Thanksgiving is not my favorite holiday. I don’t think this bird needs to explain why. However, I’m welcoming it this year. Not for the turkey but for the food, and for the opportunity to divert people’s attention toward all the reasons to be thankful this season. It’s always good to be thankful and appreciate the good that surrounds us, but with so much anger right now, it’s especially needed.
People seem to be angry about pretty much everything. Laugh at a silly political joke and people will assume you are “one of them,” meaning someone with opposing political views. But hey, maybe you just appreciate a good joke. Try to be open-minded and see another side of an issue and you get the
same reaction.
In the course of my reporting I’ve received some seething feedback from readers of all opinions, and it amazes me how someone can not just have a difference of opinion, but actually express hatred toward you because of it. I’ve been called names and had my intellect questioned. I’ve been wrongly accused of supporting this view or that opinion, simply because I’ve expressed empathy for an opposing side of an issue. So I’m excited to shift my focus and give thanks.
What I’m thankful for this season—and I want to say this because I don’t think they get enough thanks—is our law enforcement officers.
Not only are they having to deal with civil unrest all over the country, but here at home they continue to do the small things like keeping the roads safe. Representatives of the Santa Maria Police Department just announced they received a $293,000 grant, and that they have started enforcement operations to increase pedestrian safety. During the operations, officers will identify drivers creating safety hazards for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as educate bicyclists on how to also obey the rules of the road. According to Chief Ralph Martin, police have investigated 300 vehicle-versus-pedestrian collisions in the past three years. Maybe it’s not breaking up a riot, but it’s definitely a job that hits me where I live. After all when I’m not winging it, I like to walk—and I’ve even been known to ride a bike from time to time.
Local law enforcement recently spoke up to quell some fears that have been gripping a large segment of the population. In a press release, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Bill Brown said that the immigrant community shouldn’t think that they will be deported for simply reporting a crime or being the victim of a crime. He added, though, that his office will continue to cooperate with authorities when it comes to “determining the status of criminal aliens.”
In a written statement, Lompoc Police Chief Pat Walsh addressed similar concerns with comments that echoed Brown’s. He said his department doesn’t have the “authority, intention, or the resources to enforce immigration laws.”
While that might not be a strong enough statement to assuage the anger of some who vehemently oppose the presence of undocumented immigrants, I think it was a pretty clear statement, and a wonderful way to reach out to a segment of the community that has a lot of questions and fears right now. No one has said that people who commit crimes won’t be dealt with appropriately. However, local law enforcement simply doesn’t have the resources to identify and round up people who are in this country illegally. Their job is to protect everyone in the community regardless of their status.
The Canary will enjoy a quinoa lentil loaf for Thanksgiving while counting her blessings. Send comments to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Nov 24 – Dec 1, 2016.
