Labels are a funny thing. At times they can be very helpful: Water sources can be labeled, “Not Safe for Drinking,” a movie can be labeled, “Not Suitable for Young Children,” intersections can be labeled “Dangerous!” The labels don’t give us specifics, but they make us aware of situations that we might otherwise overlook.
However, because labels, by nature, are short snippets, they can give us a very incomplete picture. A product marked “low sugar” can actually be very high in cholesterol - which, of course, is a very bad thing.
The disservice labels can cause is most clearly shown in the labels we put on people. A youth struggling through an abusive home environment might be labeled as “troubled.” An employee coping with a sick spouse or child might be labeled a “chronic absentee.” These labels say nothing about strength of character to face adversity and rise above, and yet they will become an element in how the individuals are seen by their peers or co-workers.
In an age where information is flying around us at a dizzying pace, people rely on labels as a source of comfort and familiarity. The news media has caught on to our desire to reduce complex situations to soundbytes: attaching the moniker of “conservative” or “liberal” onto a person. For many, that’s all they need to know. We all know from personal experience that these categories are often used in ways that are highly inaccurate, yet we give in to the temptation to let these labels decide for us anyway.
Nowhere is that mindset more evident than in politics. We’ll look at a person with his or her own unique insights and opinions; label him or her a Democrat, a Republican, or a Libertarian and assume he or she has the exact same opinions as every Democrat, every Republican, and every Libertarian.
It is a mindset that is robbing us of quality discourse and a pragmatic exchange of ideas. We slap on a label and simply stop listening.
This behavior oversimplifies the voting process. People no longer have to listen intently to the thoughts and opinions of candidates; they just go into the booth and vote straight on down the line. No need to think. No need to look beyond the surface. “Don’t make me listen to the candidates and think about the issues at hand, just put on a label so I’ll know who to vote for!”
I am bringing these points up because I am hoping voters will take the time to look closely at the candidates running for town council in West Milford. If the voters do, I am sure they will see why Dave Ofshinsky would make an excellent councilman. His work on helping turn around the broken MUA speaks for itself. He is extremely motivated, dedicated to his community and our township, and thoughtful on any issue brought before him. His work controlling the purse strings for several non-profits over the years demonstrates not only a keen business sense, but a heartfelt desire to help people in need. He is a good man who would be a huge asset to a council steering a town through difficult and turbulent times.
Voters of West Milford, when electing new members for our town council this November, please look past the labels and take note of the person. If you do, I am sure you will see Dave Ofshinsky is the right person for the job.
John D. Richards
Newfoundland