Daily Update July 10, 2010

Just So You Know - No Honor

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Attempt to derail train probed - so reads the headline on the Buffalo News print edition of its newspaper. There is no link provided here because, as I write this, the online edition of the newspaper does not carry this story. Such is the level of publishing in our area, but that is another discussion for another time.

This is just a brief entry to alert those who may not live in WNY to what passes for local behavior.

Preface:  Several times in the past 3 decades NYS government has attempted to collect taxes on cigarettes sold at native american-owned convenience stores and cigarettes-through-the-mail sales. The latest attempt was this past month, when NYS declared they would once again begin the collection process.

The Buffalo News article, written by Dan Herbeck and Janice Habuda, describes a situation where "earlier this week" an Amtrak passenger train carrying about 300 passengers was damaged when it struck railroad ties placed on a portion of the tracks which traverse Seneca Nation property in Niagara County, N.Y. A sign near the scene was posted to read "No Mail - No Rail".

Let's be clear: cigarette sales revenue is only about money. And killing people over money has long been a desperate act. As we move forward in this debate everyone needs to understand this is not a passive situation. For NYS to put official language into budget bills claiming revenue collected from native american cigarette sales, and then not enforce the collection or the safety of NYS residents, makes for a somewhat irresponsible situation.

More will and should be written about this, but for now, begin to heighten your awareness to this situation. It is most definitely a situation where words and actions can lead to lives lost. Who would be to blame if any of those 300 lives were lost that day "early last week"?