how we define success. We don’t view comfort and luxury as “rights,” we view them as blessings. We don’t believe anyone has a “right” to anything on God’s earth. But again, that’s just me and I fully accept and respect other points of view.

I just think this country could use a more “village” like mentality… and I think that’s the common denominator paradigm that binds me with the great folks who come here and express their points of view.

By: Rhonda Erwin

Rhonda Erwin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 21:11:12 +0000

sorry I was going to edit my comment down but it’s too late now. I should have just wrote, God is good, God is love and when we extend goodness on to others, when we love others we are blessed with good and love in return from others. I know this to be a fact because I love strangers many that I don’t know personally often times unconditionally and I receive so much love from so many that I don’t know personally. What I put out I get back. I may not have much but I can truthfully say since I began loving the youth of Sacramento and speaking up for the youth I have received so much love from so many people in Sacramento and heck many of them end up speaking up for me. Sorry for my previously long post.

By: Rhonda Erwin

Rhonda Erwin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 20:59:45 +0000

2112- I agree with you. I’ve helped many neighborhood youth. Sometimes just by being someone for them to talk to. I too hear and see their stories and some are simply a product of their environment but when placed in a nurturing environment they adapt and their smile can light up a room. A few years ago I would open my home and give a youth a bed, food, love every now and then (I no longer do so- I found resources where they could get more than my love but get the professional counseling they truly need and love from me on the side) Many have redirected their lives and it’s a real good feeling when I hear from them and see their eyes with a glow and not the reminisce of misery and they are working and no longer in trouble. The truth is, I didn’t just give them love they gave me love in return.. Even with love, not all is a success story (one I took in died 2 yrs after moving on shot to death at 18yrs and another in prison for 3 yrs) But the love and insight I received from the youth is genuine and so precious to me. When I first heard “It takes a village…” I was skeptical. I added the corrupt part after listening to the youth and seeing for myself so many other outside the home influences/ factors. But after reading your post I realize I should have ended with “I’ve heard from many of the elementary, middle and high school students who have concerns– and SUPPORT- both…” But I know for a fact, the volunteers really help out. Love conquers evil, love conquers hate, good triumphs over bad, love can take a child from feelings of worthlessness to feelings of value. Councilmember Pannell and Hammond held a youth roundtable…and many youth from continuation schools were present and their wasn’t a dry eye in the room when many of the youth begin to share their stories. I’m not saying every child can be saved but many are wanting, waiting and willing to be saved. I know it annoys some when I put in scriputres but it’s in my heart to do so, Luke 15:4-7 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?” To me the youth are our lost sheep and I rejoice when I find one and can bring them back. Luke 15:8-10 “What woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?” To me the youth- who have become commodities for many – are our precious coins and again I rejoice when I can light a lamp and look in the dark, sweep throughout the city, search until I can find our precious coin which was lost and bring them back. I can see hope in their eyes, I can see them wanting to change, to start again…. 2112 I am not a saint – I am a person who has been through the fire and embraced by the love of Jesus. I am blessed with the love and forgiveness of Jesus and when God gives us blessings, love I believe we should use those blessing, love to bless and love others. I don’t help the youth unselfishly- I wish I could say that I did. But I find comfort, love, blessings in doing so. The more I help them it seems the more love I receive. Well, that’s just my 2 cents and it’s written in the spirit of love. Again, thank you for being their to listen to the youth. Whether or not we agree on everything doesn’t really matter to me, the fact you do not turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to the youth means a great deal to me.

By: 2112

2112 — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:21:33 +0000

no prob rhonda. i see your point. i used to be totally against the notion that “it takes a village/community…” (i think it was Hillary Clinton who coined that phrase in the early to mid 90s, but maybe someone else said it before her). but the more i work with high school students (mainly jrs and srs.) who are ready to go into the real world, and i hear stories about their home lives, somedays it is hard to take (one student goes to school in the morning, he doesn’t have afternoon classes and no parents to speak of, so he sits at school for a few hours, waits for his girlfriend’s parents to come pick him up, then he goes to work until 10 or 11 that night, only to go home, sleep for a few hours and do it all again the next day). that is really tough to see because he is a good guy. he realizes the mistakes he made to be put in a continuation school, and now he is a senior and you should see the smile he gets when he talks about how he is about to graduate and the hard work he has put in to get to that point. his family life is a mess, but the volunteers who work with these students i think really help out. that is why i am turning (can’t say that i totally agree yet) on my stance. i do believe that at least partially, the community has a responsibility towards these students.