CliffWeber.com

THE WORLD ACCORDING TO FARRISITES

The invasion of the Farrisites has created a most unfortunate atmosphere.
It’s all about responsibility.  ‘Responsibility’ it’s the issue this
day and age. No one wants to take it. The courts are overloaded with
cases because individuals want to blame others for the issues that
should be their own. Remember the woman who sued Mc Donald’s because the
coffee was too hot. That so speaks of today’s environment – trying to
put the responsibility on the other person, not willing to take
responsibility for themselves.

The world of today is not the world of yesteryear.  A major problem is
the total breakdown of the family unit. In today’s atmosphere many
parents don’t take responsibility for raising their children. Today it
seems the school system has that responsibility. Divorce has to be at
its highest level ever. The values of today’s society are such that
living together is the new norm. These same couples have children, break
up, and become involved with a similar individual with children. Which
in turn many times, breaks down the family unit and feeds family dysfunction. You now see many families in total distress with no control of their
offspring or, worse yet, the kids control the parents, to the point that
many kids feel, their life is all about entitlements.

With this environment over the years we expanded the use of illegal
drugs and are currently dealing with the serious problem of the opioid
epidemic. Years ago, there was no need for on the job drug testing,
today it’s common practice. Now we have kids’ attachment-to-the-hip of
video games with no shortage of extreme violence. A side effect of this sedimentary behavior is overweight and unhealthy kids. Plus, the never-ending violence in the theater and on TV (thank you Hollywood).

Could this be the reason shootings and murder seems to mean so little today?
Then we have the catastrophic shootings and murdering of students in
schools throughout the country – regularly and recently. If you remember
the Upper Perkiomen School District may very well have been the first
school district to have a student murdered in a classroom by another
student.

In recent days we witnessed the most horrible murdering of seventeen students and adults in the Florida school shooting. This just never happened years ago. What is wrong with this country? Senator Bob Casey recently tweeted “it cannot be denied that something dangerous and unhealthy is happening in our country”.

We are being infected by the outside influences of the world around us.
With so many people not taking responsibility for raising their kids,
these kids are not being provided with ethics, principles, values or
standards.  In today’s world, the kids of today are surrounded by so
many negative influences. Generations of the recent past have been
exposed to these negative influences as well and raised in the same manner.
A perfect example in this community is the issue of the new middle
school. The manner in which many of the adults behaved in support of the
new building is unconscionable.

The underhanded, manipulative, and unthinkable manner John Farris schemed to have this project done is a perfect example of everything wrong dealing with the honest citizens of this community. You can’t tell me that the unconscionable behavior of a person such as John Farris, former president of the school board is a
positive influence on the valley youth.

Then you have people like Hope Manion and LaBrea Huff as well as other
persons, a lot of whom have moved into the valley in recent years. Many
of these individuals are perfect examples of adults you would not want
influencing the youth of the valley. You just have to see some of the
Facebook articles these people posted. One of these individuals even
suggesting they might run for a school director’s position, can you
imagine how scary that would be? Some of the outrageous comments that I
heard from some of these people are unbelievable.

Such as “the election in November didn’t mean anything because individuals supporting the new middle school couldn’t vote because they had to work” which I understand after all the polling places were only open from 7:00 am until 8:00 pm. I guess we should provide mobile polling places so we can go to their
work place so the younger generation doesn’t have to be inconvenienced
to vote.  Another comment was that the current middle school had too
many corners which I assume was a major problem for the students to
navigate. If this is considered a problem by a resident I guess we need
personal guides for each student, we wouldn’t want these kids having to
use their brains. In my view these people are perfect examples of how
you don’t want your children to grow up. Unfortunately, it seems this
negative influence is found not only at home but is found throughout the
community.

These same Individuals supporting the new building showed their
ignorance by using some of the school children as props at board
meetings. I think these kids knew about as much of the real issues involved in
this matter as Bozo the Clown. I remember one eighth grade student going
before the school board in favor of the school building. I think the
idea was that you were to be impressed with the knowledge he had on the
subject. Unfortunately, whoever coached him did not have the correct
knowledge thus he gave misinformation.

These same individuals neglected to inform the children that the debt
for this new middle school will not be fully paid until 2043. So if
these kids stay in the valley and become mature tax-paying adults, they
will also have the privilege of paying for this new school. Also as
adults they may realize their parents used them in a manner that now
does not please them as adults. They just might realize they were used
by their parents many years ago and would not have wanted to be part of
this fiasco to pursue this new middle school.

There were two other people I recognized, who commented during the
debate of the new school. One was Mary Kirshner, it was shocking to me
to see her at the microphone. This is a person who was appointed to the
Upper Hanover Board of Supervisors to fill her husband’s position.
I attended many of those meetings and whenever she spoke you would just cringe not knowing what insane comment you might hear. Fortunately for Upper
Hanover Township she is no longer on the board.

The second person who surprised me when he spoke in support of the new
school was Dr. George Bonekemper. George Bonekemper and I were
supposedly good friends for many years. To my shock and dismay, I was
informed by a fellow school board member how Dr. Bonekemper spoke
untruthfully about me at a meeting. He stated I was responsible for a
major confrontation at a meeting in the valley, making it appear I
caused an extreme problem. The truth is that I wasn’t even at that meeting.
Once I was informed of this situation, I contacted Dr. Bonekemper and
suggested to him in no uncertain terms to correct his misbehavior.
Otherwise I would take whatever means necessary to address the obvious false
statements he made. My understanding was a meeting was convened for the
purpose of his addressing the members of school board stating he falsely accused
me with his comments. It’s a sad day when these are the type of individuals that support the new middle school.

Then we have the good fortune to have the ultimate individual, a transplant from Philadelphia, James Glackin, or as I hear in the community Two-Faced Glackin or Pariah Glackin and other names as well. He will forever be known as a person who cannot be trusted by voting totally opposite to the platform on which he ran for school board. I remember when he introduced himself to me he stated he was a loud mouth former Philadelphian. I wish he had mentioned that he also is neither truthful nor trustworthy. I understand he is involved with a local scout troop, I guess he missed the scout oath about being trustworthy and loyal. What a person to guide and develop the youth of the valley.

Why did we have a second vote concerning the new school after the previous month a vote by the board stopped the construction? At the next meeting school board member Elliot made the motion to ignore the taxpayers and reverse the vote to stop construction and instead restart the construction. My question is what did Elliot or Glacken know before the meeting that inspired Elliot put forth a new vote? I never expect a truthful answer from them because I would never trust either one!

I couldn’t be happier that Melanie Cunningham is part of this community and on the school board. Kerry Drake and Steve Cunningham continue working to fill their commitments to the voters.  Raeann Hofkin, who was already on the board, totally understands the citizens of the district and what they can afford.  These are people you can truly trust to do what they promised, to continue listening to the residents, and
honorably do the very best for this district. Not like other board members such as Elliott and the Pariah James Glackin who, sadly, seem to lack truth and honesty.

I feel so fortunate to have gotten to know Melanie. She arrived in the valley in 1982. What so impresses me with Melanie is the manner in which she and her family embraced the community. She accepted the valley and all it has to offer not wanting to change it but to enjoy the people and all its beauty. She understands the longtime residents and their needs and wants. She is a person who is financially comfortable but also totally down to earth and totally considerate and kind. We can only hope
to have more Melanie’s in this community.

In the next few weeks look for my blog concerning our magnificent signs throughout the valley. I’m sure we all want to thank Luanne Stauffer, State Senator Bob Mensch and State Rep. Justin Simmons