America
stands on the edge. Of what? Who knows, but that is what I am going to try to
figure out. We are now far enough into the 21st Century that a few patterns
should be developing, but that just does not seem to be the case. Instead, the
fractiousness of the last Millennia seems to be deepening.
What we half laughingly, half mournfully refer to as the news media has become an inane parade of semi-intelligent talking heads, spewing disinformation interspersed with celebrity gossip and mind-numbing analysis of trivial nonsense. With the election over a year off, we are faced each day with new poll numbers and detailed discussion of the implications of these trends, only to be told the next day of conflicting numbers and new trends. On and on it goes and we have not even reached the actual election year.
In the meantime, Russia is flexing its considerable muscle all over the world, China is openly declaring its ownership of the China Sea by building island bases in International waters, journalists are being held hostage throughout the Middle East, and the European Union is being swamped with fleeing refugees. These issues are mentioned only in passing and when there is actual discussion of them, the same tired old men and women who staffed the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations, the same ones whose policies set the stage for these potential disasters, are trotted out, spouting rhetoric that will do nothing but exacerbate the situation.
As I write this, Israel is going at it with the Palestinians again, and we of course are sending our top diplomat, John Kerry, to broker a deal. We have been at this for 70 years with no success, and any deal he makes will last for a very short time, yet we keep sticking our nose where it does not belong. This, by the way, is the same John Kerry who made the Iranian nuclear deal in which we gained nothing. He did not even get an agreement to get the journalists that are being held captive, out.
Closer to home, the media recently went hysterical as a massive hurricane headed toward the East Coast. The storm stalled over the Bahama's where it sat with 135mph winds and torrential rains for 36 hours. The storm then went out to sea. Okay, we were fortunate, but I found it very odd that we were given no reports, none, about what must have been the devastation of one of our closest neighbors, a favorite vacation spot of many Americans. On the other hand, we have received in depth coverage of an ex-basketball player's idiotic decision to hunker down in a whorehouse and eat a handful of a Viagra-like substance on top of cocaine and alcohol. We are still receiving reports of his reconciliation with his ex-wife who just happens to have her own TV reality show.
The Pope recently visited and the services were truly beautiful and were, rightly, covered extensively. However, as well meaning as I am sure he is, he still has not done anywhere near enough to remove the stain of the vast and unthinkably horrible issue of kids being abused by priests. He has also scarcely touched the Vatican banking scandal. Yes, he has fired some Vatican officials but he really needs to come clean and tell us why the Church was allowing their investments to be used as a way of laundering vast sums of money tainted with heroin. He might also find it a good idea to really address the whole issue of poverty in the world. Oh sure he talks of the need to help the poor but never addresses the hypocrisy of a small group of men, many of whom have taken vows of poverty, and who control more money than most countries, lecturing the rest of us about helping the poor. If the Church liquidated its holdings and gave the wealth to those who need it, then maybe, his words would mean something. As a side issue, how can the Church, in good conscience, continue to forbid dirt poor followers the right to use birth control. Oh well, no big deal. Polls show that most American Catholics pay little attention to anything the Church says, they just like to turn out for a big show.
We have a President who lies repeatedly . In this, he is no different from all the Presidents within my memory (that would go back to Eisenhower) and yet, when interviewed, is never called on those lies. When will any journalist push him to explain himself. We are told that you have to respect the Office of the Presidency. Well, when the hell is the President going to show some respect for the American people, when will we be dealt with straight up? We are not children, we can take it.
As I write that last line, I realize that maybe I am wrong. Maybe we have become a Nation of overgrown kids who just want to watch football and the Kardashians, who cannot handle anything more taxing than beer, video gaming and porn. Oh well, maybe there are a few left who can think, who can look at the situation without batting an eye and say, "okay, let's fix it." That is what Americans have always done.
To see where we are going, we must look at the past, not just the facts of history and politics, that is boring. We must look at the culture, books, movies, TV, music and at beliefs, philosophical and religious. Then we need to look at where we are, the current cultural climate. Not everything is doom and gloom. A lot of good things still go on and they need to be highlighted and applauded.
I want to hear from people, to know what you are thinking. I want to know what you like and dislike. Heck, I even want to know your favorite recipes, what you grow in your gardens and any good home improvement tips. If you are part of what you consider a real community, I especially want to hear from you, to find out how your community developed and how you stay close.. And if you feel isolated, alone and frustrated, I want to hear from you. You are as important as anyone else and I want to know your story.
It may not seem like it from my opening tirade, but I want this site to be a place where we can have some fun, but we also have to be honest and, on occasion, serious. Somehow, the American people have let control of the Nation slip from their grasp but, by working together, we can take back our land and prosper, so let's get to it.
What we half laughingly, half mournfully refer to as the news media has become an inane parade of semi-intelligent talking heads, spewing disinformation interspersed with celebrity gossip and mind-numbing analysis of trivial nonsense. With the election over a year off, we are faced each day with new poll numbers and detailed discussion of the implications of these trends, only to be told the next day of conflicting numbers and new trends. On and on it goes and we have not even reached the actual election year.
In the meantime, Russia is flexing its considerable muscle all over the world, China is openly declaring its ownership of the China Sea by building island bases in International waters, journalists are being held hostage throughout the Middle East, and the European Union is being swamped with fleeing refugees. These issues are mentioned only in passing and when there is actual discussion of them, the same tired old men and women who staffed the Clinton, Bush and Obama administrations, the same ones whose policies set the stage for these potential disasters, are trotted out, spouting rhetoric that will do nothing but exacerbate the situation.
As I write this, Israel is going at it with the Palestinians again, and we of course are sending our top diplomat, John Kerry, to broker a deal. We have been at this for 70 years with no success, and any deal he makes will last for a very short time, yet we keep sticking our nose where it does not belong. This, by the way, is the same John Kerry who made the Iranian nuclear deal in which we gained nothing. He did not even get an agreement to get the journalists that are being held captive, out.
Closer to home, the media recently went hysterical as a massive hurricane headed toward the East Coast. The storm stalled over the Bahama's where it sat with 135mph winds and torrential rains for 36 hours. The storm then went out to sea. Okay, we were fortunate, but I found it very odd that we were given no reports, none, about what must have been the devastation of one of our closest neighbors, a favorite vacation spot of many Americans. On the other hand, we have received in depth coverage of an ex-basketball player's idiotic decision to hunker down in a whorehouse and eat a handful of a Viagra-like substance on top of cocaine and alcohol. We are still receiving reports of his reconciliation with his ex-wife who just happens to have her own TV reality show.
The Pope recently visited and the services were truly beautiful and were, rightly, covered extensively. However, as well meaning as I am sure he is, he still has not done anywhere near enough to remove the stain of the vast and unthinkably horrible issue of kids being abused by priests. He has also scarcely touched the Vatican banking scandal. Yes, he has fired some Vatican officials but he really needs to come clean and tell us why the Church was allowing their investments to be used as a way of laundering vast sums of money tainted with heroin. He might also find it a good idea to really address the whole issue of poverty in the world. Oh sure he talks of the need to help the poor but never addresses the hypocrisy of a small group of men, many of whom have taken vows of poverty, and who control more money than most countries, lecturing the rest of us about helping the poor. If the Church liquidated its holdings and gave the wealth to those who need it, then maybe, his words would mean something. As a side issue, how can the Church, in good conscience, continue to forbid dirt poor followers the right to use birth control. Oh well, no big deal. Polls show that most American Catholics pay little attention to anything the Church says, they just like to turn out for a big show.
We have a President who lies repeatedly . In this, he is no different from all the Presidents within my memory (that would go back to Eisenhower) and yet, when interviewed, is never called on those lies. When will any journalist push him to explain himself. We are told that you have to respect the Office of the Presidency. Well, when the hell is the President going to show some respect for the American people, when will we be dealt with straight up? We are not children, we can take it.
As I write that last line, I realize that maybe I am wrong. Maybe we have become a Nation of overgrown kids who just want to watch football and the Kardashians, who cannot handle anything more taxing than beer, video gaming and porn. Oh well, maybe there are a few left who can think, who can look at the situation without batting an eye and say, "okay, let's fix it." That is what Americans have always done.
To see where we are going, we must look at the past, not just the facts of history and politics, that is boring. We must look at the culture, books, movies, TV, music and at beliefs, philosophical and religious. Then we need to look at where we are, the current cultural climate. Not everything is doom and gloom. A lot of good things still go on and they need to be highlighted and applauded.
I want to hear from people, to know what you are thinking. I want to know what you like and dislike. Heck, I even want to know your favorite recipes, what you grow in your gardens and any good home improvement tips. If you are part of what you consider a real community, I especially want to hear from you, to find out how your community developed and how you stay close.. And if you feel isolated, alone and frustrated, I want to hear from you. You are as important as anyone else and I want to know your story.
It may not seem like it from my opening tirade, but I want this site to be a place where we can have some fun, but we also have to be honest and, on occasion, serious. Somehow, the American people have let control of the Nation slip from their grasp but, by working together, we can take back our land and prosper, so let's get to it.
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