It is evident, going by the demographics, this malaise is not race biased and it is an Equal Opportunity Decay. Three teenagers, black/white/brown (yellow and red were not represented), found no way to amuse themselves other than selecting a random jogger and gunning him down, murdering him in cold blood, in broad day light, in the middle a small town in Oklahoma… We’re not talking Chicago, or Detroit, or New York City, or Philadelphia, or Los Angeles, or Miami, or even Atlanta; we are talking Duncan, Oklahoma, Crape myrtle Capital of Oklahoma, path of the Chisholm Trail, population ~23,400; the type of town that is expected to represent all is good about the USA and now it will represent all that is gangrenous about the USA!
Now, there are already opinions out there that say this was caused by the violence portrayed in games, TV and the movies… BS! We manage to export that same violence to the whole rest of the world, and we don’t hear about this type of atrocities happening elsewhere as often as they happen here. There is also a set of opinions that says that it is that violence plus the availability of firearms… BS BS! Some other countries of the world may not have the same ungodly amount of uncontrolled firearms that the USA has on its streets, but they have other types of arms which are also lethal (remember that there were lots of people killed in this world before there were any firearms, and this is not an apology for the firearms issues we have, and boy, issues we have; but that’s the subject of another soap box stand!). Some others are pounding their chests arguing that, since all these three monsters came out of broken homes, single-parent households are the problem… BS BS BS! The current president of the USA came out of a single-parent home and there are many, many highly accomplished and remarkable people in the arts, sciences, politics, academia, military, and all other important walks of life and professions who came out of broken homes; my own father came out of a single parent home and he was one of the most remarkable, though unpublicized, men I ever knew. I’m not saying that a broken home is the same as a ‘whole’ home; what I am saying is that broken homes do not breed monsters.
Now, hang on to your pants because, at times, this may come close to home or may feel uncomfortable, but ‘it is what it is’… I’ll tell you what the problem is: it is the ‘me’ mindset. Why do I mean by that? Well, at one time, we decided we were going to take care of number one first; once we started on that path we started to drift more and more into that mindset and now we find ourselves caring about number one only; period! Look around and you will see examples, in all walks of life and in all instances, of what I am saying. It may reflect itself into simple things like “if it doesn't affect me, it is not my problem” and then one step further “if it is not my problem, there is no problem, is there?” Unfortunately, we have forgotten that it is the sense of community and our duty to care for our fellow men what makes us human; without that, we are just animals (like the three ones mentioned above). We have taken our ‘rogue individualism’ to an extreme that says ‘only I matter’. Just remember that in 1776 only few people paid taxes and, if we had had this attitude then (if it doesn't affect me is not my problem), we would still be flying the Union Jack…
We've no respect for human life, period.
Some of us claim to be the defenders of human life and proclaim that a life is viable since conception; however, once the child is born, who care is he/she eats? “Cut entitlements”, we cry (even though it may mean some children may starve to death); oh, but we defended them with all our might while they were in the womb… These people are all hypocrites!
Others say, we can kill them as long as they are not born (at times almost with a ‘who cares’ cavalier attitude), but once they are born, we teach them that regardless of their lot in life, they don’t have to ever worry about where the next meal is coming from because we will feed them for life; there is no merit on hard work and effort because all basic needs will be taken care of for as long as they live, even if they become animals (like the three above) and we choose to cage them for the rest of their lives (instead of killing them for their crime, as they squarely deserve) and we still will be taking total care of them in jail (food, medical, entertainment, education) at no cost to them for as long as they live… Another bunch of hypocrites!
We pound our chests and proudly salute the American flag and even shed tears when our soldiers return home being only shreds of what they used to be; oh yeah, they are our heroes but, for the life of God, balance the Goddamned budget and cut, cut, cut (who care if the vets don’t have a doctor to see for months or don’t have a leg to stand on, literally!)... The worst type of hypocrites!
I may sound a little cynical, a little bitter and a little dejected… Well, I feel cynical when I realize the wide gap between what we say we value and what we actually do value, the gap between the word and the deed; I am bitter about the horrible waste of human capital in so many ways all over the country that seems to be going on and on and has become the norm; and I am dejected that my choice of being part of once the best nation in the world, may be coming under self scrutiny…
Are we beyond repair? I don’t really know… What do you think?
I may sound a little cynical, a little bitter and a little dejected… Well, I feel cynical when I realize the wide gap between what we say we value and what we actually do value, the gap between the word and the deed; I am bitter about the horrible waste of human capital in so many ways all over the country that seems to be going on and on and has become the norm; and I am dejected that my choice of being part of once the best nation in the world, may be coming under self scrutiny…
Are we beyond repair? I don’t really know… What do you think?
Billy Ray Chitwood wrote this in several parts... Part 1:
ReplyDeleteYour blog thoughts represent the thoughts of millions of Americans. Your blog showed an honest anger and some remorse for our country. I must admit that in my silent cells, screams could become shrieks at the mindless violent acts you mention. While the sociologists spend their time theorizing on cause and effect of such acts, my anger takes me to a place, dare I mention, where I would simply like to step on these young men as though they were bugs of which to be rid.
When the anger has subsided I realize that mindless bestial acts of this sort have played out many times in our history (so many could be mentioned here - e.g., Ft. Hood massacre, the dear elementary school children who were taken from us, the baby shot in the face, so many more). While the sociologists muse and set patterns for these behaviors, I think about the decay of our democracy.
When you have a government focused on building an entitlement state, when over fifty per cent of our people are on some sort of welfare, when a government health program is about to put our economy debits out to the stratosphere, when our government representatives on the left and right are fighting their quid pro quo fights and seeking more power, when one political party continues to build their entitlement society, taking from the working haves and giving to the idle non-working have nots, when one political party deincentivizes our entrepreneurs and investors who create jobs that makes our economic engine run, when the civil rights 'kings' are only interested in their power posts and not about focusing on family values and teaching the young kids the power of a good education so they can live and work in the world, when political posturing seems to be the way of life in Washington, when all these things and more weave their tangled webs, we have moral decay and we have a democracy about to close its doors.
Is there hope? Of course, there is hope. Otherwise, why bother living?
Part 2 of Billy Ray's comment:
ReplyDeleteWe need to clean the slate of government. We need leadership that does what our constitution demands, that keeps our country safe and secure, that gives us sensible laws under which to live, that finds the best ways to spend OUR money for GOOD causes and GOOD education, not to cater to the great Oz of the NEA union...or any union. We need leadership that steps aside and lets the private sector build its businesses and its work forces. We need leadership that finally takes this phony socialized health care program and force feed it to the liberal arse-holes that created it in their smoke-filled back rooms. We need leadership that gives every man and woman a chance to fulfill his and her dream, to chase that dream to the most distant star. We need leadership that does not vacillate on matters of state and on security matters of great importance. We need leadership that will silent the voices of greedy and power-hungry unions, to breathe fresh life into our stilled plants and our places of business. Martin Luther King wanted a nation much like the one of which I now write, a fair nation, where so-called racism is dead in a forgotten past, where we have our friends based on individual bonding, regardless of race and creed. We need leadership that does not foster any more 'whining' and 'you owe me' bull-croppy. We need to be ONE nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
Yes, of course, those words have been used in one form or another for many years. They need to be said, to be repeated, until we all can believe in them. That's my hope.
Okay, Miguel, you got me going. Your good blog got some things off your mind and it allowed me to get some things off my mind. Thank you for that. Each snow drop is different, I'm told (damned if I know how it is known) and each of us among the living is different. That's something we can embrace. We can learn from each other and even modify our thoughts with the right arguments. For the moment, these are my thoughts to you in response to your blog post.
Feel your anger (I do), feel your despair (I do) but keep your hope and your dreams alive (I do). Thanks for sharing your good post.
Billy Ray
This response is from Cindy Sullivan; it is in several parts... Part1:
ReplyDeleteYou asked for opinions? Mine got a little long winded for the comment section on your blog spot and I couldn't submit the comment on your wall. So, here it is in note form! :-)
“Unfortunately, we have forgotten that it is the sense of community and our duty to care for our fellow men what makes us human; without that, we are just animals (like the three ones mentioned above).”
I strongly disagree with that statement Miguel. The internet is inundated with stories of animals displaying compassion and community among their own and toward species outside of their own. I personally witness the incredible compassion from my own fur friends. Animals don’t kill out of boredom or for sport! They kill for food and if necessary, for protection. Animals don’t care what any other animal is doing and they know their territory boundaries. When there is an intrusion, the intruder is dealt with and taught a lesson. Therefore, we should never be comparing the scum of the earth with their deranged minds and heinous acts, to animals. We humans should be taking lessons from the animal kingdom as animals have proven that they have more compassion all of the time not selectively like humans. And what we humans do to the animal kingdom is appalling but that is another discussion for later.
Anyone who is not scared to death over the state of our Nation needs to get their head out of their cell phones and Ipads!First, we have lost sight of the foundation that this country was built on. People died for the establishment of the Constitution of the United States and it seems these days, all we want to do is limit everyone’s freedoms by altering it and subjecting it to personal interpretation. In an effort to not offend the droves of people who flock to this country due to oppression in their countries, we have abandoned the most precious fundamentals of this country; “In God We Trust” and “I pledge Allegiance…” I am not the most religious person you will meet but I believe in right and wrong. Those basic values, morals and manners were instilled in me by a God fearing family. I was taught that hard work is the means to achieve your goals. I was raised in an atmosphere that regardless of the day’s activities, we sat down as a family at the dinner table. Even on the nights my father worked the evening shift, the three of us dined together on a home cooked meal. (Cont'd)
Part 2 of Cindy's comments:
ReplyDeleteI received an education, not an exercise in how to practice for a state exam that determines how much money a school will receive. In addition to various other subjects, that education consisted of the basics, reading, writing, in cursive even, spelling, grammar and math. In addition to subject matter, we were taught discipline both in school and at home. It was never acceptable to submit sloppy homework and you didn’t get credit simply because you made an attempt at doing your homework. You were required to speak proper English and were corrected if you did not. Today, we simply add the improper language to the dictionary. It was not acceptable to miss class or be late. Teachers weren’t afraid to discipline you because parents supported the teachers. And if you didn’t pass the grade, you got to do it all over again! We need to make education a priority again. When Jay Leno hits the streets and asks people questions on current events, we laugh at their ridiculous or lack of responses. When in fact, we should be appalled! However, in order to educate, you need to get the brain matter stimulated. Now grant it, I love the internet and would have preferred doing a Google search for my assignments instead of thumbing through encyclopedias but at least I know what an encyclopedia is. We also didn’t have electronic games. We made our fun on the streets. If there wasn’t something to do, we used our imaginations to occupy our time. I have said it numerous times before; I would not trade my childhood for the life this generation has.
Facebook is a great place to see what direction this country is heading; horrible grammar, improper use of words, lots of hate, people who will repost everything and anything because after all, if it’s on the internet, it must be true. It is as though they don’t know how to think for themselves anymore.
We need to take our country back and hold people accountable for their actions and force parents to live up to their obligations. We will certainly not be the first country to adopt the attitude; you are welcome to live here, to enjoy the freedoms of this country but this is the way we do things and these are the laws of our land! If the lifestyle here is not acceptable to you then you can return to where you once came!
I am the fourth generation from my ancestors who came to this country and they all assimilated to life here. They worked at what employment was available at the time. My maternal grandmother scrubbed floors to make a wage. People will bitch and moan about the illegal aliens in this country but without them, we would have no one to do the menial, dirty jobs they do for little pay and long hours. I personally know people who have lost their well paying jobs for various reasons and all the while stressing about not being able to support themselves, snubbed the less paying jobs because it was beneath them. (Cont'd)
Part 3 of CIndy's comments...
ReplyDeleteI believe in assistance for those who have a qualifying situation and not to be used as a way of life. If you are not doing anything for yourself than we, the working classes, who get sucked dry in taxes, are not going to support you any longer. The social security that I’ve been paying into all these years will be less than a memory by the time I am eligible to receive those benefits. I believe that the government needs to stop sending foreign aid to all these countries that hate us anyway and use it to increase the minimum wage so that people, who are responsible enough to take care of themselves and their families, can actually do so without having to work several jobs. We also need to penalize all the companies who outsource or have moved their physical business to foreign countries. We are urged to support America and buy American yet there are few choices available and when they are, the cost is outrageous. And I for one am tired of trying to understand the person who answers the phone at customer service!
Our priorities in this country are egregious to say the least. We pay celebrities and sports players millions by way of our support for the sake of entertainment. And entertain us they do. More and more, you cannot turn on a form of media without news of another one being arrested or acting like a complete ass. Yet, we are not utterly flabbergasted by the pittance our military is given. We don’t give a thought to the conditions they endure while protecting us and risking their lives. And when they return to us in pieces and broken in some way, we can’t even provide them with the care and respect they deserve. We even physically throw them and their service animals out of our public places. And when they return only to be laid to rest, there is very little for the loved ones left behind.
We have local heroes who protect us twenty-four-seven. They are called police and fire rescue. They too aren’t given the respect they deserve and are not paid nearly what they are worth.
Our teachers take a beating. The push for state lotteries was to aid with education yet education is one of the first budget cuts. We expect the good teachers to perform miracles. Well, I only know of one being who was capable of performing such tasks.
I don’t believe in dictating those matters which are of a personal choice. You made reference to having to feed hungry children. Politicians, who should be sparing us their religious beliefs, don’t take into account that when you force people to have those children, you are now putting yet another burden upon the citizens of this country. We have all we can do to care for the abandoned, orphaned and hungry ones this country has to offer. It also forces people to take desperate measures. Also, you want to talk about humanity? Where is the humanity in forcing a woman to take to term that which was conceived through an act of evil?
We need to pull in the reins on our politicians. We the people need to choose them wisely and not simply fill in the bubble at election time with an eenie meenie miney mo! But more importantly, we need to realize that there is a lot wrong with this country and the change needs to begin with us as individuals, starting in our homes. For God’s sake, we need to lead by example. We need to rear our children and raise the bar that they need to reach for. It is time to teach future generations to be prideful and respectful and to enlist the help of the village once more!
Cindy