Cogent Comments: Thoughts on Education, Politics, and Culture

Foreword

I met Bob at 17, during my first semester at Morris County College of Morris, through a mutual friend. I don’t recall exactly how it happened back then, but he quickly became a very influential person in my life. For the first time, I had a positive male role model who took a genuine (and reliable) interest in my education, my emotional well-being and my future.

I’m optimistic that prior to meeting Bob, my life was going in a positive direction, inching my way out of being a statistic. Today, I know that my crossing his path put me in a trajectory allowing me to bypass any and all obstacles that would come in the way of my success.

Bob’s interest in education (and all things related) was and continuous to be unconditional. This, I have always found to be very motivational and inspiring. He is a thinker, a philosopher, a theorist of social issues and their impact on education as a system, a tool, and an outlet.

Through his work, Bob has interacted with a voluminous number of people all from different edges of the world. Those relationships, however long or short, have provided him with an uncommon wisdom, which he masterfully employs in his writings. His essays are artful descriptions, eloquent arguments, sincere opinions and skillful humor intertwined into a compilation of his essence. Together, they are nothing short of genius.

Aracely Santos, Manager, Solutions and Partnerships, American Express Global Business Travel

Words. Thoughts. Arguments. Expository essays. Personal confessions. There is, in the confusing world of trying to find one's place and purpose, one clear path to success in our meritocracy: the ability to write, to communicate with others, to understand yourself through language. When BH wasn't challenging himself with intricate (and interconnected) patterns of arguments, he was encouraging his students (or, as he would put it, his extended family) to think through writing and how to use writing as a vehicle for achieving social and economic independence. The subject matter covered by the fiction and non-fiction pieces in FORUM is not what I remember, nor even what interested me over the years. What fascinated me was the willingness of young people to express themselves in unique and revealing ways, to put their ideas and souls out there to an audience they didn't know and perhaps didn't care about. They wrote for themselves and for their peers, and, I would guess, for the man who gave them the opportunity to achieve their potential. As we say on the Lower East Side, Mr. Howitt, not bad!

Michael Zisser, CEO, University Settlement Society, The Door

In this book, Bob writes his honest, unscripted, not politically correct opinions about different issues of our time with his characteristic sarcasm and brilliant humor. Each essay is an independently written piece of its own promise to immerse the reader in a lecture that will leave him eager for more. Bob’s perspective and writing style is the result of his decades of experience in the private sector in both for profit and non-for-profit organizations, which he successfully led, creating programs that yielded extraordinary results and consolidated him as a role model to many. This book is part of Bob’s legacy, his gift to those who have been fortunate enough to know him and the chance to do those who don’t, and who will for sure appreciate the honesty and objectivity shared by someone who has dedicated most of his life to leaving us a better world.

Carolina McCurdy, Sr. Communications Specialist at DIRECTV Latinamerica

I’m Bob’s fan big time. He’s helped dozens if not hundreds of young people to attain college education. He’s devoted countless amounts of time, economic resources and tough love to the cause in a uniquely effective way. In my opinion, he is the kind of foundation executive-director you only see and read about in CNN heroes or like lists in the news and magazines.

Fortunate recipients of his help, including myself, are still in disbelief to have been given the blessing of meeting Bob. His contributions to better young peoples’ lives through education will certainly generate a positive ripple effect for years to come.

He’s a gifted individual with a sharp mind and big heart. His innate wit and charm make any time with him always a great time. Likewise his short writings and essays are proven to provide a great read and brain food that incites debate. His views and diverse topic stories will give you a taste of Bob’s brilliant mind in a satirical and clever style.

Ismael Iraola, International Finance Manager – Vantage Chemicals

I have had the pleasure of knowing Bob since 1988. That was the day I started working for him and our great bond of friendship began. Since I have known Bob he has been an avid writer of many articles and books. He is very passionate about the subjects he writes about and some of these subjects are quite unique. Through all of the various articles he has written about, one thing is always certain, Bob’s honesty and comedic satire always comes through. In an article written for the Forum entitled Who and What is A Star? there is one sentence that sums up what Bob is all about. What a person does when nobody is watching is the real test of values. Bob undoubtedly lives his life this way. The investment he has made into the lives of his students and the people that he cares about is beyond measure. He is a rare commodity in this crazy world we live in. I am so blessed to call him my friend. The world truly is a better place because of Bob.

Gina Coppola, Office Administrator, Northeast Planning Corp.

After moving to Florida in 2006, knowing that FORUM would be in the mail periodically was a reason for excitement. There was anticipation on whether it would include one of Bob’s writings that would play to my own sense of humor, or perhaps to one of my frustrations with government, education, religion, or even whether it’d just cover one of my pet peeves ranging from the obvious to the ridiculous.

One thing is clear: I’ve never been disappointed. I haven’t always agreed with Bob’s position on issues presented through his essays or other works, but even then, I’ve been left with a better understanding of his reasoning thanks to his skillful formulation of the counter-view to my own beliefs. I’ve been seen to quietly laugh, and most of the time, quietly contemplate life during and after reading one of Bob’s pieces.

Thank you, Bob, for the many pieces that have evoked feelings (positive and sometimes negative) about important issues in our daily lives. I am looking forward to many, many more to come.

Javier Marin, former Mayor of Dover, New Jersey; now FSBDC at the College of Business at the University of South Florida.

To know Bob Howitt and to experience his wit, his humility, his genius and his generosity is a blessing. He invites others, particularly the young, to shine their lights of unrecognized wisdom and talents. His invitations come packaged in controversial, thought-provoking benevolence for the disenfranchised of the world. His in-your-face honesty is always accompanied by compassion, for honesty without compassion would be cruelty- and cruelty is so foreign to his way of being. His fearless vulnerability coupled with his unquenchable thirst for knowledge, on a soul level, is admirable. He holds up a mirror of conscience to each reader who dares to truly look, and provides a space for the reader to chronicle his/her reasons for looking away.

Michaele P. White-Risbrook, MPH, FNP, RNC, Certified Professional Life Coach.

Introduction

Part of The Belated Collection of Bob Howitt Essays, brought together because of overwhelming demand from myself and hereby distributed through technological devices not even conceivable at my birth.

Astute readers will conclude the following, assuming that excessive consumption of distilled spirits has not destroyed their literary brain cells:

1. The guy has little talent for positive, upbeat prose, which is intriguing because his lifetime actions have been skewed to productive decisions in the field of educational assistance.

2. Given item (1), it better follow that his attacks against a wide variety of targets are written somewhat more effectively (see Matt Taibbi if you want real skill in this area).

3. Uncomfortable truths are not infrequently wrapped in what some may accurately discern as a language of respect, admiration, and even love—and those emotions are legitimate.

Whatever!

In this world, if you cannot laugh or cry, you must be addicted to something:

Drugs … money … football … the belief that America is God’s gift to the universe … alcohol … political correctness … sex … writing in place of direct human interaction … smart phones … futbol (especially if Hispanic … dressing like a convict (urban African-American teenagers) … studying 24 hours a day (Asian) … Justin Bieber … Law & Order … Oprah Winfrey … guns ... the idea that futurists really know how the next generation America will work: single-parent families as the norm, unaddressed income/wealth inequality, a completely overhauled education system (hopefully), and, most important, a nation of multiple minorities … McDonald’s French fries … Buddhism … dancing … shopping … cappuccino … astrology … yard sales … rap music … beauty … religion … the lottery … television … the Pope … laptops … coffee … global warming … eating large quantities of food.

So what follows somewhere is nothing in a logical order, but, as you can tell from a quick computer check, the entries are in—alphabetical order, or is it actually by date of writing, I forget!

Enjoy—and I apologize in advance if by taking time to read one of these essays, you have been forced to reduce the amount of time spent on one of your addictions.

Guess what, the actual essays are spread out all over the place. Whoops—my bad!

Chapter 1:

A Clash of Values: Should National Parks Be Sacrosanct in the Battle Versus Illegal Drugs?

It will come as no surprise that criminals whose intelligence, cunning, and ruthlessness allow them to run international drug businesses from secluded fortresses in the jungles of Colombia are not above relocating certain of their operations to the less-traveled sections of national parks when forced to do so in order to avoid capture by the authorities. Moreover, they are well aware there is a ban on spraying in Colombian national parks and they really do not fear that earnest citizens, military, and police officials will descend upon their enclaves brandishing only the approved leaf-removal method of machetes. At the same time, it is unsurprising that determined foes of the illegal traffic would like to spray/bomb the fields and laboratories inherent to drug manufacturing and would not lose much sleep if a national park were adversely affected in the process.

However, those people less directly involved in this hugely expensive, complicated and deadly cat-and-mouse game are asking whether unique park properties should be sacrificed when there may be only a marginal impact on the drug business. Since the underlying cocoa leaf is particularly hardy, most moves made to put suppliers out of existence must be repeated, which is a tiring and seemingly fruitless process.

However, despite the widespread emotional feeling that there has been little progress in the war against drugs, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency has reported that acreage devoted to illegal crops in Colombia has declined during the administration of President Uribe, who apparently will remain in office for an extended period. American funding of his anti-drug efforts has been critical to their relative success, yet domestically there is little generalized opinion that U.S. tax dollars have been well-invested in this venture.

Drug addiction itself is more controversial than many might think. To a certain extent, if you are poor, being involved with drugs is a crime, whereas if you are affluent, being involved with drugs is often characterized as an illness. When you combine some of the ambivalence toward drugs with the strong lobbying efforts of many pro-environmental groups, you can understand why there is pressure on the United States to leave Colombian national parks off of their hit list even when they know that drug lords have set up shop in these protected areas. The reasoning is that the parks contain irreplaceable natural assets, while there is often nothing sustainable about a crackdown on illegal drug activity, so why make the ill-advised investment.

Meanwhile, the appetite of the affluent people of the world for ever-bigger houses (totally unrelated to the number of occupants therein), for closets full of clothes, and for recreation rooms stuffed with the latest toys is believed by many to be the primary cause of the need in developing countries for protectionist legislation to ensure that all the forests do not disappear in the din of chainsaws wielded by natives whose economic fortunes are positively affected by the very activity which strips their land of its unique qualities.

Strong environmental action will hurt workers engaged in logging jobs, while strong anti-drug activity hurts leaf-growing farmers, with both groups having equally dismal economic outlooks in terms of alternative occupations. The affluent, who are more concerned with environmental matters and who economically can afford the dilemma of drugs, may move on the former issue and not on the latter, but in either case they will be hurting those with few attractive options for earning comparable livelihoods.

The clash of values thus continues, whether it be in the national parks of Colombia or many other areas of both developing and developed nations.

Chapter 2:

A Different Look at the Undocumented Student Issue

People who want to prevent undocumented young people from obtaining a higher education seek to portray themselves as occupying some type of higher moral ground by repeating the adjective illegal as if this complex issue could be considered comparable to going 50 mph in a 45 mph zone. They might want to remember the adage that for every complicated question, there is a simple answer—and it is always wrong!

I would ask these opponents to take a long look in the mirror of the average American. Here is what he or she would see:

• We buy clothing made in far-off factories with working conditions and wages we would find abhorrent if they involved our kids or friends

• We purchase all manner of electronic devices containing key minerals brought up out of distant mines which would be closed if they were in the United States

• We place the moral imprimatur on the countries producing illegal drugs with ten times the fervor that we allot to the domestic buyers of those drugs

• We buy SUVs which contradict every dollar we contribute to environmental causes

• We purchase gasoline which literally we have killed to get

• We eat in restaurants where the existence of illegals on staff is a statistical given and we say nothing

• We hire landscapers, construction workers, and people to watch our babies, while never checking on the legality of those who are serving our interests

So please, instead of being mired in the thoroughly hypocritical swamp of attempting to use the word illegal as if it were a moral concept unique to the higher education situation facing undocumented students, let us check some facts and the thoughts they bring to mind:

• The American education system is basically broken. Whether you voted for them or not, you should recognize that President Obama and Governor Christie, among countless others on both sides of the political aisle, agree with this simple statement about American education and are attempting in different, but complementary, ways to create positive change. To toss away the prospective benefits to society of having undocumented students receive a higher education and becoming taxpayers at progressively higher rates is misguided hubris—we need them!

• Very few kids under the age of 16 (the CCM cut-off point for its new policy) were engaged in any family discussion in their far-off homes about the pros and cons of coming to the United States. Their parents obviously drove that decision. To use the terminology of the critics, the students are not the initiators of the illegal label. To hold them responsible is both heartless and contrary to how most parents would feel about decisions made by their adolescents.

• The economics of higher education are not especially transparent, except for two things: (1) the typical four-year college is obscenely expensive, which is why there is so much attention being paid to increasing the enrollment in community colleges (hopefully while lifting the academic standards therein) and (2) the marginal cost to the college of adding a student, or a few, to a class, is truly minimal. The use of average cost data, while politically useful of course, would become relevant if and when the incremental student count becomes meaningful to staffing and other cost considerations. Note that from a societal standpoint, that situation would be positive—it would mean more kids being educated.

• Americans are tense and stressed. Middle-aged managers and numerous others who never dreamed they could be let go by their employer of 25 years are now unemployed, wondering how it happened and how their somewhat nebulous skills fit in the brave new world of LinkedIn and Monster.com. They look at the country’s terrible financial picture and are either stunned into an abject silent surrender or provoked into a verbalized outrage they never thought possible of themselves. Without deliberation, they gravitate to scapegoats; the hidden premise is that if only this [fill in the name of a problem] were fixed, the country and my life would be okay again.

A significant portion of the venom aimed at undocumented students—as representatives of illegal immigrants in general—comes from this psychological source. Sad to say, but many of those lost jobs are never coming back, whether Juan and Maria go to college or not. So even if the newly-unemployed understandably cannot relax, they should aim their arguments at issues of large-scale relevance and substance, not at a bunch of kids who simply want we all want, a better educated society which, by the way, could afford the retraining that the unemployed need to re-enter the workforce.

• We already have a growing underground economy, with literally millions of people living and working in the shadows because the rest of us want the benefits of this semi-hidden underclass without according them the equal standing which has been the foundation of our great country, belated recognition of all sectors notwithstanding. Do we seriously want to annually add to this off-the-books world a large number of undereducated kids who have grown up in the United States and consider it their home country? How is it in our self-interest for them to be deprived of higher education and in effect be incentivized to think ill of the very nation where they want to raise their families?

In sum, it is time to move forward and realize that facilitating higher education for undocumented students is consistent with our enlightened self-interest.

Chapter 3:

A Predictive Profile of College Placement Success

Can somebody put numbers on these factors—figure out a nice, neat formula thank you.

Student Factors:

• Has demonstrated the ability to function independently of adult guidance

• Will not require remedial Reading or writing

• Has taken Advanced Placement courses in high school

• Has been committed to completing homework on schedule

• Has peers who are on similar aspirational paths

• Has demonstrated resiliency

Family Factors:

• Is the student the first in his family to attend college?

• What is the education level of his parents?

• Do his parents understand the challenge of a four-year college?

• Are his parents the helicopter variety?

• Is there pressure for the student to attend a nearby college?

College Factors:

• Is the average SAT within 100-200 points of what the student recorded?

• Is it large enough to change majors without changing colleges?

• Are there substantial on-campus support services?

• Is there diversity in the classroom?

• Are there students he knows who have gone there; what are their thoughts?

Financial Factors:

• What is the Cost of Attendance?

• How much can be changed—by commuting, renting books, etc.?

• Is the Expected Family Contribution reasonable?

• What is the estimated college scholarship; what are the requirements?

• What is the estimate of outside scholarships; what are the requirements?

• What is the estimated Net Cost, after all scholarships and government loans?

• Will the student be working no more than 15 hours/week, with the money going to the student, not the home?

• What is the estimated debt at graduation with a Bachelor’s degree

Chapter 4:

Adjusting to American Corporate Life

Panel 1: Latinas

First question: differences between men and women in the corporate world:

• Typically, management is male-dominated (at the Chief Executive Officer level, only 4% are female, which is still triple the level of ten years ago), while those doing the work are mostly female.

• Men earn more than women in the same position; $5,000 for a Bachelor’s, $10,000 for a Master’s, and $20,000 for a PhD, according to one panelist.

• Machismo is not only evident in Hispanic countries; here it is the old boys club.

• Women are reaching higher levels, but the glass ceiling still exists.

• Women have to prove themselves many times more than a male.

• Aggressive is positive for a male, but gets a woman labeled as a bitch.

• When going to a review at the job, be professional, present oneself well, and control your emotions.

• Sometimes women have to prove themselves more to other women in the office than to men.

• It is not uncommon to hear remarks about who is sleeping with whom, or who is related to whom, when it comes to the promotion of women.

• It can be a good idea to take a negative comment as an incentive to prove yourself; make it a positive force.

• A woman’s criticism can feel twice as bad as that from a man.

• It is painful to be criticized by Hispanics who have been in the United States for many years, and who may seem to resent success by newcomers.

• One approach is not to think about discrimination, but instead set goals and pursue them—believe in your individual objectives while still watching your back.

The second question dealt with the career-family dilemma:

• Balancing the two is tougher than you think; the reality is harder than the theoretical expectation.

• There are cultural challenges, including prospective grandmothers pushing for grandchildren to be born.

• Unsupportive husbands are a big problem; they do not understand educational aspiration and want wives focused on cleaning, cooking, and having babies.

• The timing of having a child relative to educational plans is a key factor.

• Women need support to make the career-family situation successful.

• There is always some guilt when the woman/mother is away from her children; balance is key.

• While having a child as a single mother is now commonplace, the career woman often still needs somebody to share her achievements with.

• Men do not think of their responsibilities at home.

• There can be regrets later for not having had children younger; new couples sometimes delay having families because they are concentrated on their own lives at that time.

The third question regarded the treatment of Latinas seeking jobs:

• In interviewing there are many relevant factors: attire, culture, language, knowledge, energy, curiosity.

• While there may be accent issues, knowing English well is more critical.

• Talking Spanish at home and on the job hinders the learning of English.

• Besides cultural diversity issues, one must learn the politics of any office to you can interact with different people in different positions.

• Using the words of the questioner in framing your answer helps create a better bond, because it shows good listening, flattering to the interviewer.

• If you are changing jobs, have a good answer for why you are leaving the prior job.

• Remember that a company hires a person for what the latter can bring to the former in the way of skills which will help the profits of the employer.

• The constant need to prove oneself is a given: accept it and move on.

Panel 2: Latinos

These are the various Corporate Descriptors provided by the attendees:

• Commitment, hard work, teamwork, networking.

• Experience gained on the job, challenge, never give up, coordination.

• Prioritize, traveling, stressful, proactive, vision, goal-setting.

• Time management, coaching, technology, responsibility, dedication.

• Empowerment, value to all levels of the job, accountability, results.

Discussion Notes:

• Agenda-setting on daily basis; customers accept no excuses.

• Are competing with native-born.

• Multitasking required.

• The ability to properly set priorities is valued.

• Pressure is proportionate to compensation; when you get a salary increase, stress rises, must think more about job.

• Cultural aspect: not right or wrong, but different.

• Immigrants pay a price to be in corporate life: they receive unequal treatment, often based on language.

Debate Point: When one panelist leaves his job, he does not think about it, he does not discuss it with family. Others share thoughts with their spouse or friend, which can help reduce stress and sometimes lead to a better approach to a dilemma. The extremes—no discussion of job, talking excessively about the job—are not healthy, but only the individuals involved can determine, through good communication in their relationships, what is an appropriate level of talk about the workplace. In a way, this is like any topic: a certain amount of conversation can be quite interesting, while too much loses the audience.

Debate Point: Is going the extra mile rewarded appropriately? Surveys have shown that Americans have a higher belief in the idea that working hard and well, doing extra, taking initiative, etc. ultimately will be rewarded not simply with praise and public recognition, but in the paycheck. Young, restless people, particularly those in their first career-oriented job, probably have a lesser belief in this idea. What is the alternative however; is it thinking that the pattern of life flows entirely from a power structure over which the individual has no control? (Of such thoughts, great political/philosophical discussions are born, particularly in the presence of good food and limitless drink.)

Debate Point: Individualism compared with a collective attitude, and the impact on teamwork and promotion. Yes, the American cultural emphasis is more individualistic, ignoring the apparent contradiction that corporations are perpetually promoting group interaction. I expressed the belief that in any committee or group effort, one individual must own the idea if it is to become reality. This does not contradict the teamwork objective; it simply means that in my experience, if somebody is not working on the idea when everybody else is sleeping, it does not become a reality.

Debate Point: American companies want specialization. To a point this is true, but after a certain skill level is demonstrated, employers seek candidates with management capability. This is the real scarce asset, the characteristic which drives long-term growth. Companies want eager learners, not those who announce what they will not do.

Chapter 5:

Alcohol: A Most Dangerous Drug

Maybe there were a dozen people in the room, quietly watching a professionally made video on the interaction of families and friends with those afflicted by alcohol addiction.

In Stage 1, Active Addiction: the family maintains the addictive behavior of the alcohol abuser. Everyone in the family lives with it, contorting their own lives to accommodate the situation.

In Stage 2, Transition: the abuser is moving from active to abstinence, and family support is needed. It is a painful period, revelations of hurt coming from everybody as there is an identification of issues within others, especially young people. There is a shift in focus to self, not others.

In Stage 3, Early Recovery: there is a phase which can last for a matter of months to several years; there is a lessening of impulse, less need for a quick remedy, more of a feeling of safety. Family reconnection takes