Reliable Public Transportation for Austin? Yes, Please!

As someone who rolls around town in her Grandmother’s hand-me-down, 1989 Cadillac Deville (which most likely guzzles gas at the rate of a Hummer, and costs at least $50 to fill up) I found common ground with Johnson Nguyen’s May 1, 2012 blog post in favor of the installation of an Urban Rail system in Central Austin.  Similarly to Mr. Nguyen’s fuel costs, my Caddy sucks up around $200 per month, and I would welcome the opportunity to shed that bill through utilization of the Urban Rail’s free pass for students.  I also agree with Mr. Nguyen’s argument that, since the Urban Rail would link to stops on the University of Texas Campus, it could reduce the heavy burden of Austin traffic at peak travel times, and potentially make the commutes of those who do opt to drive more convenient and safe.  Mr. Nguyen’s proposal advocating access to the Urban Rail around bar closing time on the weekends was another excellent point.  Had one too many on East 6^th Street, but, not willing to spring for the cost of a cab?  Why, just hop on the train, save yourself some cash, and relieve the community of the possibly deadly travesty of alcohol infused driving.  With the benefits of lower fuel expenditures, less traffic, and fewer intoxicated drivers, the Urban Rail appears to be an excellent solution to several key dilemmas plaguing Austin’s residents.          

The Deathly Matter of Bullying

In my elementary school days, I was an awkward, chubby child with a fondness for reading and a distinct lack of style.  My family (God love them) were also a bit on the weird side; my Mom was a graduate student studying India, my Father owned a small stereo repair business, they were chronically late, and it was painfully clear that we were not rich.  And, since, at the age of nine, I was (obviously) dependent on my parents for transportation, I become the only third grader who arrived tardy to class every single day.  Needless to say, my unusual family, absence of physical charm, embarrassing punctuality issues, and conspicuous cash deficiency all conspired to make me a prime target for the catty girls and aggressive boys at the Catholic school I attended.  I was relentlessly ostracized and taunted, and can therefore personally attest to the long-standing emotional scars that peer bullying inflicts on youth.

As unpleasant as my experiences were, I can only imagine the mental torment that lead to 13-year old Jon Carmichael’s March, 2010 suicide at his home in Dallas, Texas following a long period of repetitive abuse at the hands of fellow students.  On one particularly horrifying occasion, Carmichael was shoved, naked, into a trashcan in a Loflin Middle School locker room.  What made him so offensive to his antagonists?  He was small. 

After the death of her son, Tami Carmichael began lobbying Texas law makers to implement legislation that would levy heavy consequences, such as legal prosecution, not only bullies, but the adults that are in charge of them.  And, her efforts were met with at least partial success when the Anti-bullying Bill was signed into law by Governor Perry in June of last year.  The Anti-bullying Bill, which will take effect in the fall, supports the prevention of bullying by methods such as requiring that educators receive training for its proper recognition and management, and by providing for the removal of the offender (or victim) from the classroom or school.  While I am pleased that Texas has finally begun to define and regulate bullying through this bill, I feel, after reading its online fact sheet, that it could address this heinous issue with a bit more force.  Why not make bullying, and its facilitation, a prosecutable offense?  After all, lives are at stake.