David Safier

Are the Ammunitionally Correct violating a writer’s free speech rights?

by

by David Safier

Dick Metcalf is a gun enthusiast, writer on guns and hunting and defender of a pretty strict interpretation of the Second Amendment and gun rights. But in his regular Guns & Ammo column in October, he wrote a column, "Let's Talk Limits," where he said, “The fact is, all constitutional rights are regulated, always have been, and need to be.” He argued that the Second Amendment talks about a "well regulated militia" and says the right to keep and bear arms "shall not be infringed," but it doesn't say "shall not be regulated."

He's been banished, or, as the Duck Dynasty defenders would say, his free speech rights have been violated. The gun mags won't publish him, and his television program is off the air.

He knows that the odds of returning seamlessly to his old career are slim. When people ask him what’s next, he shows them a photograph taken shortly after InterMedia dismissed him. In it, he holds a gun, and a sign that reads “Will Hunt For Food.”

Obviously, no, Metcalf's free speech rights haven't been harmed any more than those of Duckster Phil Robertson. Neither of them has a constitutional right to be published or be on television. Metcalf is still a free man who can write, blog, publish youtube videos or stand on a soapbox in a public square to his heart's content. If gun mags don't want to publish him and TV networks don't want to air his shows, that's their right.

You mean companies in other countries have trouble finding skilled employees?

by

by David Safier

Word to the wise: Take every company's complaint about how unskilled its workforce is with a grain of salt. Every boss wants workers who are highly skilled, motivated, obedient and willing to work for peanuts. When that doesn't happen, they blame it on someone else, usually the schools.

Today's NY Times has a story about high tech companies setting up in Ireland having trouble finding skilled workers, even though the unemployment rate is high. The story says they have to import workers from other countries to fill the positions.

Remember those recent international tests — PISA — where the U.S. ranked low, proving our workforce isn't educated enough for the 21st century? Well, Ireland scored 16 places above us, so they should have no problem finding skilled employees if it's all about how well students score on the tests. Apparently factors other than test scores are in play.

The article doesn't say what countries the imported workers come from, which leaves out an important part of the story. Either the reporter didn't do her job, or the companies complaining about a lack of skilled workers aren't saying where they went to find workers. Could many of them come from eastern Europe or other countries where the workers are used to low wages and poor working conditions? Could it be as much about what companies are willing to pay as the Irish workers' lack of skills?

Kavanagh: Put First Things First second (again)

by

by David Safier AZ Republicans are well known for balancing the budget on the backs of children. Starting with a near-bottom education funding per child in the country, they cut 21% more over the past few years — the highest cuts in the nation, naturally. Funding went back up a bit recently. Now it's only … Read more

My confusion over TUSD’s deseg progress (or lack of it)

by

by David Safier

I have to admit, I'm confused about the whole TUSD deseg thing, and Mari Herreras' cover story on the subject in the Weekly confused me still more, because it makes it clear just how complex the whole thing is and how important the next few years are in what we hope will be a movement toward greater desegregation and better education at TUSD.

Naturally, I'm all for the deseg effort — "What do we want?" "Desegregation!" "When do we want it?" "Now!" — and I support the main points of the court-ordered Unitary Plan the district has to follow. But should special master Willis Hawley be putting so much pressure on the district so soon after the plan has been ratified? Shouldn't he give the new guy and his newly constituted board a little breathing room?

I admit I have a soft spot for H.T. Sanchez and the two new board members, Cam Juarez and Kristel Foster. And I understand soft spots make you soft hearted which can make you soft headed. So maybe I'm giving them too much latitude by saying, "Take the school year and get an idea of what's going on before you make any big decisions. It's been 40 years. What's another year?"