by Mike Simcik

There seems to be a lot of talk lately about Senior Centers in the area and most of it not very flattering.

For example; Sometime before the presidential election a notice was sent out in the monthly news bulletin from a local senior center that their computer system database and membership files were hacked into and stolen. I received one of these notices in the mail.

If anyone had a curious or suspicious mind one would wonder what happened to that very private and personal information and how was it illegally used. Of course, everyone knows senior centers are state and federally funded which is enough to make anyone’s eyebrows raise.

Just suppose that information was used in favor of one candidate or the other. It’s just a guess on my part but it is more than possible that a lot of senior citizens in this area voted for someone they did not want to.

For that matter, in these disturbing times, we live in today, our seniors could have voted several times without knowing it. Since hacking never happened before at these places, why now, and just before election time?

Another issue has taken shape and in no way are any conclusions being drawn. But it has been noticed and talked about by many seniors that there is an appalling lack of ethnicity in those same Senior Centers. We know there is a considerable population of retired African Americans and Hispanic in Grand Haven and Muskegon areas that do not go to or are a member of a senior center. Perhaps they feel there is not much offered for them at these centers.

The one thing that sticks in my mind because of recent events is some practical advice for all senior citizens and that is; keep your private life information private and watch your back. These are very disturbing and socially unfriendly times we live in dividing our nation.