Published: October 31, 2009 03:04 am      

TOM CHRISTY: Words are windows into attitudes

And just like that, it was over. Erie County Executive Chris Collins thought he should be governor of New York state. He forgot that the state contains a multitude of diversity, and that we are a proud people. Collins made what he and his inner circle thought was an innocent joke, in front of a friendly crowd of like-minded supporters. And now, less than one week later, his personal ambition to run for statewide office may be irreparably damaged.

In case you didn’t read it, Collins referred to there being three anti-Christ figures to appear in history. One was Napoleon, one was Hitler, and Collins is pretty sure the third one is state Speaker Sheldon Silver, a Democrat from Manhattan.

What could possibly cause such callous and careless talk from someone?

Collins is currently doing what nearly every politician does — running for a different office while they are already elected to one — and so he has started to travel the state and raise money and find friends. It’s probably a whole lot easier than managing Erie County, which seems to be bubbling along under its control board and stagnant legislature.

Politicians like Collins are continually failing to realize that words matter, and even more, statements and actions in the Internet Age make you completely transparent as a person. Politicians speak so often — no other profession sends out press releases on a daily basis proclaiming something — that they are bound to be exposed for their true selves eventually. And that true self isn’t always pleasant.

Before we go off on the “we’re being too sensitive” notion, imagine the concept that the world is flat. The idea where everyone in the world can compete or work with anyone else, no matter where they are located. We don’t live in tiny isolated villages where our own peculiar cultures can get us by, or go unnoticed.

Collins saying an Erie County legislator is the anti-Christ would be a horrible thing to say, but hey, in Western New York, that’s about par for the course if you’re involved in local politics. You can get away with saying that and still playing golf with the person the next week. But Collins is trying to move into the big leagues of statewide candidacy. He’s trying to puff out his chest and say to people, “Hey, look at me, I’m the guy you want to have as governor.” Politicians need to campaign one way in front of financial backers and other supporters and sometimes another way in front of the single parent working three jobs — all of them minimum wage and without health benefits — in order to get the vote.

Let’s assume for a moment that Collins feels as if he acted like a jerk and sincerely wishes the whole thing never happened. Unfortunately, Collins has spoken for all of Western New York, so most of us feel like jerks and are embarrassed this week. People in Manhattan (and many other places) are not only offended by the comparison of Hitler to any contemporary politician, but they don’t always know where Western New York is. Some, ahem, don’t even CARE where Western New York is. And Collins has just given them ammo for another 10 years of believing we are all upstate rubes in gingham dresses eating fried food out of the back of our trailers.

There’s also a contingent of Western New Yorkers I’ve spoken to who think Collins has nothing at all to apologize for. Silver IS the anti-Christ and someone had to say it. Take a deep breath. Is anyone really the anti-Christ? No matter what God you pray to, aren’t we all his creation? Is government even important enough for someone to be an anti-Christ?

Finally, aside from the lack of intelligence contained in the comment, Silver controls $133 billion in state money and has long coattails into the federal government, which is handing out boatloads of cash lately for infrastructure. We’ve all had to suck it up and follow an office rule we didn’t think was particularly smart. Shouldn’t our top local politician be playing the game and trying to get some of that money? And doesn’t it just make common sense that it would be easier to get some money by making an intelligent case for funding or even sending roses to the person making the decision?

I would think that in any school of negotiation or business practices, calling the top person in the organization an anti-Christ and comparable to Hitler is NOT the way to help yourself and your community. Collins was not only insensitive, he hurt the Western New York community.

Tom Christy is the founder of FAIR Government, a non-political and non-editorial educational foundation dealing with local government issues. The Web site is www.fair-government.org. He encourages communication and can be reached via e-mail at aim1986@mac.com.