Common sense and nonsense are both here in Austin. Common sense is a welcome resident while nonsense is an occupier that doesn’t belong. Common sense needs to be celebrated and encouraged while nonsense should not be tolerated or ignored.
Common sense tells you that since land cannot be manufactured, it is thereby a limited and extremely valuable resource. Nonsense encourages you to continue to misuse that resource as if there won’t be a consequence. Common sense tells you that if there are things you need to survive, you will perish without them. Nonsense tells you to wait for someone else to provide it and if you perish in the meantime, oh well!
Common sense says that a community filled with businesses that are owned and operated by residents of that community will contribute to the vibrancy of that community. Just look at 26th street for the Mexicans and New Town for the gays. Nonsense is contributing to the economic welfare of those who don’t live here as if their prosperity will rub off on you.
Common sense says if you teach a man to fish, you’ll feed him for a lifetime. Nonsense says give a man a fish and then train him to ask for another one.
Common sense says that since politics affects everything you do in this life, you must be a part of it. Nonsense tells you to ignore it and it will just “go away.”
Common sense tells you that if your child cannot read this column, and they are in the sixth grade, your child has a problem. Nonsense says to do nothing as if an educated mind is something that they will just grow into.
Common sense says that, to control your own destiny, you must be the driving the car. Nonsense says to sit in the rear and accept any destination to which you are driven.
Common sense says you should join an existing organization and use it to be the vehicle to take you where you need to go. Nonsense says to form another new organization that duplicates what 10 others are already doing just so you can add to the congestion.
Common sense says that the news they keep reporting on black men freed from prisons for crimes they did not commit is proof positive that racism in the justice system is alive and well. Nonsense is a community that just doesn’t give a damn.
Common sense leads you to fight an injustice. Nonsense has you doing nothing as if that will “keep you safe.”
Common sense says a criminal should be punished for his/her crime. Nonsense is the belief that one kind of criminal is better than the other.
Common sense says a black person with a felony drug conviction should have the opportunity to get a job after serving their time in jail. Nonsense is to do nothing about the unemployment rate for those with felonies while supporting the plight of people who are here illegally.
Common sense says that if our aldermen are calling us “impoverished” and “blighted,” then they should go to Washington and bring back at least $40 million in poverty funds to help us out. Nonsense is to allow our community to stay labeled so others can come here and take that much money from the community.
Common sense says that one person is just a soldier while many people can make up an army. Nonsense is to sit back and never join that soldier, leaving him/her to always fight alone.
Common sense and Nonsense are both here in Austin and taking sides. The question is, which side are YOU on?
? E-mail me: westside2day@yahoo.com
