I generally shy away from commenting on national politics. Occasionally however, when I witness something so egregious, I feel compelled to share my observations.
Leave it to retired neurosurgeon/presidential candidate Dr. Ben Carson to come up with what 35 percent of America will view as a totally irrelevant question for members of the mainstream news media intent on digging any fleck of dirt on him from beneath 50-year-old rugs.
By now, we've all learned of the flap over whether Carson, as a 17-year-old in 1960s Detroit, was actually offered a scholarship to West Point by Gen. William Westmoreland, or if it was simply an informal reference by the general to a young black man with so much obvious potential as an Army officer. Carson in his book Gifted Hands contends the general did extend such an opportunity should Carson choose to apply.
But Carson chose to go in a different direction and wound up as a respected pediatric brain surgeon who one day would receive our nation's Presidential Medal of Freedom.
My problem with Carson is how difficult he was on those poor media types who were hounding him at a press conference over his questionable definition of "scholarship" and an attempted stabbing incident during his teen years apparently later confirmed by his mother.
Carson actually had the audacity to suggest these diligent, hard-nosed investigative reporters were digging for every nit possible to use as smear material against him.
Can you believe that? Why, those reporters never mentioned any possible potential criminal behavior like, oh, perhaps once ripping a tag from a mattress, or maybe once failing to purchase a pet license, or any speeding tickets. In that respect I'd say, if anything, those diligent members of the Fourth Estate cut the good doctor some slack.
Then Carson leapt wildly over the edge by repeatedly asking those seasoned media veterans why, during President Barack Obama's campaigning and subsequent seven years in office, they'd not dug into why Obama's records as a student at Columbia University have remained sealed from public view. "Why are his records sealed? ... Can somebody tell me why?" Carson asked. He had the audacity to repeatedly pose such questions. He even persisted in wanting to know why they'd never publicly asked that question of Obama, much less published any answers.
Can I possibly blame these men and women of a supposed watchdog press for taking offense at such blatantly embarrassing questions?
After all, what, some might ask in the name of honesty and integrity, does sealing Obama's student records have to do with his position as our democratically elected president and leader of the free world? Why ask him such a humiliating question, even during his time as a candidate? Do we need to know such things?
Carson should realize that learning whether he was offered an opportunity to apply to West Point, or a so-called scholarship to the military academy should he apply, is critical to reporters, editors and producers of the national mainstream networks and metropolitan papers. That sort of information for them is far more relevant than what the elected president did or did not do in his collegiate years at Columbia. Looky here now, these mainstream media people know what they're doing without being questioned by some neurosurgeon candidate for president, for gosh sakes. They are the watchdog defenders of the people's right to know ... right?
Elm Springs wind
Well, it appears that controversial 311-acre wind farm on the westernmost outskirts of little Elm Springs is riding the political breezes toward reality.
The community's planning commission recommended rezoning those acres despite protests from at least a dozen residents who spoke out, saying they don't want to see Elite Industries partner with Dragonfly Industries International to erect the state's first wind farm there.
The opposition, "Stop the Elm Springs Wind Farm," has pledged to continue resisting the plan after dropping a lawsuit in favor of collecting signatures to put this wind-farm idea on the ballot.
Those opposed believe the wind farm would create noise, be harmful to wildlife, affect health, decrease land values and wouldn't be compatible with the community. Proponents say it will help the local economy and help put Elm Springs on the map in a positive way.
So what's next in the steadily growing town now approaching 2,000 residents? The Elm Springs City Council that will vote to accept or reject the planning commission's unanimous recommendation to rezone for the proposed farm.
Mayor Harold Douthit made no bones in Christie Swanson's news story about the planning commission's actions, saying he's heard all the arguments (I call it hot air) involving the project and doesn't expect any discussion between now and the council meeting on Monday.
If the farm gets voted down, the property will revert to agriculturally zoned. This concept of this wind farm has been debated since early spring. Be interesting to see how the council goes and whether citizens can collect enough signatures to get the matter on the ballot.
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Mike Masterson's column appears regularly in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Email him at [email protected].
Editorial on 11/14/2015