Troy Talk
When Will Enough Be Enough?
Again! I mourn the loss of the innocent victims of this latest mass shooting in our nation. Yet, it’s embarrassing and infuriating… this mindset that allows yet another mass shooting to again grip our nation with no response but hollow words. What troubles me more is that while yet another series of families mourn, our collective national conscience will retreat into partisan positions without even the pretense of trying to solve the root issue of this disease that ravages our nation. This begs the question as to why we cannot engage in a collaborative form of political discourse that seeks healing, compassion and a connection to repair our nation? Why must we continue to refuse to devote our energy to collaborating on a solution? When will enough be enough?
Celebrating Jewish American Heritage Month
May is Jewish American Heritage Month, which creates a timely opportunity to praise the many contributions that Jewish Americans have made to our country and our state's reputation as a citadel of democracy. And their impact in New Jersey is unmistakable. About 572,000 Jewish Americans live in New Jersey, representing about 8% of the population.
The Color Teal During Food Allergy Month
It's the color of teal and the condition is real. Teal is the color we highlight every May during Food Allergy Awareness Month. While this condition sometimes seems to garner modest attention, it is vitally important to everyone. More than 30 million people are estimated to have food allergies, and many of those can be life threatening. The number of people who have this condition should suggest that you know someone who does, even if you have no food allergies.
The Fair Housing Act and the American Dream
We celebrate The Fair Housing Act every April, though it's been more than 50 years since Congress passed the bill in 1968.
The 1968 Act expanded on previous acts prohibiting discrimination related to the sale, rental, and financing of housing based on race, religion, national origin, sex, (and as amended) disability and family status. Some might think this is not an issue today, but in the past, if you were the "wrong" color or of a "different" religion, you faced discrimination.
Preventing Animal Cruelty
If our household has a member who doesn't quite "speak" to us, it must be our pets, whom we love and treat as equal family members. I have a friend who used to say, "It's only a dog," until he brought home a beagle. Then, he finally understood how deep the bond was and that pet was no longer “just a dog.”
National Doctors Day: A Day To Offer Respect & Protection
Yesterday, March 30, we celebrated National Doctors Day. This started in 1933 when the public would send greeting cards to doctors or place flowers on the graves of those deceased.
The tribute, respect, and acknowledgment of how they serve our community remain unchanged, even if some outward expressions are different. And that sense of esteem has broadened to include all health care workers.