CFN – On Facebook today there was a quote from Albert Einstein; “The World will not be destroyed by those that do evil; but by those who watch them without doing anything.”
We live in a conformist world. Where the Sixties was about confrontation today we shy from it.
Why? Well there’s always a price and ultimately the pay off usually isn’t there for person that buys supper.
It’s really not a winning proposition.
As some of our loyal viewers know being an independent in the town that I live in has a very risky nature. It’s clannish; gossipy, with gross conflicts of interest, and your TV show type characters who as one politician once shared with me; “Think they are more important than they really are.”
Of course this isn’t unique, but it is surprisingly brazen in Cornwall. And once a line is crossed it’s like the Hatfields and McCoys. Sorry or making good on things isn’t on the menu around here much either.
Now I’m one tough hombre. I can handle most of the sleazy tricks, and skull duggery from Interns being bullied to staff being poached; advertisers mailed out nasty notes; politicians blocking us from covering events. I get used to it. I laugh about and either walk around or through the nonsense, and it seems to work as our growth has never stopped.
In fact this month, which is almost over sees us with over 90,000 visits for the first time.
But what I forget, as I’m a flawed human like the rest of us on this gorgeous blue marble we live in; is that not everyone can handle that.
Cliques pressure people. Not every sponsor is brave or wants the grief. Not every intern or contractor is up to he abuse they may take. Comments like “we have to live here too” or “I have a business to run and can’t have people not hiring me….”
It’s sad. It’s life. And as Albert said above it’s why we all lose in the end.
When the bad guys win; even a small battle, we all lose. And the only way the bad guys lose is when they’re exposed. When a mighty light is shined on them. When their misdeeds, conflicts of interest, cronyism, sleazy side deals, and other cretinous behavior is exposed.
Today one small battle was lost.
Tomorrow….
As a great person once said to me;
The difference between Winners and Losers is how you deal with adversity.
The beautiful thing about this world is that the sun rises in the morning with new opportunities to make some magic and make the world a better place. I’m very proud of CFN; of what we’ve accomplished in and outside of the community.
I’m proud of all those that have contributed to it from our writers, to our sponsors, and mostly to you our viewers.
I will not stop as long as you are all there, and as we grow far and wide, and more people participate and share in what we all stand for, it softens the sting of minor setbacks and those that fall under the thumb of petty evil.
Jamie Gilcig – Editor
The Cornwall Free News
Well said Jamie,
You have taken on leadership of the war, but the rest of us have to pick our battles.
I think it is well known outside of Cornwall just how disfunctional the business and social scene really is. Just this week I have had conversations in Brockville, Moose Creek, Long Sault and Winchester where the topic seems to steer to “What is the matter with Cornwall.” without me guiding it there. It is the natural alternate topic of conversation to “Who is going to win the election”.
Four years ago when I told my former boss in Toronto that I was moving back home he commented that Cornwall was not a prefered place to do business and it would be difficult to find employment. This is a person who was born and raised in Toronto and operates a bakery with $30 million a year in sales but he is well aware of Cornwall’s reputation. It seemed to be a common attitude within the baking industry in Toronto. I was the chair of the entertainment committee for the local chapter of the BAC (Baking Association of Canada) and the chair of the national committee for food safety. Every time someone asked me where I was from I heard the same opinion as my employer.
I really hated that perception of my home town. I am now happily living in Ingleside but I still have some loyalties to the city where I was borne, but they are fading quickly. How can we change the image of Cornwall? How can we change the attitude of the business community and the combative and confrontational nature of the many social elite cliques? I don’t know but acknowledging the problem and starting a conversation is a beginning. Let’s start here.
Speaking as a reader of your fine CFN, Congratulations on doing such a fine job of it. Cornwall is a hard town and you have shown you have the guts to tackle those sleazebags who think they run everything in Cornwall. Your fortitude shows all readers your dedication to the truth.
Well said Stan, and keep going Jamie, CFN and SeawayRadio. People here are too afraid to challenge or speak out about the old dads club for fear of repercussions against them. Bureaucratic Bullying. One day people here will wake up as the next generation gets ready to take over from our current reign of aging blue partisan old dads club rule. Their club is now recruiting more younger sleazebags to take over but we need now to stop their hidden agenda if Cornwall is to progress. It is one thing to acknowledge the real problems affecting Cornwall and its bad rap reputation being felt everywhere like a leftover fog and smell lingering from the former days of Domtar which hung over our city for many years but until we can find a few of those who complain alot and are not willing to take their heads out of their asses because they are too afraid to challenge the bullies running this city nothing will ever change, At least with this media we can get the message for the truth and let everyone know what is really going on here and make suggestions with action to really make this a better city for ALL.
Nice going, Jamie.
Curious about your Facebook quote attributed to Einstein because of its similarity to Edmund Burke (Irish philosopher and statesman and British MP, 1729 – 1797): “The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Well Jamie G knows that I’m always one to tilt at windmills. I’ll certainly pick up my mace and help you with that battle. I’m new to Cornwall by most standards but I can see such potential here. Cornwall is mine and my family’s home. Perhaps it’s time for us to fight for our home…against those who think that they alone own it.
I’m with PJR on this one. Does anyone have an actual reference for this quote attributed to Albert Einstein? I can’t find it. It seems to be yet another variation of Einstein’s tribute to Pablos Casals. “He perceives very clearly that the world is in greater peril from those who tolerate or encourage evil than from those who actually commit it.” (Conversations with Casals, 1957.) I’d hardly consider Facebook a valid reference.
I’m trying to discover the authenticity of this “Quote” by Mr. Einstein. As you know, ANYONE can Post ANYTHING they want on Facebook as long as it conforms to TOS. For instance I can “Photoshop” an image of Albert Einstein with some text overlaid on it that says, “And one day, Simians did emerge from my rectum, and we had an ever so delightful conversation on the relative affects of flinging POOH at each other while traveling near the speed of light, while other Simians stood relatively motionless and watched!”
So can anyone tell me when or where Mr. Einstein said or wrote, “The World will not be destroyed by those that do evil; but by those who watch them without doing anything.”? If a colon dwelling Simian is the source, I would like to know.