Freedom of speech explained

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

The other day I was at Tops politely stopping all the customers so that I could tell them about our Lord and Savior, Howie Balaban. Some of the customers abridged my First-Amendment right by refusing to stop and listen. I was most offended. To make matters worse, the manager came out and told me I was not allowed “harass” the customers. Did he not care about the Constitution at all? I mean … I was establishing religion and he was prohibiting my exercise thereof.

Then on Saturday, I invited myself to an American Region meeting for the same purpose. Surely the patriotic folks there would allow me to exercise my rights of free speech while they peaceably assembled. But no. Even at the American Region meeting, I was denied my Balaban-given rights as scripted by our founders.

Does no one understand the First Amendment?

Some surely do but if you thought for a second that either of my examples were an abridgement of my right to free speech, you are sorely mistaken.

Sadly, the founders wrote the Constitution in legal-ese. It makes sense, since it is a legal document. But it’s a shame because it has resulted in a lot of people not understanding what should be simple concepts.

Re-read that first paragraph again, please. I’ll wait.

Okay, so the founders took 45 words to say that which I can sum up in 13: “The government can’t tell you what you can or can’t say or worship.”

The first two words are key there. “The government.” In my two fictitious examples above, it wasn’t the government preventing me from speaking. And in fact, in neither situation was I actually prevented from extolling the virtues of one Howie Balaban. I was just asked to extoll them elsewhere.

See, the Constitution -- and by extension, the Bill of Rights -- is a contract between us and the government. It has very little to do with our interactions with one another. No matter how strongly you believe something, I am not duty-bound to listen, nor am I duty-bound to provide you a platform for it. The same holds true for any private business, citizen, newspaper, even the radio station. I can’t tell you the number of people who complained that I was denying their “free-speech” when I was on WLVL. As I told them then, they were welcome to speak their mind. It didn’t mean I had to broadcast it.

Now, why do I say this? Because apparently in beautiful Lockport, New York, you can’t even have a parade without controversy -- without someone accusing someone else of “denying their free speech” because they weren’t allowed to address an audience at a private service organization. And I just wanted to take a moment to put it into perspective. Because no matter what you may have heard, I’m actually a nice guy. And I’m kind of smart … at least when it comes to the Constitution.

Scott Leffler is a figment of your imagination. Any memories you may have of him are probably made up by your own psyche. But he does have a degree in Political Science and he’s on Twitter: @scottleffler. 

This column was originally published on Niagara's Water Cooler. 

Happy 11th Anniversary To All WNY Radio (And 1st Anniversary To All WNY News)

The 24/7 all-local music stream that is All WNY Radio kicked off 11 years ago today in the UAW Hall in Lockport with four bands and -- as you can see from the ad that appeared in the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal -- cheap beer.

Eleven years later, we're still going strong, as made evident by our recent anniversary party at Stamps a week ago today. And we intend to keep going.

All WNY Radio is irreverent, unfiltered and raw. All WNY News has tended to take things a bit more seriously -- but not too seriously, we hope. Since its inception, All WNY Radio has broadcast more than 96,000 hours of local music, news, comedy and talk radio. And in the past year, All WNY News has published 7,862 stories, an average of 21 stories a day (with a marked uptick in frequency since the beginning of 2017).

Whether you've been there from Day One or just learned about us yesterday, know that we appreciate you joining us for this journey we're on. Because we've got a long way to go. And we intend to grow.

If you're a musician looking for airplay, check this link out. If you're a writer, artist, photographer, commentator, or simply think you can contribute to the team in some way, send me an email. We're always looking to expand our boundaries.

I could go on. But I won't. I'm sure you've got other things to read. And I heard rumors of cheap beer somewhere.

+Scott Leffler is the founder of All WNY Radio,  publisher of All WNY News, and fan of all WNY things. Tweet him @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@allwnyradio.com. 

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

Let's have a party

It's really hard to believe that All WNY Radio is going to turn 11 in just over a month. But since it is, we should probably have a party.

What started as a means of getting airplay for local musicians way back in 2006 has evolved, grown, changed hands, changed hands again, and grown some more -- a lot more, actually -- over the course of the past 11 years.

Ever wonder about the history of All WNY Radio?

Back when All WNY Radio started, I was a talk show host at WLVL AM 1340 in Lockport. A couple bands had given me CDs and asked if I could get them air time. We were a talk radio station. We didn't play music. But I offered to use it as "bumper music." That's the music you hear on talk radio going into and out of commercials. That, of course, led to me getting more music. So I actually started bringing bands in and interviewing them ... and letting them play some tunes live -- or off a CD if they couldn't get all their members together for a 12:30 p.m. Friday gig. That, of course, led to me getting more music. Too much music. More music than I could use.

So in March of 2006, I approached my boss, Dick Greene, and asked if he minded if I set up an online radio station to play local music. Being the genuinely good guy that he is, he said, "sure." With the help of my friends Tom Christy and Joe Speer, I got All WNY Radio off the ground.

Myspace was king of social media at the time and their focus on bands -- and ability to search for bands by genre or location -- made it easy to get music in the early days. Most musicians at the time asked how much it would cost them; We thought that an odd question. Some asked how much we'd pay them; An equally odd question. We wanted to promote the scene.

Over time, we added a talk show. And another. There have been several over the years. We sponsored shows at local watering holes. And we held parties. The best parties -- believe me. We got ourselves a studio in Buffalo thanks to our friend Ted Powell and had way too much fun there.

In 2009, I transferred ownership of All WNY Radio to Corey Hagstrom -- aka Noah Gokey. He built his own partnerships and added Greg Burt to the mix as program director. Greg brought with him the All WNY Music Awards.

In 2015, Corey handed the reigns back to me. I got "ThinkSoJoe" Kent involved again and he started the ThinkSoJoe Show in early 2016. On April 1, 2016 -- 10 years to the date of All WNY Radio's official launch in the UAW Hall in Lockport -- we added All WNY News.

So actually, April 1 is the 11th anniversary of All WNY Radio and the first anniversary of All WNY News. We definitely need to have a party.

Our last shindig was at Stamps. I thought it went over well.

So did Joe: "It feels like a really friendly place, the stage area was set up really well, and the sound was great."

So let's go back on Saturday, March 25. We'll get four bands -- and all our old friends -- add in some cake and maybe some banter from Joe. We'll remember old times and look to the future. It'll be awesome.

We're still working on the lineup but we've confirmed Exham Priory already -- with three more bands to be announced shortly. We'll charge $7 at the door, but offer advance tickets for just $5 through All WNY Deals or through myself, Joe or Greg.

Eleven years. Still hard to believe.

+Scott Leffler is the founder of All WNY Radio and publisher of All WNY News. He's proud of what he's created and excited about what's next.

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

Reconciling the election with my family's values

I can't help but feel as though I have thoroughly misled my children.

Growing up, their mother and I taught them what we considered simple life lessons that would equip them for the world they would some day inherit.

• Share. 
• Don't lie.
• Wait your turn.
• Be kind to others. 
• Don't talk about people behind their backs.
• Skin color doesn't matter. We're all people.
• Nationality doesn't matter. We're all people.
• Sexuality doesn't matter. We're all people.
• Religion doesn't matter. We're all people. 
• Don't look down on anyone different than us. It's what's in their hearts that matters.
• Don't pay attention to others who look down on us for not being wealthy. We're rich in ways they could never understand. 

We raised good girls -- good human beings. Their mother and I are proud of who they are. They are the best of us.

Unfortunately, they learned on Tuesday that the wisdom we imparted on them will not equip them for the world that they are about to inherit. The man we've elected president is the polar opposite of what we said is "right." Everything we told them not to be and not to do was just held high as the example of what "leadership" is.

My oldest daughter -- or "the Big One," as my former WLVL listeners know her -- watched election returns with me Tuesday night. We stayed up until Hillary Clinton called Donald Trump to concede the election. She was a Sanders supporter originally but supported Clinton over Trump -- for all the reasons I've listed above. She was heartbroken by the results of the election. And I've been trying to think for two days what exactly to say to her ... and her sister. From my point of view, the country they live in just told them that their ideals are wrong, being a good person doesn't matter, and using the wrong email is worse than using inflammatory language ... especially if you're a woman.

Personally, I'm used to being in the minority. I didn't vote for Clinton or Trump. So I'm not exactly heartbroken that Clinton didn't win. But I'm devastated to see that racism and misogyny is "OK" with America in 2016. Especially because of the message that it sends to my daughters.

But I would be remiss if I didn't remember another tidbit of wisdom that we imparted on the girls.

• Do the right thing because it's the right thing. 

Just because our opinion of what's right wasn't validated by millions of strangers doesn't make it any less right. Just because others don't share doesn't mean we shouldn't. Just because others don't wait doesn't mean we shouldn't. Just because others lie, doesn't mean we should. Just because others aren't kind doesn't mean we shouldn't be. Just because others gossip doesn't make it OK. Just because others are cruel and superficial doesn't make it OK. In short, the bad behavior of others doesn't mean we should behave badly.

To my daughters, I'm sorry America failed you. I hope you'll continue to be the incredible people you've been for years ... even if the only reward for your virtues is in the knowing that you are virtuous.

I expect you to respect our new president. And I expect you to be respectful of his supporters ... even if they aren't respectful of you or the things you believe in. And I know you'll do this because you're good girls -- good human beings. And if you get no other reward for your kindness, you'll always have my love.

+Scott Leffler is a father before all else. And a proud one, at that. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler.

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

Enjoy fall foliage at Griffis Sculpture Park

 

EAST OTTO -- Western New York has four beautiful seasons, each capable of creating dazzling displays of photo-worthy color and texture -- but the vibrant reds and oranges of the changing leaves in the fall might be best of all.

While much of Western New York has yet to hit peak season for fall foliage, Cattaraugus County is at its peak right now, according to the ILoveNY.com fall foliage report. And let me tell you, having spent the weekend down there, it's a must-see.

From the serenity at Griffis Sculpture Park in Ashford Hollow to the bustling streets of Ellicottville, it's a good time to get out of the city and enjoy what's available just a bit south of the Buffalo metro center.

For those unfamiliar with the Griffis Sculpture Park, it's 450 acres of rolling parkland with some very ... unique ... sculptures, many of which were created by the park's namesake, Larry Griffis Jr.

I had the privilege of going there once or twice in my youth while the family camped at what was then Rainbow Lake (now Allegany Mountain Resort at Rainbow Lake). I've popped down every few years since then and finally made it this past weekend (after two failed attempts this year).

It seems bigger than I remember. I'm told there's good reason for that. A representative for the sculpture park told me that it has grown "exponentially" and that many sculptures have been added within the last 10-15 years. Additionally, the park has taken to offering different events, hosting SlyFest in 2012 and 2015, as well as other festivals and "Night Lights" the past few years.

Of the 250 sculptures located throughout the park, approximately 100 of them were created by Griffis Jr., who opened the park in 1966 as the first park of its kind in the U.S. The rest were created by as many as 100 other sculptors including several that were added by an international sculpture symposium.

The Griffis Sculpture Park is open from dawn to dusk from May 1 to Oct. 31.

RELATED: Photo gallery of Griffis Sculpture Park and East Otto

+Scott Leffler is editor of All WNY News and an avid lover of the arts. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler. 

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

Sabres game felt like a win to me

BUFFALO -- I know the final score said 4-3, Boston. But Monday night's Prospects Challenge game felt like a win to me.

This is the second year that the Buffalo Sabres hosted a pre-pre-season tournament-style event featuring prospects from the Sabres, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils at Harborcenter. And judging by how it went, I can only imagine it won't be the last.

Harborcenter is a great facility. I've had the opportunity to catch a few events there, but I was usually in and out quickly; Grab a couple photos, maybe a quote and out the door to the next thing. Monday was the first chance I actually got to take it all in.

Apart from the limited seating and fewer concession stands, you would barely know you weren't at an NHL rink. But the seating itself if professional standard. And the concessions themselves are quite ample.

The action on the ice Monday night was a little grittier than I expected. Play was very physical given the pre-pre-season nature of it, which surprised me. But it shouldn't have. The prospects playing on the ice are trying to prove their worth, so, of course they were going to go all out.

Can I just say it was nice to watch hockey? And it was really nice to watch hockey players wearing Sabres uniforms ... even if they weren't exactly the Sabres.

For me, though, the nicest thing about Monday night was seeing all the kids watching hockey -- or not watching hockey as many were off doing their own things, or staring off into space as their parents watched the game. There were a lot of kids at the sixth-floor hockey rink, likely due to the $10 tickets.

The Sabres also had a pretty nice sale on hats, t-shirts and baubles. ONE BUFFALO hats went for just $5. Velcro hats were $10 and flex-fit hats were $12. There was a considerable selection of Evander Kane t-shirts for $5 ... for some reason.

Sabretooth was there wandering around the rink for pretty much the whole game. He stopped and sat with just about anyone that would let him. He posed for photos, signed autographs and even played some bubble hockey for a bit.

In my dealings with them (through three different ownerships), the Buffalo Sabres organization has always been a class act. That showed through again on Monday. I look forward to more hockey.

+Scott Leffler is editor of All WNY News and a fan of hockey. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler.

RELATED: Photo album from Monday night's game.

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

Pokemon Is The Game America Needed

I'm don't want to say that a video game could save America ... but a video game could save America.

OK, maybe I exaggerate, but only slightly. Bear with me here.

Unless you're hiding under a rock with no access to media -- social or otherwise -- you're aware of the fact that almost everyone under the age of 30 -- and several of us over 30 -- are playing Pokemon Go.

The new mobile game came out last week and has quickly vaulted to the top of the charts on Android and iOS devices. On its day of release, it was on more phones than Tinder. And since Wednesday, the average Android user is spending nearly 60 minutes a day playing the game -- more time than they spend on Twitter.

I'm not entirely sure why, but it caught me by surprise. I noticed on Wednesday that three of my Facebook friends mentioned Pokemon. I thought it an odd coincidence. By Friday, it seemed like everyone I connect with on Facebook was talking about it in some way or another. Well, that and #BlueLivesMatter. But by Saturday morning, the seemingly never ending race war on my Facebook wall was replaced by Pokemon. Rather than a Hillary bashing or Trump bashing, it was Pikachu and Team Yellow.

Sitting on the bus en route to the Taste of Buffalo Saturday afternoon, I struck up a conversation with the stranger sitting next to me as he played the game. He said a friend got him hooked on it and he was enjoying catching the imaginary beasts. At the Taste of Buffalo, I overheard more than a few people talking about the Pokemon they had caught there. And at a friend's house afterwards, it seemed to be the primary topic of discussion.

Sunday, I couldn't take it any more. I had to play for myself. So I downloaded it and installed it and immediately caught a Charmander. I texted my daughters to ask if they were playing. One is. One isn't. The one who is explained why it's so great to live where she lives with water and woods and open areas -- allowing her to catch all kinds of Pokemon.

But today's Pokemon experience is what really excites me. Walking down Hyde Park Boulevard in Niagara Falls, I ran into a pair of kids -- probably 13 or 14. I overheard one of them say he was looking for a Pikachu, which excited me, frankly. I said, "Where? The church back there is a gym." We chatted for a bit. Two kids. And a 41-year-old. Talking about imaginary creatures while holding their cell phones. A short while later, I ran into a couple guys -- Joe and Tito -- who told me they were "hunting an Eevee." We walked together for a bit and talked about the game. And a few minutes after that, I ran into three more kids, who quickly hid their phones when they saw me. I asked what they were hunting, and they said they weren't sure. I then mentioned that there was a Pikachu in the area and one of them said, "I know! We're trying to find him."

That's eight complete strangers that I talked to in the past three days who I would have normally walked by without a word. Just the typical male head-nod. Eight conversations about Pokemon. No conversations about Trump. To me, that's a definite upgrade, even if I didn't find the Pikachu.

And I've read similar stories on social media about strangers meeting and discussing the game. One particularly amusing one about three guys in a park who were almost arrested until they explained they were just catching 'em all -- and convincing the officer to download the game.

Even if this Pokemon craze is temporary, it's a reprieve that a very stressed America needs so badly. Rather than black or white, gay or straight, Republican or Democrat, it's all about teams Yellow, Blue and Red right now.

People are creating events to catch Pokemon. And at least three businesses that I know of -- The Transit Drive-In, The Old Pink, and Grand Island Fun Center -- .have taken to social media to invite the public to come play there.

And on top of all that, it's getting people to go outside and exercise -- or at least walk.

So Pokemon Go might not be the game that America deserves, but it is clearly the game America needed.

Scott Leffler is editor of All WNY News and proud member of Team Yellow. He writes columns when he feels like it. See, Pokemon Go even inspired this column. It's taking over the world. 

This column was originally published on All WNY News.

The system actually is rigged

Much ado has been made in recent days about the electoral process in the state of New York.

Starting with complaints from Donald Trump's children that they were unable to switch their party affiliation to vote in the Republican presidential primary on Tuesday, then with a complaint from Common Cause/NY that the closed primary system disenfranchises independent voters (link), and finally from Bernie Sanders saying essentially the same thing.

This, of course, is on top of the general discontent from Trump and Sanders supporters about the primary election process at large -- with Trump's supporters saying the system is rigged against their candidate by party insiders and Sanders' supporters saying Hillary Clinton's superdelegates give her an unfair advantage. Not to mention the alleged disenfranchisement of over 100,000 voters in Brooklyn on Tuesday.

And then you've got third-party candidates like Libertarian Gary Johnson complaining that the two-party system is destined to keep him and fellow third-partiers out in the cold come the general election. He is unlikely to be included in the presidential polls or debates.

Also, there is the oft-mentioned argument that the Electoral College can override the people's will, essentially robbing them of their right to vote.

They're all right. The election system is rigged. But it isn't rigged against Trump. Or against Sanders. Or even so much against third parties. It's rigged against you.

It's rigged against you on a federal level when the Congress fails to ensure some sort of equal protection for voting in a presidential primary. Each party in each state is left up to its own devices on how and when voting should take place for their candidates. Different parties have different systems and allow for voting on different days. Some states allow voter registration on the day of the election. Others -- like New York -- require party switchers to change their affiliation months in advance.

I'm all for states' rights and allowing each state to essentially govern itself. But when it comes to electing someone to a federal office, some Congressional oversight sure would be nice.

In New York, it is certainly rigged against you on a state level. The "closed" primary system that Sanders and Common Cause/NY complained about makes sense to me, personally. As a registered Libertarian, I don't think I should be allowed to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary. And I don't want to. Everyone has a party and they be part of that party. But I find it somewhat ironic that in a "fusion" state where a candidate can run on the Republican, Conservative, Independence, Liberal, Libertarian, Democrat, Working Families, and God-knows-what-else lines -- all at once, that we the voters would be limited. If my state Senator, Rob Ortt, can claim to be a member of the Republican, Conservative and Independence parties, why can't I? Why can't you?

And when it comes time for the Commission on Presidential Debates to come up with rules for the debates heading into the general election, the process is rigged against you in that they only want you to hear from their candidates. Yes, the commission has candidates. It is actually a nonprofit corporation controlled by the Democratic and Republican parties. It's in their best interest to keep the other candidates out. That's why the rules for inclusion are so stringent. You usually have to be polling at a certain percentage (usually about 10 percent) to be included. Of course, to poll at 10 percent, you have to be included in the poll -- and have name recognition. Which leads to ...

The media has rigged the system against you. For convenience (also known as laziness) sake, the media focuses almost exclusively on the two major parties and those parties' candidates. Someone like Gary Johnson is never going to get to 10 percent if there's no ink on him. No ink means no name recognition. Which means poor polling numbers. Which means no debates. And therefore no votes. Low voter turnout for third-party candidates then gives the media cover, allowing them to continue to ignore the candidates: "Why should we report on something no one cares about?"

To make a long story short, the system is rigged against you. It's a self-perpetuating problem fueled in part by malice (by Republicans and Democrats) and in part by laziness (by the media -- and frankly, the voters).

Let's fix it.

Scott Leffler is editor and publisher of All WNY News. Tweet him @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@allwnynews.com. 

This story was originally published on All WNY News. 

Welcome to All WNY News

Hey. Hi. How ya doin'. I'm Scott. Nice to meet you.

So I thought I should take a minute and introduce myself and this website that you're on since I'm polite and you were kind enough to come visit.

I'm a former newspaper reporter, editor and carrier; former radio talk show host and production director; former paint salesman, burger flipper and pizza delivery guy. I'm a current father, political junkie, technology aficionado, and news addict.

Most recently, I served as news editor for East Niagara Post, a website I co-published with my partner until recently when I decided to "go solo." In the 2 1/2 or so years I worked on that site -- I'm still working on it, by the way, just not as a partner -- I learned a few things about how this whole internet news thing works. That knowledge will come in handy as I grow All WNY News.

All WNY News is a companion site of sorts to a site I launched 10 years ago today, April 1, 2006. That site, All WNY Radio, has grown and shrunk and grown and changed hands and came back to me. It offers music from all of Western New York. Similarly, All WNY News will offer news from all of Western New York.

In short, I think people in the Buffalo and Rochester areas deserve better news than they're getting. They deserve more news, without click-bait headlines and half truths. They deserve "journalism," which has frankly been lacking in the media world for some time.

All WNY News is going to offer news, sports, features, the arts, events -- you name it -- in a timely manner -- and for free.

I've spent the last few weeks writing stories that no one has seen yet, save a few people in my inner circle who helped me to design the site and make decisions about its layout.

This is a group effort ... by a very large group. And that group is going to grow.

I don't want to continue to ramble (yeah I do, but I won't). So take a look around and let me know what you think. You can email me at scott.leffler@allwnynews.com or tweet me @scottleffler.

Thanks.

- Scott Leffler
- Editor
- All WNY News

This column was originally published on All WNY News. 

Obama executive order a sensible first step

Earlier this week, when President Barack Obama announced his executive order requiring more background checks on gun purchases, the responses were pretty typical. Democrats loved it. Republicans hated it.

We ran a pair of stories here on ENP stating just that. U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Gov. Andrew Cuomo came out in support of the initiative. Congressman Chris Collins and Sen. Rob Ortt released statements of their own opposing the plan.

Interestingly, most of the Facebook comments on the Gillibrand/Cuomo story came from people who disagreed with the Democrats' take, calling them "idiots." One person added, "Common sense tells us that the underlying cause of these mass shootings is 'gun free zones.'" Likewise, most of the comments on the story about Collins and Ortt, disagreed with them, calling them "out of touch." Maybe it's easier to be contrarian. I'm not sure.

Away from ENP, but still on Facebook, the topic is a hot-button issue, no doubt. I don't usually engage in political debate on Facebook but did so twice in the past few days on this very issue. Because, frankly, it's one I feel strongly about.

Thursday night, the president had a televised town hall on the topic, explaining his point of view and taking questions from the audience. The National Rifle Association was invited to discuss the topic at the event, but turned it down, instead choosing to tweet rebuttals to the president's statements with no fear of being asked difficult questions from President Obama or CNN moderator Anderson Cooper.

If you've read my column before or heard me in my radio days, you'll know I'm a huge proponent of the Second Amendment. In fact, I'm a "gun nut," according to most. Or rather, a "firearms nut," as I don't believe that the Second Amendment has anything to do with guns, really. It has to do with weapons in general. I believe that the intent of the founders was to allow the American people access to the same level of weaponry that the government has -- to keep that government in check. This includes bazookas, flamethrowers, tanks and atom bombs. The very same argument for the U.S. having atom bombs is the argument one could use for John Q. Public having one. "It's a deterrent." If our atomic bombs deter Russia from being stupid, "the people's" atomic bombs would deter Washington from the same.

But back to guns specifically. One of the things that the NRA tweeted during the townhall Thursday night was that "none of the president's orders would have stopped any of the recent mass shootings." That may or may not be true. But it's also true that none of the president's orders would have stopped a "law-abiding citizen" from buying a gun, which seems to be the NRA's whole point -- that Obama's executive order is an affront on the Second Amendment in that it would prevent "law-abiding citizens" from buying guns.

In fact, the main crux of the executive order is that felons are capable of buying guns, taking advantage of a loophole which allows basically anyone to buy a gun online or at gun shows. The majority of U.S. states do not require sellers at gun shows or online to be licensed. Since only licensed dealers must perform background checks, people who buy at gun shows and online can get one without a background check.

While it may be true that none of the mass shootings of the past seven years would have been prevented with this executive order in place, I don't know that as fact. I only know that the NRA says so. And then everyone who blindly follows the NRA parrots that statement.

The NRA said it turned down the town hall invitation because ".@POTUS doesn’t want an intellectually honest policy discussion. He wanted #NRA to be an audience member at his PR stunt. No thanks."

What a crock.

As I pointed out in a previous column, it's the NRA who doesn't want an honest policy discussion on the matter. And their adherents in the Republican Party make sure there isn't one. Rather than agreeing to even try to solve the issue of mass murder, they offer "thoughts and prayers" and move on.

Keep in mind, the executive order doesn't ban a single weapon. It doesn't take away anyone's guns. All it does is help to ensure that people who shouldn't have access to them, don't.

If the NRA, Chris Collins, Rob Ortt or anyone else can explain to me why felons, murders, rapists and domestic abusers "right to bear arms" trumps the safety of their past -- and future -- victims, I'll offer my apology. Otherwise, they should stand up and announce that they have no clue what they're talking about and have more respect for guns than for human life.

+Scott Leffler is pretty annoyed at the disingenuousness of the NRA and their cohorts. Feel free to disagree with him on Twitter @scottleffler or by email at scott.leffler@gmail.com.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.

Happy New Year -- good things to come

Another calendar year has come and gone and we begin anew, filled with the promise of change and the hope of perfection.

My hope for perfection lasted just a few short hours, as the second story I penned in 2016 had a glaring error -- in the headline, no less: "Today's foreacast: Mostly cloudy with a high near 31." You see that, right? In Friday's weather story? "Foreacast." Not a word. So with my first mistake out of the way quickly, I can throw aside the unattainable goal of perfection and work towards "pretty darn good," which isn't a bad goal, either.

Friday morning when I awoke from my slumber, I glanced at the daily email update and noticed the glaring error, fixed it, dusted off my shattered ego, and got right back to work, attending the inauguration ceremony for Lockport elected officials at the Historic Palace Theatre.

It was a nice ceremony, about the right length with a decent -- but not overwhelming -- amount of pomp and circumstance. Mayor Anne McCaffrey gave a speech. Other elected officials said a few words. Mike Niethe was sworn in as police chief and Pat Brady was officially sworn in as fire chief. The city attorneys were also sworn in. There was the pledge to the flag and the national anthem, sung -- as always -- by Pete Robinson. Afterwards there was punch and snacks. And later still, there was a fancy shindig held by city Democrats at the Kenan Center complete with tasty sandwiches, cake and Bloody Marys.

All-in-all, 2016 got off to a decent start. Now for the rest of it.

This is not going to be a column filled with resolutions; but plans, rather. Or plots, even. As I've been told, "It's better to plot than to plan. Plans fall through." I know this all too well.

East Niagara Post, which quietly celebrated its two-year-anniversary in November, plans plots to continue to grow, adding more contributors, more content, and more news.

We're starting right away with a brand new bi-weekly column (first and third Saturday of each month) penned by Dr. Scott Geise beginning today. Geise's column, a "series of historically relevant articles," will highlight local history, focusing largely on the Historic Lockport Mill Race. Geise previously published a column with the Lockport Union-Sun & Journal but came to us for this new series. We're glad to have him. He hopes (as do we at ENP) that the series of articles will promote the area and bring in some tourism dollars.

For those of you who prefer to stay indoors, we're also adding a cooking column. Also running every other week, the new column will be penned by my sister, Natilie Cavnar, an award-winning chef who graduated "most likely to succeed" from the Culinary Institute of America, Her column will run the second and fourth Saturday of each month beginning Jan. 9, and will feature recipes, "plus talk about culinary information, whether it be about seasonal food, GMO food, food allergies, and also offer a question-and-answer section as well."

The food allergy thing will be a particularly nice addition here for the staff at ENP as my partner, Heather Grimmer, is pretty much allergic to everything edible. No, really. At the Democatic celebration Friday, a couple people suggested I bring her back some food. But it all had wheat in it. Every. Single. Thing.

Heather was unable to attend due largely to her ongoing "allergy" of being the victim of a hit-and-run accident back in April. She continues -- eight months later -- to recover from her concussion, while being (at times quite visibly) irritated by the fact that it happened.

So after months of not being allowed to work -- doctor's orders -- Heather was given permission to return to light-duty ... just in time to put on her latest hat, that of owner of ART247, formerly Market Street Art Studios. In other words, the little amount of time she has to do work right now is being spent on that awesome endeavor.

If you missed the story about her taking over the immense former Western Block building, catch up here (link). And while the history is impressive, it's not nearly as cool as the future. Check out a rendering of Heather's plans for 247 Market St. here (link).

I'm proud of you, Hx.

East Niagara Post has called 247 Market St. home for a while now, sharing an office with Heather's other business, HG Design Studios. We'll continue to operate out of the building but are moving down the hall to our very own office.

Our new office, located in suite 205, will allow me more space, which will be very beneficial for our radio endeavors. We'll be adding a few new programs to East Niagara Radio to complement our current live broadcasts of Lockport Express hockey games and other live events. We're still hashing out details on those but keep your eyes here (and your ears on ENR) for announcements soon.

Okay -- so everything above is through the planning and development stage and simply awaiting implementation. The things below are more ideas that I'm working towards with no real date in mind -- other than "this year."

I'm hoping we can bring in another staff writer who will be able to take some of the day-to-day stuff off of my plate. Someone who can turn press releases into stories, who can write small features on upcoming events, and maybe write up police reports. This, in turn, will allow me more time to focus on my true love: politics.

In fact, I'm going to make a greater effort to attend local Common Council and County Legislature meetings. As much as I abhor meetings, I also abhor reading things I didn't already know about in the US&J and/or Buffalo News. Like it or not, sometimes those stupid meetings have real news in them.

In addition to the staff news writer, I'm hoping we'll be able to bring in beat writers to report news out of the four school districts we cover: Lockport, Newfane, Roy-Hart and Barker. Having one person dedicated to each school district will ensure that we stay ahead of the competition and help make ENP the only news source you need.

One other major addition I'm hoping for in 2016 is the addition of a sports writer to cover local sports. While I feel we do a bang-up job of covering the Lockport Express, the rest of our sports coverage is, admittedly pretty non-existent. In truth, though, that's kind of by design. Local sports is huge. And without a person dedicated to covering it, we couldn't do so adequately. Our philosophy before now has been that if we couldn't do something adequately, we didn't want to do it at all. My philosophy now is "let's get a person in here and get it done." Stay tuned.

Aside from everything above, we are constantly approached by people who want to contribute to ENP in some way or another. To them, I say, get ahold of us. Our new columns by Geise and Cavnar are coming in to reality because they both approached me and asked to contribute. They wanted to share their passion and realized that the Post was the best method of delivery. For others with a passion and no outlet, consider us. I'm always hoping to grow the family.

All these new plans plots require funding. Which is why we're happy to announce the return of Damien Brady as a sales consultant. He joins Simon Chavers, who was added to our sales team in mid-2015. If you own a local business, don't be surprised to find one of them at your doorstep. You're also officially invited to contact them and inquire about display and/or audio advertising.

Long story short (too late?), 2016 is going to be a great year for #TeamENP and we're excited about it. Expect more news, more sports, more radio, and just plain more East Niagara Post. We'll deliver it same as we always have -- via EastNiagaraPost.com and shared to Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Vine, Periscope, YouTube, and our ENP Mobile Android App. And to those of you who have been hoping for an iOS app, this is your year, too.

+Scott Leffler is (clearly) is not allergic to food. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@gmail.com. 

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.

Prayer alone is not enough

The cover of Thursday's New York Daily News caused quite a stir.

The bold white text of "God isn't fixing this" along with screen shots of tweets from a variety of Republicans offering their "thoughts and prayers" to the families of California shooting victims was, apparently, the most re-tweeted Daily News cover ever -- and for good reason.

The thought behind the cover was an excellent impetus for a discussion that this country needs to have in the wake of what seems like the latest of our daily mass shootings. The Daily News' point: "Why only pray when you can act?" They practically spelled it out with the subhead, "As latest batch of innocent Americans are left lying in pools of blood, cowards who could truly end gun scourge continue to hide behind meaningless platitudes."

Of course, some people either intentionally or unintentionally misconstrued the cover somehow as anti-religion ... or anti-Christianity ... or anti-prayer. I believe that some people genuinely saw it that way. I also believe others just wanted to argue, which seems to be the new great American pastime. Well, that and shooting innocent people.

Personally, I couldn't agree more with the Daily News. Not that there's anything wrong with prayer. But to only pray when you have the power to do so much more is an absolute abdication of that power. And the four men on the cover of the Daily News have the power to do more. They include U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin. Ryan is the Speaker of the House, Cruz and Paul are both presidential candidates. These are people with power.

To those pointing out that those calling these guys out are also guilty of praying: You're either missing the point or intentionally deflecting from it. They're not being called out for praying. They're being called out for only praying when they have the power to do a lot more. They could enact laws or increase funding to organizations that might help to decrease the gun violence. They could, at the very least, hold hearings to figure out what the real problem is and try to come up with a resolution on how to fix it. All four of these guys on the cover of the Daily News have the power to subpoena people and compel them to be part of the solution. They've used that power on other issues. Why only pray on this one?

When we were attacked on Sept. 11, 2001, a lot of this country prayed. And then we went to war, trying to root out the terrorists that hurt us. Not just the terrorists from that day, but their network. We went after the root of the problem -- or we tried to, at least. When someone tried to bring a shoe bomb on board an airplane, we prayed -- and then enacted to air safety regulations. When someone mailed anthrax to politicians and reporters, we prayed -- and then we tightened security. When someone shot civilians in Paris, we prayed -- and then we reviewed our policies on accepting refugees from Syria.

To make this clear, when people got shot in France, Republican politicians from sea to shining sea immediately wanted to review our security procedures for refuges. When people got shot in California -- or Colorado -- or Connecticut, those same politicians thought prayer was enough to fix things.

Now there's a very valid reason that these politicians don't want to discuss the root of the issue. They're afraid that they might then have to do something to fix it. To the point, they're afraid that the expert testimony they receive might conclude that there are too many guns in America -- and they might be pushed by their constituency to enact gun control measures. Or they're afraid that they'll find that mental health is the root of the problem -- and they'll be pushed to spend money towards that problem, something they don't want to do. So instead, they pray.

If you read that last paragraph as me suggesting we disarm the American people, you misread it. And you don't know me. I may be one of Niagara County's biggest proponents of the 2nd Amendment. In fact, I believe that if the U.S. government has access to any kind of arms, the people should have the same access. How else are we to defend ourselves from the possibility of a tyrannical government? But maybe we should be a little more careful with who we give those guns to ... and hold them accountable for what happens with them.

So, I'm not calling for gun control. But I am saying that we need a summit on the topic. After the Sept. 11, 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya, that killed four Americans, the U.S. House created a sub-committee to try to figure out what went wrong. That sub-committee has now spent more than $5 million in taxpayer money. After 14 people in San Bernardino, Calif. got shot on Wednesday, Republicans want only to pray.

Prayer alone isn't enough. Action is needed. It was right for the Daily News to call them out. It's a discussion this country needs to have. Unfortunately, the discussion was immediately twisted to make it sound like prayer was a bad thing. It was done intentionally by people who know better because they don't want to have the discussion. They'd rather argue. And while they argue, more innocent people will be killed.

+Scott Leffler wishes prayer were enough. But experience has taught him different. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@gmail.com. 

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.

Oh the (lack of) humanity

I can't believe we're even having this debate. More than that, I can't believe I seem to be in the minority on the issue -- and by a lot.

The issue over whether to accept Syrian refugees into the U.S. seems like it should be a foregone conclusion. People need help. We help people. Done. And done. It's practically the definition of America. We're "the good guys."

But not only does it not appear to be that simple, it would seem that those who think like me -- the minority, it would seem -- who believe that America should assist the tired, poor huddled masses yearning to breathe free, do so at the risk of alienating ourselves, being told we don't love America (or our own children), and being called "Muslim sympathizers" as though it's bad to sympathize for the plight of the refugees.

It's for the children, of course. Not the Syrian children, mind you. Screw them. No one cares about Syrian children. But we want to protect our own children ... from Syrian children.

Many comparisons have been made this past week between 2015 and 1939.

In 1939, America turned away Jews seeking asylum in the United States. We didn't believe their concerns to be real. We were still very isolationist at the time and we didn't want to involve ourselves in affairs that weren't our responsibility.

In 2015, we're turning away Syrian refugees. We are fearful that they're Isis agents in disguise, hellbent on destroying America from within. Of course, we're far from isolationists right now but we still seem to want to act that way when it suits our so-called interests.

I'm told that's a false comparison. I'm told that in 1939, we were ignorant. But that today we know what we're doing. That we know what we're talking about. That we have very good reason to refuse entry to 10,000 people who fled their homeland because that land no longer had homes for them to go to.

A week ago, according to various news reports, a man pretending to be a Syrian refugee -- or maybe he really was a Syrian refugee ... or maybe neither of those things -- was one of the perpetrators of the horrible acts of terrorism in Paris.

As all of Facebook changed its profile picture to superimpose a French flag over their selfies, Erie County Legislator Joseph Lorigo urged Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz to “reverse his stance on accepting Syrian refugees into Erie County." Erie County was slated to be the new home to some 300 refugees next year.

Lorigo may not have been the first to make the "refugee = potential terrorist" statement, but he was the first we heard locally. He was quickly followed by several governors and then the Niagara County Legislature, who voted Tuesday night to demand New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo work to block Syrian refugees from being allowed into New York State. Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to demand additional background checks on any refugee seeking asylum here.

All these things happened in less than a week. From the Paris attacks to Congressional legislation against Syrian refugees -- and a new issue to divide America.

I'd remind people that prior to Sept. 11, 2001, the largest terrorist attack ever committed on American soil was done so by a Niagara County native -- but I probably don't have to do that, right? It's a good thing that the rest of the country and world didn't take it out of all Niagara County natives, though, isn't it? I mean ... could you imagine if no one from Niagara County could go to Disney Land because one disgruntled sicko acted out?

And we know with 100 percent certainly that Timothy McVeigh was from Niagara County. French officials aren't even sure if the "Syrian refugee terrorist," who had a passport which said he was 25-year-old Ahmad Almohammad was Syrian. Or Ahmad Almohammad. Or 25. They do believe the passport to be fake, though.

In other words, we're banning 10,000 people from entering the country because one loon in Paris said he was in their same predicament. Ten thousand people who already have an 18-month to two-year wait to get into America now have more hoops to jump through because one guy claimed he was a Syrian refugee.

Imagine, if you will, that you're a terrorist hellbent on destroying America. Would you want to get into the "18- to 24-month wait" line? Or would you get your fake passport saying you were from another country ... not named Syria? We know Isis to be well-funded. They can get their fake passports from anywhere they want.

So again, we're denying refuge to 10,000 people based on an assumption that terrorists might use "Syrian refugee" on their resume when they can likely write any resume they wish.

Lorigo's statement frustrated me. The proclamations of 30 governors that they didn't want Syrian refugees disappointed me. But Tuesday's vote by the Niagara County Legislature sickened me. Frankly, I thought we were better than that. In fact, I thought the worst amongst us was better than that. The Facebook comments told me otherwise.

Then Thursday -- because I wasn't sick enough -- add to it all the plan by Donald Trump -- the GOP frontrunner for president -- to create a "Muslim database," force followers of the religion to carry special IDs and consider shutting down Mosques. Frankly, I'm wondering what year this is and what country I live in.

This is not the America I read about in history books. And it isn't the America I want my childrens' children to read about in history books. Be better than this. For the children. All of them

Somewhere between complaining about entitlements and declaring our president to be a "Muslim sympathizer," "the land of the free and the home of the brave" decided it isn't really interested in being either.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.

Atheist cups and safe zones

Normally my columns appear on Fridays -- when they appear at all. But since I've missed several over the last 18-or-so months, I figure a make-up Tuesday column is okay.

Today I'd like to tackle the two most important issues in the world right now. No, not terrorism and poverty. The atheist cups at Starbucks ... and press being denied access to the quad at the University of Missouri.

Let's discuss the latter first since it is a much bigger deal to me as a journalist.

Mizzou students, you committed the number one faux pas of dealing with the media: You allowed the media to make themselves the story. See, about 99 percent of people who refer to themselves professionally as "press" would be classified as megalomaniacal. So when mass communications professor Melissa Click asks for help getting rid of a photojournalist -- “Hey who wants to help me get this reporter out of here? … I need some muscle over here.” -- she shifted the story from your cause of crushing racism on campus to crushing those that would oppose the media.

Advice: Don't make enemies of people who "buy ink by the barrel" -- or their digital, audio or video counterparts.

On the topic of the evil red cups at Starbucks, my advice goes to the rabid fanatical delusional "Christians" who believe the move by the coffee company is just the latest liberal maneuver in the so-called "War on Christmas." Stop. Just stop. You're giving the rest of us non-crazy Christians a bad name. You're hurting our cause.

The red-cup controversy is Venti stupid for so many reasons.

First of all, Starbucks has never had "Christmas" cups. Starting in 2009, the "holiday" cups had Christmas ornaments on them that said "wish" and "hope." The following year, they had snowflakes on them and said "stories are gifts." In 2011, they featured a sledder. 2012 was met with a snowman. Christmas ornaments again adorned the cups in 2013. Last year, they were red with swishy shapes. And finally, just plain red this year. No baby Jesus. No wise men. No "Merry Christmas." Ever.

Secondly, if you need a Christmas-themed coffee cup to affirm your religion, you have much bigger issues than coffee. Enjoy your religion. Celebrate it. Share it if you choose. But don't force it on anyone. And stop whining that other people that don't participate in it are somehow engaged in a "war" against it -- especially if that war is in the form of a 20-ounce, $6.64 coffee cup. If they were really anti-Christian, they'd find a way to charge you two more cents. Or three less cents in Erie County where they're $6.69.

Third, to those of you who have decided to "show the man" by telling your minimum-wage earning barista that your name is "Merry Christmas," thereby getting a "Merry Christmas" cup, grow up. Your juvenile behavior is not going to turn that barista towards God. And it may result in your coffee having something extra added to it aside from the two pumps of caramel that you requested. To paraphrase Monty in the movie "Waiting," don't mess with the people that make your food.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:13. And I feel strongly that God would not be glorified by your idiocy.

We now return to your regular news already in progress.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.

We need to talk about guns

I have often described myself — somewhat in jest — as a crazy gun nut.

I have long believed that the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution entitles "We the People" to the finest of weaponry that money can buy. If the government can have automatic weapons, bazookas and tanks, then by golly, we should be allowed to, too.

This isn't satire. That's not hyperbole. I believe that the Second Amendment is about the only thing that assures that power can be returned to the people when government gets too big for its figurative britches. We're not going to be able to do that with muskets or pointy sticks so we'll need to stay on-par with whatever the armed forces are handing out.

But — and this is where it gets confusing for me — we have a serious gun problem in this country. My heart can't take whatever tragedy is going to happen at a community college, church or movie theatre next month. Too many people have lost their lives these past few years from senseless violence made possible from guns.

We live in a country where in order to get birth control, a woman has to get permission from her insurance company to get permission from her doctor to get permission from her pharmacist to get the birth control. But to get a gun, just show a photo ID and you're good.

We live in a country where to get psychological help, you have to get permission from your insurance company to get permission from your doctor to get a referral to a psychologist. Or shoot someone. You move to the front of the line if you shoot someone.

We live in a country where its harder to vote than to get a gun, where it's harder to get a college diploma than a gun — a high school diploma for that matter. Hell, some might even say it's harder to get a job than a gun. And I'm not talking about illegally obtaining a gun. I'm talking about getting one through legal means.

Of course, the NRA and the radical right will tell you that if you create any sort of gun control, that will only prevent honest people from legally obtaining guns. But all the criminals will still get theirs on the black market. And they're right.

But the same radical right has no problem outlawing abortion and pushing women to back-alley doctors with coat hangers, or outlawing drugs and creating an unregulated black-market drug industry that's currently destroying our youth.

So are laws good? Or bad? I can never tell with the right. Or the left for that matter.

I'll be completely honest with you: I'm flummoxed. I don't know what the solution is. The Second Amendment is good for the country. It's good for the people of this country. But raving lunatics with mommy issues, loner syndrome or blackened hearts having access to those guns is not good for the country.

So what do we do? Honestly, what is the answer?

I think it's time to dig Charlton Heston up and have a serious face-to-face with his cold, dead hand. I think it's time to drop the bravado and sit down and figure out what's really best for this country. Because there's no way anyone can think that another dozen dead college students next month is what's best for this country.

The Andrew Cuomos and Barack Obamas of the world are bound to pounce on Thursday's tragedy and try to make political hay of it. The Wayne LaPierres and Mitch McConnells of the world will say that "guns don't kill people, lunatics do." Or something like that.

So how about a compromise? How about we stop letting lunatics have guns? How about some sort of mental health test before people are allowed to purchase something that blasts a projectile at 1,700 miles per hour?

Sure the lunatics will still be able to get the guns from the black market. Just like every American is capable of breaking every law if they really want to. Just because people speed down Transit Road doesn't mean they should do away with the speed limit, does it? (although they should ... and that's a topic for another day)

I'm not saying ban. I'm saying discussion. A serious one. Starting today. Now, even. Comment on this column to get involved.

***

As a completely unrelated side note, I'd like to tip my East Niagara Post baseball cap to the men and women on the Lockport Police and Fire departments for the fine work they did Sunday night.

Both departments responded in force to the report of a male who had jumped into the Erie Canal. LPD officers Mike Stover and Toby Trowbridge met and exceeded their job descriptions of protecting and serving when they clung to the male and to the canal's south wall, keeping him afloat for nearly an hour. LFD Chief Pat Brady and crew assisted admirably in the effort, providing lighting, manpower and supplies.

I had an interesting conversation with LPD Chief Larry Eggert the afternoon following the rescue. At the time, he had yet to hear the name of the man he helped save. And during the rescue, he was so focused on what was going on in the canal that he didn't realize there were 100 people watching from the Big Bridge.

To those folks on the Big Bridge who spontaneously applauded when the young male was pulled into the rescue boat, thank you. You restored some of my faith in humanity. And you probably also made those from LFD and LPD remember — if only for a minute — why they chose the line of work they did.

+Scott Leffler is no longer a crazy gun nut. Gun nut, yes. Crazy, yes. But no longer shall the twain meet. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@gmai.com.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post. 

Religious litmus test makes no sense

Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker exited the race on Monday, having come to the conclusion that he was wasting everyone's time and his donors' money.

For a while, though, it was Ben Carson who was on the ropes and several Muslim organizations were demanding his exit. Even Texas Sen. Ted Cruz got a few good licks in on Carson.

For those of you who missed the kerfluffle — or who don't pay attention to politics — here's how it went down: Carson was on Meet the Press on Sunday, where he declared that a Muslim does not belong in the White House, calling Islam "inconsistent with the values of America" and saying some Muslim beliefs are in direct opposition of the Constitution.

“Muslims feel their religion is very much a part of your public life and what you do as a public official, and that’s inconsistent with our principles and our Constitution," Carson said.

Reminds me of a certain county clerk in Kentucky who's getting high fives from some GOP candidates for putting her Christianity above her job.

There was a time in our country when people were afraid of a Catholic being elected president. They worried that John F. Kennedy's religion would not play well with his duties as president. Now, Catholics are fine. Well, unless you're the Pope. But that's another matter altogether.

I have a feeling that Ben Carson may not have read the Bible. Or maybe he's not Christian. Or something. Because the Bible makes it pretty clear that God's law supersedes that of any government. Kind of like that lady in Kentucky keeps telling everyone.

That would mean that if Muslims are exempt from running for the presidency, Christians should be as well. And Jews. Probably Hindus. And just about any other organized (or disorganized as the case often is) religion.

Oddly enough, most elected officials in the United States swear an oath on the Bible that they will uphold the Constitution and any laws in whatever jurisdiction they're serving in. This despite the Constitutional ban on the establishment of a state-sponsored religion.

Odder still, the book that they're swearing on directly opposes many laws that they're swearing to uphold. It's like taking a blood oath that you'll never cut your thumb. It's wholly illogical.

And yet, Ben Carson — and 99.99 percent of politicians, I would imagine — has no perceived problem with Christians running for office. Just Muslims.

While I disagree with Carson's position, I equally disagree with those demanding he get out of the race for having said position. Every candidate has positions people disagree with them on. If they want to remove him from the race, the proper way to do it is at the ballot box.

Worth noting: Ben Carson's poll numbers are up since making the statement. Two national polls released this week show him a solid second in the GOP race at either 18 or 17 percent, depending on the poll. Donald Trump, whose religion is money, still leads the pack.

+Scott Leffler avoids talking about politics and religion at the dinner table. But he thoroughly enjoys it in his column. Tweet him at @scottleffler or email him at scott.leffler@gmail.com.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post. 

If you can't do your job, get a new one

Have you heard the story of the poor persecuted Christian woman in Kentucky, jailed for believing in God?

I guess that would depend on where you get your news because that seems to be how the lunatic fringe of the Republican Party is taking the arrest of Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, charged with contempt of court for refusing to follow a federal judge's order that she issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Davis' take on the matter is that same-sex marriage goes against her religious beliefs and as such she feels she shouldn't have to issue same-sex marriage licenses. It's not all that different from pharmacists who want to be able to not disburse birth control for the same reason. Or public grade school teachers who want to teach the alphabet without using the letter R.

Let that sink in. Because, really, it's exactly like public grade school teachers who want to teach the alphabet while ignoring the letter R. The letter R is very much part of the job. And if their religious beliefs prevent them from doing their job, then they should get a new one.

Imagine, if you will, someone getting a job at an adult video store and then refusing to rent anyone adult videos because it goes against their beliefs. Or a waiter at a restaurant who would gladly bring chicken and beef to the diners but refused to allow his tables to order pork of any kind ... for religious reasons. How long do you think those people would be employed? And do you think they'd be made into martyrs? I have a feeling they wouldn't.

I fear that one of the more deranged of the Republican candidates for president will mention this woman's name as a running mate. Or at least that someone in their camps will bring it up.

Of course, Davis is famous because we — the media — made her so. And sadly, I'm not helping the matter by discussing it here in my column. But I have a job to do. And I do it. Novel concept.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post. 

Fast-food wage debate is misguided at best

We’re being played.

Whether we want to believe it or not, this nation is divided into the haves and the have-nots. There are other divisions, of course — by race, religion, sexuality, political preference, etc — but it’s the haves and the have nots I’m talking about today.

Never before has so much of this nation’s wealth been consolidated by so few people. And the rest of us, the so-called 99 percent, are fighting over the rest, arguing over who among us deserves the bigger crumb.

Earlier this week, a wage control board voted to endorse a plan that would allow fast-food workers in New York a minimum wage of $15 per hour by 2021. This resulted in nearly everyone who doesn’t work in fast food to complain, often with the argument that “my job doesn’t pay $15 an hour, why should their's?”

Many arguments I’ve seen over the past few months have actually been related to military pay and suggesting that since being in the military is more difficult and life threatening, fast food workers should basically pay McDonald's for the privilege of working. (Undoubtedly unpopular side note: Military service is volunteer. Every single person serving currently chose to do so. If you don't want to risk your life for 72 cents an hour, Taco Bell is hiring.)

Some have legitimate economic concerns. They’re afraid of what that $15 an hour will do to inflation. Or they’re afraid that the more capable people will flee their non-fast-food jobs to go sling burgers, opting to make more money than they can in the industry they currently work in, decimating other businesses and leaving them with an unskilled workforce.

Then, of course, there is sheer classism. Not financial-based classism, mind you. Rather a perception of class based upon what people do for a career. Obviously, you’re better than so-and-so because they work at Burger King and you work for … whoever.

I’ve long spoke of a belief that everyone should work in fast food — or at least customer service — at some point in their lives. I’ve seen too many jerks yell at people in hats because they assumed that their job was easy … and that they were better than them. I’m not talking about the 1 percenters, either. I’m talking about the people with the larger crumbs.

Now these people with the larger crumbs are worried that the low-life slob fast-food workers might inch closer to them financially.

Meanwhile, while we’re fighting over the crumbs and arguing over whose job is harder and more deserving of paying a living wage, the real captains of privilege unload wheelbarrows of cash and gold onto their private yachts and float them off to island nations with no taxes, thumbing their noses at the rest of us along the way.

If this whole ordeal were a movie script, they’d be the ones who incite the riot then empty the bank of its contents while police are busy stopping looters from stealing color TVs. By the time we find out what really happened, it’s too late.

Of course, this isn't a movie. And it’s not yet too late. But it’s getting there. And we’re squabbling over crumbs.

In case no one ever told you this, your neighbor being poor doesn’t make you rich. A burger flipper struggling to pay his bills doesn’t pay your mortgage. And just because someone has a cookie doesn’t mean you can’t have a cookie too.

This is America, for Christ's sake. We can make more cookies. More burgers. More money. You don’t need to be envious of someone else’s.

That envy or anger or whatever it is you have against your fellow crumb eater has been manufactured by the people with the whole pie. They’re playing us. And we’re falling for it.

+Scott Leffler congratulates fast-food workers on their raise. He just asks that they spend that extra money they're going to have wisely. And more important, locally. Follow Scott's fast-food eating habit on Twitter @scottleffler.

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post. 

239 years of freedom and other stuff

Someone on Facebook made a joke last week that it looked like a war broke out between the Confederates and a Skittles factory. It was funny because it was true.

Half of Facebook, it seemed, were upset about the continued existence of the Confederate flag ― but happy that the Supreme Court acknowledged gay marriage. The other half were upset about the continued existence of homosexuals but happy that the state of South Carolina acknowledged their white rights. I'm not sure why it seemed to break down in that manner, but it did.

I don't support an outright ban on the Confederate flag, but I don't think it should be flown on state capitol buildings. And I don't think it should be part of any state flags — I'm looking at you, Mississippi. I also don't want to spend any time with people that fly it off their pick'em'up trucks or in front of their homes. And I sure wouldn't do business with anyone flying one at their business. People have a right to be jerks. But it doesn't require me to deal with them.

In my opinion, the argument that the Confederate flag is part of our history and should be respected is hogwash. There are many parts of our history that we should be smart enough to be ashamed of and not celebrate. And there's a great deal of debate how significant a part of our history that flag was. I wasn't there so I don't know. But what I do know is that for millions of people, that flag stands for racism. It means the bearer thereof is racist. I doubt that's the case 100 percent of the time, but I'd rather not wear or display something that's widely interpreted as racist.

To catch up: The Confederate flag should not be on any state property. But if private citizens want to wave it, they should feel free as long as they know they message their conveying and then also understand that a large percentage of America will want nothing to do with them.

But let's not play a game of revisionist history, OK? Sometimes too far is just too damn far. And some people went too far.

The Dukes of Hazzard? Really, TV Land? You pulled the Dukes of Hazzard because there's a Confederate flag on the General Lee? That's just too far. The Dukes of Hazzard was one of a handful of shows I grew up being forced to watch that I didn't hate.

Sure, it took place in Georgia, the epicenter of racism. But the show itself wasn't racist. In fact, it held some pretty good morals. We need more shows like it today. And yes, the Confederate flag's prominence in the show is unfortunate 30 years later. But it's not reason enough to pull the show. You went too far, TV Land.

Speaking of going too far, the other side of this so-called debate goes too far, too. I've seen some insane examples of the lunatic fringe on the gay-rights side of things, too. Images depicting Jesus as a homosexual, for example. A proposal to replace the American flag with a cross-breed of the gay pride flag. And those examples have turned a lot of would-be supporters off from the gay rights movement.

Again, those who spread such images have a right to do so. The First Amendment allows them that. But as is often the case when people claim First Amendment rights, I'd suggest they look four amendments down and find their "right to be silent."

But on the eve of our 239th birthday, I would suggest that's one of the great things about our nation: We have a right to be absolute jerks. And we also have a right not to deal those we find to be jerks. It would seem that people are fully exercising those rights today.

Now enough with the lecture. Let's get out there and enjoy the weekend.

+Scott Leffler proudly displayed the rainbow flag on his Facebook profile picture for about 24 hours before getting bored with it. Then he watched Dukes of Hazzard and sang along to Creedence Clearwater Revival. Follow him on Twitter @scottleffler. 

This column was originally published on East Niagara Post.