Lonzie Cox – 3/8/07

This page was last updated on March 11, 2007.

Lives could have been saved; Lonzie Cox, Jr.; Beaver County Times; March 8, 2007. I am not related to Mr. Cox.

Mr. Cox is taking a break from his favorite topic, race. His facts, however, are down to his usual standard.

Below is a detailed critique of the subject letter.

“The Times was right in Thursday’s editorial. The government is responsible for citizen safety where possible.

“I only know what the media have reported about the six little kids and their guardian/parent who were killed in Greene County by fire.

“The funerals are over, and the coroner’s ruling was that the fire was accidental and that there was no suspicion of foul play.

“End of story probably, but it shouldn’t be. What is foul play? Foul play can occur well before the actual tragedy.

“Initial media reports blamed a furnace malfunction. But now it’s known that the family died for lack of natural gas, of which there is more than enough to supply everybody in the United States.”

[RWC] Not exactly. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the furnace was broken. Lack of natural gas was not the problem.

“Then after the woman and kids died, the gas company (doesn’t matter which one) was allowed to issue some empty press release stating that there is so much help available from agencies that no one’s gas should ever be shut off.

“These agencies can help, but in the end the gas company decides who has service and who does not.”

[RWC] According to the PG, at least one gas company “repairs gas lines and furnaces through its emergency repair fund. Homeowners at or below 150 percent of the poverty level -- $30,000 for a family of four -- are eligible. Columbia Gas spokeswoman Leslie Orbin said about 300 people participate yearly.”

“Some readers could, no doubt, describe the experience of negotiating with gas company ‘customer service’ people. They’re often a cross between Genghis Khan and Attila the Hun, and the state Public Utilities Commission sides with the company as often as not.

“Someone, whether welfare, the PUC or some gas company executive, should have gone out to see how and why this little family had survived for several years without heat or hot water because of no gas utilities and subsequently no bills.”

[RWC] “Little family?” The PG reports, “At the time of the fire, there were 11 people -- five adults and the six children -- in the home.”

“Conservatives still criticize liberal government, but in this case the government could have saved these their lives. It can’t be left up to the utility companies. It’s too important.”

[RWC] Here’s another example of Mr. Cox not doing his research. According to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, “Donna Arthur, said she recently helped her daughter-in-law complete application paperwork for the weatherization program offered by the county, where 13 percent of the 40,000 residents live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. ‘They would have put in a furnace or insulation or windows,’ she said. ‘But Becky didn’t turn it in because she wanted to find someplace else, maybe out in the country where they could ride four-wheelers.’”

The bottom line is, there was plenty of help available and the family knew it, but they chose not to take advantage of it.

I didn’t read all of the articles about this story, but in none of the ones I read did the family or friends blame anyone for the tragedy. If the family didn’t blame anyone, why does Mr. Cox feel the obligation to do so?

It’s sad when liberals like Mr. Cox attempt to use the tragedy of others to promote their political agendas.