This post will complete the third full year for The Quintessential Centrist. At this time, we would like to thank all our readers for playing an integral role in our growing platform, an online forum that incorporates ideas and values across the ideological spectrum.
Undoubtedly, 2021 was a particularly challenging year. But true to our mandate, we did not “take the fifth” and instead tackled some extremely hot button topics, many of which elicited passionate responses. The vast majority were thoughtful and considerate; a select few made us fear for our wellbeing!
We have certainly made mistakes and have done our best to remedy and learn from them. However, your constructive criticism helps us better accomplish our objective: to offer readers ideas that blend news, analysis, and viewpoints from the left, right, and center of the political and social gamut.
This year, we analyzed and opined on a broad array of topics related to politics, current events, culture, finance, technology, international affairs, and more. In total, we penned 28 articles. What did we get right? Where did we come up short? Which articles elicited the most positive, negative, and impassioned responses, etc.?
Whenever we received an approximately equal measure of critique from the left and right, we interpreted this to mean that we had fulfilled our objective of promoting the ideals and tenets of the center. To that end, we were extremely pleased with the responses to our work on Statue of Limitations, Bat S**t Crazy, and Unsportsmanlike Conduct. For these posts, many staunch conservatives accused us of being closeted liberals. An overwhelming number of liberals accused us of being a mouthpiece for the right. This helped reassure us that we split the goalposts down the middle on those hotly debated issues.
We also received overwhelmingly positive feedback to GameStopped, Palestinians Should Indeed Be Free – From Hamas, Biden’s Saigon Moment, and Power Crunch.
Prophetic Call?
In June 2021 we posted New York’s Next Mayor. In that post, we made two arguments. First, that Bill DeBlasio would be remembered as the worst mayor in NYC’s history. Second, that moderate Democrat Eric Adams was best suited to reinvigorate Gotham.
The first call was easy. DeBlasio inherited a city on the ascent, presided over its decline, and never accepted any responsibility for it. He offered the same tired generic responses to questions regarding NYC’s acute increase in homelessness and violent crime, stating they were “not acceptable” and would “not be tolerated.” But never implemented, let alone offered, any substantive solutions to remedy these, and other serious problems.
Almost every day, DeBlasio, the self-anointed “progressive person of the people who takes climate change seriously,” was chauffeured from his residence in Gracie Mansion in Manhattan, 11 miles to Park Slope in Brooklyn, in a gas guzzling SUV for his daily workout (apparently a gym in Manhattan would not suffice). From there, he was driven back to downtown Manhattan where he would begin his day at City Hall @ ~10:30am. Thank goodness his last day at “work” was December 31 2021.
The jury is still out on our second call; though, we are elated that the candidate we endorsed, Brooklyn Borough President and former NYPD Captain Eric Adams, was elected. Despite dysfunction and opposition at the City Council level, we believe Adams is the right man to toe a delicate line between competing special interest groups to effect positive change.
According to multiple polls, crime and public safety are the top concern of New Yorkers. And for good reason. New York has seen a surge in violent crime that has degraded the quality of life and left residents on edge. Though crimes have risen in virtually all areas of NYC, a disproportionate number are occurring in New York’s poorest neighborhoods. Of course, all New Yorkers have a right to a basic level of law and order irrespective of the community in which they reside.
On his first day on the job, Mayor Adams took the subway. While in route, he called 911 to report an assault then chatted with straphangers. To tackle the homeless crisis in NYC’s mass transit system, Adams has already announced a plan to work directly with New York State Governor Cathy Hochul to get hundreds of mental health counselors into subways and train stations to offer counseling services and alternative housing solutions. (Former Mayor DeBlasio and Governor Cuomo did nothing together but quibble.)
Adams had exercise equipment installed at City Hall, instructed city officials to cut red tape, support local businesses, identify inefficiencies, and streamline operations. He terminated two city employees for unauthorized use of taxpayer funds. Under his watch, schools will remain open for instruction in person. (We support these measures).
On his first day on the job, Eric Adams visited the 103rd Police Precinct, the place where he was arrested and beaten up as a teenager. The following are excerpts from his address to rank and file police officers:
“…We have the finest among us and sometimes unfortunately we have a small number of the worst among us…Those are the dualities of it…My covenant to you is you protect my community; I’m going to protect you...I’m going to have your backs. But if you are abusive to my community, I’m going to make sure you don’t serve in my department…No matter what you hear, no matter what people tweet, no matter what people put on Facebook or Instagram…New Yorkers need you and they appreciate you and I appreciate you…”
We hope that in a year from now, we can boast that our choice to turn NYC around was a prophetic call. We remain cautiously optimistic.
Farewell 2021
We sincerely hope that at least a few of TQC’s articles will spur people to examine their own biases, reflect and perhaps consider, or at least understand and appreciate, a view that is not always aligned with their own. We think that in so doing, it will make America a more tolerant, civil place.
Finally, we encourage our loyal readers to continue corresponding with us. Any questions, comments, declarations, or explanations, please let us know. What can we do to improve our product? We want to hear from you!
Our next article will be Sunday, January 22. We would like to wish everybody a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2022. Thank You.
Christopher Blackman,
Founder
The Quintessential Centrist