There's a lot of talk following the latest decision by the Boy Scouts, who are ending the ban on gay members, but only on the national level.  Local groups are still free to decide whether to admit gay scouts or gay scout leaders.

I'm not here to debate the pros and cons of the decision.

I'm also not going to offer my opinion on the decision.

What I do want to address is what I call fear mongering when it comes to the gay issue in many forms, and yes, in part the Boy Scout issue.

Let me preface my statements with admitting there are way too many bad people in the world, child molesters at the top of my list.

I have three grandsons.  If any person were to harm them in any way, well, let's say there may not be need for a trial.  Read into that any way you choose.

What bothers me is comments I read/hear, in particular equating gay people and child molesters.

Being a child molester does not mean you're gay.

Being gay does not mean you're a child molester.

Yet for some reason, I've seen/heard people's opinions that hint the two terms are interchangable.

I just don't understand that at all.

OK, you may have your opinion on gay rights etc, you're in your right to have that opinion, and I would never question your opinion, even if it differed from mine.

But it's safe to say we all have the same opinion about child molesters.

Some may have the same opinion about gay people and child molesters, your choice, your opinion.

But do not say they are one in the same person.

I am a product of the Boy Scouts, it's one of the best times of my life.

Were there gay scouts or gay scout leaders when I was there?  I'm thinking yeah, but I can also say I always felt safe and secure.

Were there child molesters when I was there?  I hope to God not, if there were I didn't know about it.  More importantly, my parents trusted the people responsible for me while in Scouts to keep me from harm.

I enrolled my oldest grandson Chris in Cub Scouts last year. Ask me the same questions about his time there as with my time, and I'd have the same answers.

Absolutely protect and shield our kids/grandkids, but do it by reason, do it by fact, but not by rumor or fear.

Kids are a lot smarter than we think, and more importantly, than we give them credit for.

That's why they have us to teach them.

And that's why we can't (always) act like villagers in a Frankenstein movie.

Mike Patrick

mike@wgy.com

This is a follow up to a conversation I was having with Chuck Custer on the air Sunday while filling in for Joe Gallagher on WGY.

We were discussing the rally in downtown Albany the day before that he and Kelly Lynch attended.

This was the NYS version of the "Guns Across America" gathering held in state capitals around the country.

Besides being among (a guestimate here) the largest attended of all the rallies, Chuck brought up a great point:

People who own guns/support the Second Amendment do not fit the stereotype one would make about "gun owners," based on many people he and Kelly saw/spoke with.

Not every gun owner is a redneck.

Not every gun owner lives in a trailer.

Not every gun owner is toothless.

Not every gun owner is illiterate.

Not every gun owner chews Red Man (gee, is it not PC to even say the name of the product?).

My main point: the days of thinking an individual is by what they believe/do are over.

Here's another example: bikers.

I learned this myself over the years up north when Americade rolled through Lake George every summer.

Not every biker is a Hell's Angel.

Not every biker packs a piece.

Not every biker is a doper.

Not every biker is filthy.

Any and every stereotype is NOT as perceived.

All that said, I still to this day believe this country has become WAY WAY WAY too PC. It seems we all have to walk on eggshells hoping we don't say anything to offend someone, or that we're not offended by every/any word someone says to us.

America has to grow a thicker skin. 

America has to toughen up.

America needs to man up and grow a pair.

And yes I'm sure someone was offended by that last one, but frankly, I don't care.

Let's think before we speak, and think before we preceive, but for goodness sake we're not perfect so deal with it and move on.

With this being written on Martin Luther King Day, it brings on even more meaning.

Finally, one last stereotype...all fat people are jolly.

On behalf of the fat people, I can personally say I love laughing my (rather large) backside off...

even/especially if a joke is a little "inappropriate."

Mike Patrick

mike@wgy.com

I've now made the 7th anniversary of being a card carrying AARP member.

That still keeps me as the Number 3 "senior" member of the WGY News Room.

Jim Gagliardi, the News Beacon of the Hudson Valley, tops the list, followed by my other elder, W. Read Shepherd.  Read beats me by just a few months, so while we're now the same age...for a while...I'm still younger than him.

I like to think better looking and hipper too, but that would be bragging.

It's a guy thing.

On the bottom of the list is George Morris, who has an annoying habit of saying (when we're talking about certain events from our past) things like "Gee, I was only in 1st Grade when that happened."

Whippersnapper.

Between the combination of Gagliardi, Shepherd and Patrick alone, there's over a hundred years of broadcasting experience alone....more than the actual existance of WGY itself!

Having another birthday brings me another year closer to retirement...or as I put it...Fantasy Land.

To paraphrase Charlton Heston, I'll give up my microphone when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.

The way things are today, I'm guessing I'll work till I drop...for the last time.

Since I love what I do, I'd be ok with that.

My wife Nancy and I agree we'd be just as happy having matching beds at the home when that time comes.

When I started in this business....in the middle/late '70's, we played music from  vinyl records, commercials were recorded on something called a "cart" (like an old 8 track), and there was someone in the radio station 24/7/365.

Seems like a million years ago, especially to those who didn't experience that scenario.

Now I have grandkids who can kick my butt on computer games.

Circle of life I guess.

I'll have my revenge on them all one day.

How?

Depends.

Mike Patrick

mike@wgy.com

Every generation says the same thing;

"What's the matter with these kids nowadays?  They're so lazy, I could work circles around them"

Face it, our parents said the same thing about us, and for the most part, due to their help, we've become them, and that's a big plus.

While I (and others) think the current generation is more...procrastinized...than previous generations, eventually most of them will turn into fine upstanding citizens and become us.

I was taught to have a strong work ethic, and I'm proud that I put everything into my job.

That all said, I know of one man who could put pretty much all of us to shame.

His name is Italo, and he's my landlord (and no, I'm not writing this to suck up to him).

He lives next store to us and keeps an eye on the entire neighborhood. 

Italo is in his early 70's, he retired a few years back after earning a living working with his hands.

If you were to see him though, you'd think he was a man (at least) half his age, based on his never ending stream of energy.

For someone who doesn't have to "work", Italo rarely knows the meaning of the word "rest".

You should see him on winter storm days, that's when Superman takes over.

It's not unusual to see him with his snow plow doing his driveway and sidewalk by 5 AM, even if it's still snowing.

Than he'll turn to my place before I have a chance to get out there.

Then down one side of the street to his daughter's place.

Then down the other end of the street to his son's place.

Then across the street to help the pretty lady who "doesn't have a man to do the work" (not my words), who gives him an occasional kiss.

As he would say in his fractured English, "that'sa nice."

(Italo came to this country in the mid 60's from "the old country", he's a welcome throwback to another age)

But he's not done, there's a couple of elderly folks on the block that get his assistance.

And after a short break he starts the routine all over again.

Put a lawn mower in his hands and it's the same thing.

When we moved in over 5 years ago, the deal was I would take care of the mowing and shoveling, as agreed upon.

However, I never get a chance!  He's on it before I even start to think about it.

I say to him often "Italo, that's my job remember?"

"Thata OK, I likea doing it, and you worka hard ata you job."

Amazing.

If there's "heavy duty" work to be done, everyone in the neighborhood comes to Italo asking for his help.

For two days beforehand, his tools are gathered together, his work boots are laced up, and there's fresh tobacco for his pipe.

If/when he does relax, his favorite time is Summer, when he sits on his back yard patio, watching TV and drinking wine.

And oh my, does he likea the wine.

When he's not working, he's walking up and down the street, most times with just his pipe chatting (gossiping) with the neighbors, or walking his son's monster dog Frankie.

As in Sinatra.

If you are the type to make resolutions, perhaps it should be one like I make, to make sure as active as he is when I hit his age.

Mike Patrick

mike@wgy.com

When you hear about horrific news and events going on, it's normal to go through a wide variety of emotions.

In a radio (or television) station, it's our (sometimes difficult) job to "hide" those emotions while delivering the story.

This holds not just for news people, but air personalities as well.

In my broadcasting career, I've had a few of those occasions.

The most well known is 9/11, as I've mentioned before.

The most difficult time was a few years ago, when I was working on a Morning Show in Pittsfield, MA.

My Co Host at the time, Sharon Steele, had gone on maternity leave, expecting her first child.

A couple of weeks after she left, she developed complications, and died...her unborn child (who doctors tried to save) also died a few days after that.

I found that out on a Friday morning after my show, and the following Monday, I had the unfortunate task of going on the air and announcing the news, making the next four hours a "tribute" to my former partner.

To this day, that was the most difficult day of my career.

That day would have been topped had I not had a day off.

Friday, December 14th, both my wife Nancy and I had the day off.

Nancy took off for most of the day to take care of errands, while I was puttering around working on a project.

Just because I'm not "on the job", doesn't mean I'm constantly keeping an eye on any and all breaking news stories, local, national, international.

I saw the initial reports about something in Newtown, CT. 

It caught my eye in particular because, among my duties here, is to assist with news stories for several New England stations in our chain, including New Heven, CT, so I was somewhat familiar with Newtown.

After reading e-mails, looking at news web sites, Twitter and Facebook, as well as tuning into WGY, I also went to the TV.

As the day progressed, and we learned the total scope of what happened, I felt I was having a heart attack; my chest was pounding, I was breathing heavy, sweating, dizzy.

In short, I was having a big time old fashioned anxiety/panic attack.

Not just because of what was happening there, but because I could not get the picture of my grandsons out of my head.

While Zach is still in nursery school, he's close enough to kindergarten.

I found myself pulling away from time to time to collect myself, then went back for updates.

And I kept thinking about how I'd tell Nancy if she wasn't aware, knowing she'd react the same way.

That's why I have so much respect for everyone "on the job" that day who had to tell the story.

To be honest, I was expecting a call from work asking me to come in and help out, I actually gave thought to just coming in.

If I was here, I'm professional enough to do my job, but deep inside, if I was live on the air, you might have heard several words out of my mouth they don't let us say on the radio.

Needless to say, George Carlin would have been proud of me that day.

Now...a few days after the fact...let's just say Santa has come up with a few extra presents for some special little boys.

Mike Patrick

mike@wgy.com