Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

All I needed was an excuse, someone to emerge from the shadows and into the light of my flashlight to attack me. I fantasized about this – I even prayed for it – so that I could defend my family. And if I needed to use deadly force…So be it.

There I was one hot summer night, walking around my block, not to mention searching our utility easement and other nooks and crannies, along with my brother-in-law with a flashlight in hand and covered in sweat and mosquitoes. My wife, mother, sister and niece had all received death threats via text messages that evening – in some cases even warning not to step outside lest they be shot and killed – from a deranged 17-year-old Rio Hondo High School student, a girl who has taken the term “fatal attraction” to a whole new level. This teenager was arrested on two counts of phone harassment for threatening via text to kill and to eat the organs of my niece, also a 17-year-old RHHS student. Then, to make matters worse, the suspect gained access, admittedly through school records, to my family’s cell phone numbers. Obviously, it didn’t take long for the rest of us to be subjected to similar threats.

Some days we received bomb threats from the suspect, prompting RHHS authorities in at least one case to release students early, and other times we witnessed the suspect traveling in different vehicles outside our home, following us while on the road and even parked from afar in a not-so-subtle attempt at being inconspicuous. She’s almost always accompanied by her boyfriend, who has recently threatened to rape, kill and burn my niece. I guess I could have simply referred to him as a coward just now, especially since he has yet to threaten any of the men in my family.

So how did this all start? Well, it began as a simple high school dispute, or drama, if you will. You see, the suspect started bullying my niece during the summer of 2012 because she, my niece, was dating her would-be attacker’s ex-boyfriend. Case closed, right? Consider first that when my niece began receiving text messages from the suspect, some of which read that she’d cut my niece’s fingers off and “eat them like French fries,” she laughed and even mocked her tormentor. The only problem is that this was no ordinary high school drama but a legitimate cause for concern.

Pulling my niece’s emergency contacts to increase the scope of the suspect’s threats, sending in just three weeks’ time over 2,000 text messages, stalking us and even taking responsibility for breaking into our home were enough incidents to lend credence to an investigation, an arrest warrant and eventually the apprehension of the suspect responsible for these crimes.

What infuriates me is why the San Benito Police Department, the arresting agency in this case, was the first to take any action. Understand that this case was initially reported to Rio Hondo ISD officials, including school district police and high school faculty, in January 2013 yet little has been done since. Meanwhile, SBPD needed just two weeks to make an arrest.

What gives, Rio Hondo? All I’ve heard in response to our concerns have been excuses as to why RHISD authorities can take no action: 1.) You lack resources; 2.) The suspect couldn’t possibly be responsible because she’s in the high school band and therefore a “good kid;” 3.) There’s no proof.

I don’t know, perhaps I’m being too hard on these folks and should accept the fact that RHISD police officers are not equipped to conduct actual police work; that students who are in the high school band receive immunity from investigation and that phone records and a taped admission of guilt don’t necessarily qualify as proof.

Then again, maybe laziness is the real culprit. As I understand it, one of the phone numbers used by the suspect to send us threatening texts is also associated with past bomb threats, more notably dating back to a 2012 incident. That alone suffices the need for an internal investigation into Rio Hondo ISD police, high school staff and administrators regarding these matters and more. Their gross inaction has helped place my family in danger and God knows who else before us, not to mention leaving our personal information exposed to your students. I’m looking for answers, Rio Hondo. It’s in your best interest that you provide them sans resistance.

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

It was 3:18 a.m. Wednesday when I heard the press run the mid-week issue’s B section – one part of our special edition dedicated to the San Benito Lady ’Hounds’ trailblazing, history-making, awe-inspiring bid for a state championship.

Exhausted after editing, naming and laying out nearly 1,000 senior photos from five area high schools to complete our annual Graduation Magazine, not to mention the Business Roll of Honor, it would have taken a miracle Tuesday to revive an already weary crew at the San Benito News long enough to crank out our flagship publication. But this is exactly what the Lady ’Hounds represent to all of us: a miracle.

Consider that for one week, the state of Texas knew the city of San Benito not for its controversies or politics, not for its scandals involving the community’s highest-ranking officials, not for its crime and definitely not for its poverty. For one week, San Benito was the home of the Lady ’Hounds – proud state tournament qualifiers who shook 5A softball to its core by knocking out perennially powerful San Antonio schools and even overcoming legal attempts to prevent them from advancing further into the playoffs. Nothing could stop this team. Nothing did stop this team, because regardless of the state semifinal outcome on Friday the Lady ’Hounds had long secured a victory for San Benito and the Rio Grande Valley as the area’s first team to reach such heights.

Nobody “up north” can look down on us anymore without first remembering the little team in purple and gold that won the sporting world’s respect. A championship will come later.

Still, I don’t think I truly grasped the significance of what the girls accomplished until I explained the situation to an outsider.

Wednesday afternoon, operating on just a few hours sleep, I made a phone call to a colleague in Louisiana to apologize for not being available earlier in the week. You see, the two of us were working on a project together that required constant communication, and it had been several days since I last contacted her.

“There was Memorial Day,” I began to explain, “and then we decided to run a Special Lady ’Hounds Edition…”

Intrigued, she stopped me mid-sentence and inquired, “Who are these Lady ’Hounds and why are they so special?”

“Well,” I said with a sigh, “the Lady ’Hounds are San Benito’s High School softball team, and they’re special because they recently defeated the defending 4A state champs to advance to the 5A state tournament. It’s the first time any team from our area has ever made it this far.”

“Oh, so it’s an underdog story,” she gathered. “I love underdog stories.”

“Not exactly,” I responded. “This team represents something much more profound than some David vs. Goliath storyline. They represent hope – hope that with the swing of a bat, with a single pitch or a sacrifice bunt, a city’s sins can be washed away. Even if it’s just for one week, it would mean that we’re more than the mistakes we’ve made in the past, and that’s something everyone can get behind.”

“And it’s not just San Benito,” I continued. “Other neighboring communities have also been inspired by the Lady ’Hounds’ refusal to be intimidated when playing those bigger, badder and supposedly more talented teams. In fact, that will most likely be this team’s legacy. Simply put, the Lady ’Hounds have – in a way – changed how we view ourselves. They’ve solidified our worth.”

Silence on the other end of the line turned into a slight whimper as my colleague admitted that I had moved her to tears.

It’s good to know that people can still be moved by this small town and its citizens.

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

The events that transpired in San Benito this week exhibited the best and the worst of what this community has to offer. It appeared as though one day we were all jumping for joy in celebration of another appearance of the San Benito Lady ’Hounds in the Elite Eight regional finals, and the next day many of us wished we lived in a different city when the fallout of Antonio G. Limón’s suspension as San Benito CISD Superintendent of Schools was nearly too much to stomach.

It suffices to say that there are some despicable and outright disgusting people in this town. Make no mistake, I don’t have a problem stating as much especially when considering the mean-spirited and downright vile things said about Limón, his daughter, SBCISD Board President Yliana Gonzalez and other trustees involved in Thursday’s 4-3 vote to place Limón on paid administrative leave.

Still, my question to the school board is no longer why the majority – four trustees that includes Gonzalez, Vice President Julian Huerta and his sister and fellow trustee Fatima Huerta as well as Secretary June Aguilera – suspended the superintendent. After all, Limón decided to divulge as much to the San Benito News on Friday based on the advice of his attorney. What remains to be seen is whether or not citizens believe that Limón attempted to obstruct the online solicitation of a minor investigation into former Berta Cabaza Middle School Choir Director Alfredo Hernandez, Jr. – as the now ex-superintendent informed was the allegation levied against him by the board and the cause for his suspension.

What I’m curious about is why these trustees couldn’t foresee the backlash that would accompany Limón’s sudden ousting, and if it was indeed expected (unless they forgot where they lived) did the board do its best to avoid it by opting for an amicable split? One way or another, the handling of this situation was a massive failure that has further incited an already-divided community on a scale not seen since…well, since the last superintendent was fired.

For argument’s sake, let’s just say the super’s suspension was warranted and has been for some time. Options available to school board members largely depend on the language in said administrator’s contract, not to mention the remainder of the term. Oh yeah, the pay is kind of important too, especially for a poor school district. Ya know…

Anyway, after taking these very practical matters into consideration and deciding whether it’s a matter worth addressing immediately or once the contract expires, school board members would then consult their attorney and eventually engage in severance package negotiations or a separation agreement of some sort with the unwanted superintendent. It may also be important that the outgoing employee help with the new administration’s transition.

In a perfect world, maybe.

But San Benito ain’t perfect, nor does it claim to be. Still, that doesn’t mean chaos should ensue. If waiting a week meant giving Limón the opportunity to hand his daughter her diploma at graduation and saving the board from the horrible fate of being branded bullies who victimized the poor superintendent and his daughter, then do it. Unless the man is under investigation for committing a crime of some sort and his mere presence puts the district in immediate danger, it’s difficult not to believe that this was personal.

I’m not necessarily agreeing with the notion that Limón’s suspension was as a result of a vendetta against him by the board majority. I’m merely pointing out the fact that this is how it looks. As leaders of an institution tasked with the education of the community’s children, setting the right example means everything. Considering as much, I’d like to conclude this with my own evaluation of the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees: Ladies and gentlemen, it’s your duty to represent the district in a manner that advocates success, professionalism and transparency. In that regard, you have thus far failed miserably.

Thank God for the Lady ’Hounds. Were it not for the softball team, there’d be little to cheer about in San Benito.

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

High school sports in the Rio Grande Valley, or anywhere, really, can be an unfortunate business. Some of the more despicable acts include coaches who taunt players and unruly fans who decide that the best way to express themselves is by lashing out, and sometimes even rioting. The line between passion and poor taste, however, is often blurred, especially when two proud programs go head to head with their playoff lives on the line.

Enter the Eagle Pass Lady Eagles and their head softball coach, Oscar Ruiz. After falling to the number seven state-ranked San Benito Lady Greyhounds by a score of 2-0 on Saturday, May 11, the Eagle Pass Independent School District Board of Trustees placated the heavily vexed Lady Eagles contingent, presumably led by Ruiz as he was among the more animated persons who expressed disapproval of the manner in which his team was eliminated, by taking their plight to the courtroom.

Specifically, Eagle Pass ISD school board members unanimously approved the authorization of their legal counsel to file an application for injunction challenging the Lady ’Hounds’ victory. Their beef? Well, that’s where it gets a little sticky.

San Benito and Eagle Pass were originally scheduled to play a best-of-three softball playoff series in Laredo to decide who would advance to the regional semi-finals. But after the Lady ’Hounds were up 2-0 during the sixth inning of Game 1, the contest was suspended due to the threat of lighting in the area. Games 2 and 3 (if needed) were scheduled the next day before Game 1 was to be completed. The only problem is that both teams were informed of the following change in plans: Citing UIL rules stipulating that three games cannot be played in one day as well as a suspended playoff game requiring completion the following day with the winner advancing, officials instructed coaches and players from San Benito and Eagle Pass that the winner of Game 1 would move on to the Sweet 16. All the Lady ’Hounds needed was six more outs, and they got them.

Just like that, San Benito had for the fifth time scored a Sweet 16 appearance by defeating the Lady Eagles, 2-0, and began preparations for taking on the number two state-ranked San Antonio O’Connor Lady Panthers in a one-game playoff. Eagle Pass folks, meanwhile, were livid. And I can understand why.

Consider Lady ’Hounds Head Softball Coach Elias Martinez, for instance. You see, Martinez expressed concern during Eagle Pass’ legal maneuvering; after all, his team was largely unaware of who to prepare for, the Lady Eagles or Lady Panthers. In fact, up until about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, less than five hours away from playing in one of the biggest games of their careers, the Lady ’Hounds had yet to hear of a judge’s decision on the matter.

The ruling eventually came, and it was in San Benito’s favor. The rest is history.

For the reasons that Martinez gave, as far as the matter serving as a distraction, I can see why people from Eagle Pass were upset. They had prepared for a three-game series and were forced to scrap those plans at the last minute. With only an inning and a half of play left on Saturday, there was little they could do to change their fate.

Still, as we’ve noted in previous articles, San Benito earned the victory. The Lady ’Hounds scored two runs and Eagle Pass didn’t. While the series of events that occurred on Saturday affected both squads equally, it was the Lady ’Hounds who proved to be the better team. And as they proved again on Friday night, the Lady ’Hounds also know what to do when there are distractions: win.

To the Eagle Pass coaches, I encourage you to strive toward one simple goal next year: Come back not as the better team but as better sportsmen.

See you in 2014.

Continue reading »]]> By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
repo...@sbnewspaper.com

Francisco E. Jimenez

I should be at my sister’s ballet recital right now, but instead I am still at the office. There is dead silence here. You could probably hear a pin drop (or my stomach growling).

Little by little, updates are trickling in from the Lady ’Hounds’ regional semi-final matchup against San Antonio O’Connor.

At least I’m not alone. Managing Editor Michael Rodriguez is also here and having to answer to his wife for being extremely late for dinner. My phone vibrates with messages from a friend from out of town wanting to catch up.

This is the life of a newspaper reporter, I guess.

This week has not been good to me. I’ve chased leads and ended up nowhere. Sources aren’t answering or returning calls. The only things I seem to be gaining are gray hairs, and the anticipation from the Lady ’Hounds game isn’t making my night any easier.

What’s worse is that I haven’t had an opportunity to write a column in two weeks, and now that I have some time I can’t think of anything to write about. My mind is going a million miles a second. I hate this.

I feel like Robert De Niro’s character in the movie, “Being Flynn.”

“Where is my masterpiece?!”

But wait, what’s that? A light at the end of the tunnel? I can watch my sister’s recital tomorrow! She performs all week, after all. The Lady ’Hounds won! The paper is almost finished and I can almost go home!

I am going to sleep so hard this weekend.

I’m not sure if there is a moral to this rant, but if there is, I’d like to think that it’s, “count your blessings,” which is exactly what I intend to do this weekend (heck, and every weekend after that).

In the meantime, I would like to give a shout-out to the Lady Hounds and the entire San Benito community in making it through this “distraction” bestowed upon the team on the eve of the big game. I hope San Benito fans take the high road with this win. Stay classy, San Benito.

I would also like to give a shout-out to the Eagle Pass fans who invaded sbnewspaper.com like a swarm of cicadas raining down on the East Coast. Thank you for showing interest in our website, and thank you for making the Lady ’Hounds’ victory to the Elite Eight even sweeter.

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

I try to make my telephone conversations and meetings with public servants, elected officials, business professionals and trusted sources as enjoyable and comfortable an interview as possible. Understand that given the somewhat negative connotation associated with the media, news reporters often find it difficult getting certain folks to open up… especially if they have a lot to lose. So I engage in conversation for about five minutes before asking the pressing questions. You know, to loosen them up.

Some journalists seem to think they can get whatever they want through Public Information Act or Freedom of Information Act requests, but a skilled orator leaves such resources as a last resort. While incorporating such a simple approach has, for the most part, served us well at the News, we do run into a few problems every once in a while.

As I’ve stated here in the past, we try to give public servants the benefit of the doubt as to why they may not be immediately available upon our initial attempts to make contact with them. It’s only when repeated attempts to gain comment on certain matters are met with unwillingness do we attribute such responses (or lack thereof) to a blatant disregard for accountability.

Then there’s Linda from the City of Rio Hondo, who had no problem answering our calls and even speaking to us on Tuesday, April 16, yet refused to give us her last name. Bear in mind that when my reporter informed me of this rather odd occurrence, I thought maybe she misunderstood a question he asked or was perhaps joking. Considering as much, I decided to call Linda to straighten this out. As the city secretary and a public servant, there’s no reason why she would withhold her last name, unless of course she thought we were telemarketers and was pretending to be someone else.

Once I got Linda on the line, I informed her that we were working on a story about the Rio Hondo mayoral race and sought to clear up some confusion concerning Mayor Alonzo Garza and whether he had indeed withdrawn or if he missed the deadline to do so. You see, another local newspaper had reported that Garza was not actively seeking election, but citizens of Rio Hondo informed us that they’ve seen the mayor’s political signs in town, indicating an active campaign.

It wasn’t until Linda directed me to city attorney Eddie Lucio III that I asked for her last name, to which she responded, “I’d rather not tell you.”

Not understanding why she was so paranoid and even miffed by the most fundamental of questions, I decided to review what Linda had told my reporter during our initial contact with her. Sure enough, “I don’t have one” was her response when asked for her last name.

What puzzles me is why Linda, who has apparently joined the ranks of Madonna, Prince, Shakira, Beyoncé, Beck and McLovin, was so reluctant to divulge such information in the first place; after all, it’s right there on the City of Rio Hondo website: City Secretary Linda Chullino.

All I can do, I suppose, is chalk this up to media paranoia, which seems to be a growing trend that has served no purpose other than to undermine the plight of those who suffer from it. I have to believe this, because the alternative – public servants who practice the withholding of information to such a degree that even their last names are not divulged – is reprehensible.

Remember that the city secretary position in local government serves to document, maintain and preserve public record, not to stifle it.

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

When I was 18, my top priority was getting a part-time job so I could save up enough money to purchase the entire Led Zeppelin, Beatles and U2 discographies.

This was life.

Nothing interrupted me from obtaining this goal. And so after graduating from San Benito High School (Class of 99 for those wondering), I did what any teenager obsessed with music would do – I got a job at a pizza shop.

Working from 5 to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday, I found myself in love with this gig. I got to sleep in, work with other teens who shared my interests, eat all the pizza I wanted during my breaks (but didn’t gain a single pound… I miss those days), and, more importantly, I was on the fast track to accomplishing my goal.

Houses of the Holy – check.

Abbey Road – check.

Achtung Baby – check.

One by one, I was marking these classic albums off my list (yes, I had a list… shut up).

Then came December 1999, by which point I had earned enough money to buy a computer – my first – and a lot of silly little knick-knacks for my Mercury Sable. I was proud of that car. But none of that made a difference compared to my last purchase before I moved on from this glorious pizza gig: The White Album.

You see, it was the last album I needed to complete my collection of discographies from The Big 3, which is how I used to refer to my obsession.

“Hell yes!” I said to myself at the cash register with my money in hand, proud that I had finally reached this climactic point in my life.

“Life is good,” I thought.

Of course, I would later get my act together. But it took the death of my grandmother, someone who always believed in me, to motivate me to better myself. And so I did.

To this day, the only other job I’ve held besides working at Lucas Pizza at Valle Vista Mall in Harlingen is the San Benito News. And once I got my foot in the door, I never stepped out.

Still, I often wonder how much sooner I could have gotten here if I hadn’t wasted so much time goofing off, and for what? Music I could have downloaded for free… er… that is in a totally legal way.

Yeah.

Anyway, while listening to Rocky Raccoon and reviewing this year’s applicants for the San Benito News Scholarship, I was reminded of that day when I bought The White Album. But it wasn’t a fond recollection.

Student after student, I read how each of them were at the top of their class, boasted 4.0 GPAs; were accepted to Ivy League schools, and participated in more extra-curricular activities, acts of volunteerism and community service than I could count on two hands. After being overwhelmed with more scholarship applicants than we’ve ever had, I couldn’t help but ask myself, “What was I doing again when I was their age?”

Shame immediately kicked in, and so I walked over to my CDs (yes, I still have them) and stared for a minute. It’s funny how things that were once so important to you now seem so insignificant. Again, it took the exposure of people who are better than I am in every facet of humanity to come to this realization.

With that said, I’d like to take the time to praise the students from Rio Hondo High School, South Texas Academy for Medical Professionals, and San Benito High School who applied for our scholarship, especially this year’s recipient, San Juana Garcia – a young woman who has inspired me to continue bettering myself.

I have the utmost confidence that these students will move on in their lives without wasting time, and without regret.

Continue reading »]]> By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
repo...@sbnewspaper.com

Francisco E. Jimenez

“And you’re as smooth as Tennessee Whiskey, you’re as sweet as strawberry wine, you’re as warm as a glass of brandy, and I stay stoned on your love all the time…” croons George Jones, on my iPod, as my dad and I drink cheap beer.

When George Jones comes on, it is mandatory that one raises the volume (weeping hysterically is optional).

“Did you know that your mother and I saw George Jones at the Road House here in San Benito,” my dad asked one night, telling a story I may have heard before (I can’t be sure, I may have been slightly intoxicated). “It was incredible. He would actually take time in between songs to talk with the crowd. Did you know that he used to be a book salesman in this area?”

“No…” I responded.

“I remember him saying that he was familiar with this area. He said that he recalled traveling through San Benito to Brownsville before he became famous,” my dad recalled.

“Wow, that’s awesome!” I exclaimed.

According to my dad, this had occurred sometime during the early 90s. He remembers it being around the time his song, “I Don’t Need Your Rocking Chair” had just released. According to Wikipedia, it was sometime between 1992 and 1993.

George Jones has been an integral part of my Country music obsession, if not the pinnacle, since I first heard that voice (smooth as Tennessee whiskey) teach me about a bartender’s blues. His music has been ubiquitous in the Jimenez household on Saturday mornings, on the sound system during road trips, playing from my iPod at work to make me forget that I’m at work. To be frank, George Jones sounds like Country music.

George Jones was to Country music, what Abraham Lincoln was to the Union.

And now he belongs to the ages.

I read the report about his passing online, and nearly spit my coffee all over my computer screen. To make matters worse, I had at least five different people ask me if I’d heard the news and/or attempt to console me. It didn’t really hit me until I received a text from my mother (make that six people), who also happens to be one of his biggest fans.

He’s gone. The end of an era. To hear that sound and to know it’s really over… the closing of the door…

Who’s going to fill his shoes? Definitely not an “accidental racist.” Definitely not anybody (well, maybe Jamey Johnson). Who will I turn to, to help me drown my sorrows when the Cowboys miss the playoffs again? It’s bad enough that these days I barely get by.

Oh well, yabba dabba doo… the King is gone… and so am I…

Continue reading »]]> By MICHAEL RODRIGUEZ
Managing Editor
edi...@sbnewspaper.com

Michael Rodriguez

It was hours before I got any real work done on Friday. Every time I tried to focus, I heard another update in the manhunt for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, one of two suspects in the Boston Marathon bombings. I even started my day learning about what had transpired just hours earlier; beginning with reports of Tamerlan Tsarnaev, the other Boston Marathon bombing suspect and Dzhokhar’s older brother, being killed during an exchange of gunfire with police; then hearing his own brother ran over him in a vehicle; martial law imposed in Boston and the proud city placed on lock down.

Wow.

What is it that I was supposed to do again? Oh yes! That’s right… I’m the managing editor of the San Benito News and I’ve got a newspaper that needs to be published.

I just couldn’t help but think that while it was a crazy end to a crazy week, there was something about all that we as a nation have endured recently that felt manageable – manageable because (you can call me crazy for saying this) we’re safe. I know what you’re thinking: How on earth could we, the people of the United States of America, who feel as though we’ve grown increasingly vulnerable when thousands of our citizens were murdered in the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in New York City, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania; whose casualties in the subsequent Iraq and Afghanistan wars near 5,000; whose moviegoers are gunned down; whose children are slaughtered at school; and whose participants and spectators of a popular American tradition become the targets for bombings ever feel safe again?

Then there’s the week spanning April 15-19, when the Boston Marathon bombings claimed lives and limbs on Monday; when the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion took the same and much more on Wednesday; and when the deadly manhunt on Friday shut down one of this country’s greatest cities.

Still, I feel safe as an American citizen not because I live in a small town that may never experience such horrors, but because there will always be somebody to stop my bleeding using anything they can find as a tourniquet, to put out my flames with their bare hands, to continue running for two more miles after already running for 26 miles in a marathon just to give blood that I may need to save my life. We as Americans are safe because we as Americans help keep us safe, no matter what we face or how evil will next manifest itself.

In a rare moment in which he broke character, Stephen Colbert said it best on Tuesday when he dedicated his monologue to Bostonians: “These maniacs may have tried to make life bad for the people of Boston, but all they can ever do is show just how good those people are.”

So I returned to work (albeit with a live news feed still on in the background) focused on the task at hand, yes, but relieved that no matter what tragedy befalls us, the will to overcome and transcend remains our greatest strength. Now that’s news we love to report.

Consider further that what occurred on Friday should remind us that while we may begin a week mourning the loss of life and reeling from the effects of yet another attack on American soil, there’s always an end to despair in sight. So thank God Friday came.

I was actually going to write about something else this week. But… I don’t know. I’d rather not be dismissive of the topic in which I planned to discuss, being that it is a matter of importance to our area, but it did seem quite trivial given the circumstances. But don’t worry, I’ll be addressing the matter next week.

In the meantime, I suggest everyone take a minute away from all the media coverage and enjoy themselves this weekend. That’s what I’ll be doing. After all, there’s nothing I’d rather do than enjoy my freedoms. I just might catch a movie; I may even try to run a marathon. Well, I’ll start with the movie.

Continue reading »]]> By FRANCISCO E. JIMENEZ
Staff Writer
repo...@sbnewspaper.com

Francisco E. Jimenez

“I read the news today, oh boy… ”

The famous opening line from The Beatles classic, “A Day In The Day” echoes the sentiments I have felt almost every day this week, the sentiments I feel at this moment as I watch my Twitter feed flow with updates regarding a manhunt for one of the alleged Boston Marathon bombers.

Those were the lyrics playing through my head when I read about the West, Texas fertilizer plant explosion. Those were the lyrics playing through my head when I read about the Senate failing to pass a bipartisan compromise on background checks when purchasing firearms.

What a terrible week to be an American.

What a terrible week to be a human.

The images are still fresh in my mind – a man in a wheelchair being pushed to safety with nothing below his knees exempt a bloody bone and skin barely hanging off; a photo of a young boy smiling with “Rest In Peace” inscribed at the bottom; video footage of a fertilizer plant exploding and the screams of a child. It’s all stomach turning.

What’s even more upsetting is the response of some people. Jokes made at the expense of the victims in said incidents. I understand that humor is the best medicine, especially when you consider the circumstances, but I can’t help it if I feel a little angry when I read people post things like, “I heard the people at the Boston Marathon had a blast… ”

I also have little (none) respect for people trying to politicize these incidents. I recall seeing a photo which showed children from the Sandy Hook Elementary and the Boston Marathon bombing with text that read something to the extent of, “Bomb goes off, bombers blamed; school shooting, guns blamed.”

Are you kidding me? Is this what we have become?

How stupid does a person have to be to believe such a ridiculous statement, this is coming from a guy who not only locked his keys in his truck but failed to turn off the ignition.

We can’t even go one day after a tragedy without drawing political lines? (And for the record, the gunner was blamed.) Regardless of your political views, I think we can all agree that now is the time for unity, not division. I’m not saying to go hug a stranger (unless that’s your thing). I’m just saying that as Americans, we’re better than this. As humans, we’re better than this. Trust me when I say that I am the last person to worry about whether or not the things I say may be construed as offensive, but come on… really?