”
A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.
”
(The Bible, Galatians 5:9) I couldn’t help but think that this
verse is a good analogy to what’s been happening recently with the
Gilroy High School Parent Club.
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.” (The Bible, Galatians 5:9) I couldn’t help but think that this verse is a good analogy to what’s been happening recently with the Gilroy High School Parent Club. And it appears to be all due to the leaven (i.e. yeast) of one disgruntled faculty member, who, while considering himself to be “Mr. Logic” incarnate based upon his own letters to The Dispatch, has pumped in enough logical yeast into the “dough” of the Parent Club for two of the club’s officers to resign in the last two weeks.
Based upon what I’ve read over the last few months, I applaud the club for taking a stand, and filing a complaint with the school district in regard to “Mr. Logic’s” behavior at past parent club meetings. It’s a real shame that such “adult” behavior and disregard for the hard work these parent volunteers have contributed to the school and students has apparently destroyed years of work and goodwill.
Maybe this math teacher should consider the words of a great mathematician from the past, Sir Isaac Newton, who said “If I have made any valuable discoveries, it has been owing more to patient attention than to any other talent.” Too bad this faculty member has not paid more “patient attention” to the GHS Parent Club, for patience is certainly a virtue that he apparently needs to develop.
My recent column on boom cars certainly tweaked one local resident who wrote indirectly to me “[you’ve] got it all wrong with [your] ‘crusade’ against cars that play loud music (thumpers). I actually do enjoy the thumping. I for one make it a policy to never call the [police] and I will most certainly NOT do so when there is a ‘violation’ of a law that deserves no respect; in fact, if I can successfully obstruct injustice, I will. The same WHINERS who complain about thumping are the same who complain about loud motorcycles. I know where this is going: Once the ‘crackdown’ starts on thumpers, it will continue to motorcycles.”
The author has apparently arrived at his conclusion while the “facts” regarding the health problems such noisy vehicles produce, as well as anybody who detests the abnormal noise these vehicles blast out – can be damned. The “crackdown” as he calls it, would indeed continue to excessively noisy motorcycles as well, since there is absolutely no socially redeeming value that such noise, either via boom box, or motorcycle, conveys to the general public on a regular basis.
This writer continued “I don’t thump, but I do have a loud motorcycle (my actual slip-ons can set off a car alarm at 75 feet) – and it’ll even get louder with the new pipes I’m putting on it next month. Said noise has SAVED MY LIFE TWICE from people who were not paying attention to nearby vehicles and signs. Once again, #*#@% California law and those who enforce it.”
Now I don’t care if this writer or the boomers make as much noise as they want to in the desert with their stereos and motorcycles, but it’s a sorry state of affairs to think this person is so self-centered about his own pleasures and “rights” to make excessive noise in the city of Gilroy – whenever he wants. And hearing such rebellious and hateful disrespect against the men and women who are charged with enforcing the law, is also chilling for anyone who has ever thanked a police officer for the difficult job they have.
I would therefore, encourage the City Council to consider far more stringent fines and penalties against such noisemakers as boom cars and loud motorcycles, specifically by passing a noise-nuisance ordinance (or amending an existing one) for motor vehicles and motorcycles, that includes the following penalties: first-time offense $250 fine; second-time offense $500; third-time offense $1,000, along with the impounding of the vehicle for two weeks.
Do it again knuckle-head, and you’ll lose the stereo system or motorcycle after your vehicle been taken to the impound yard – plus a $1,500 fine. Power to the people for their right to domestic tranquility!
