Prior to my retirement from DEA, the powers that be sent me to a retirement seminar. We learned many useful things, but the one which sticks to this day – do not watch the news. It’s too conducive to depression. The U.S mail is also a major contributor. On any given day, I receive numerous entreaties to contribute (some are legit, others…..who knows).
A recent missive from the Christian Appalachian Project (I’m pretty sure it’s for real) introduced me to “Lisa, a mother of two, who knows what it’s like to scrape together enough to buy healthy (sic) food and essential clothing for her little girls”. The plea goes on to say that “[s]adly, she’s not alone. In fact, one in five children in Appalachia is hungry”. Where is Appalachia? Don’t know, really, but it seems to expand to more and more of the USA between the oceans. If it is true that the oceans are about to rise to claim increasing amounts of seashore real estate, that leaves less and less Lands of Plenty in these United States. Are you nervous yet??
Then there are homes for abused and abandoned children. We give a small pittance to ones in New York City (Covenant House) and Chicago (Mercy Home for Boys & Girls). Homes for unwanted, inconvenient children. Were any of them conceived as a result of rape or incest? Ya think? Yes, abortion is evil, sinful and a form of homicide, but those who advocate for its prohibition should consider what to do with the lives they save. All too often, after birth, yer on your own, kid.
If that doesn’t grab you, The Washington Post’s October 21st edition carried a lengthy article concerning a decline in life expectancy in these United States. Apparently, on average, a Japanese person, as well as a Portugese citizen, live about five years longer that an American of a similar age. Causes include bad food habits, widespread opioid and other drug and alcohol abuse, suicides, gun violence and inadequate medical care.
We get numerous letters similar to the ones described above. Teens and childen kicked out of abusive homes in big cities. Not to mention the rest of the world. But the U.S. is the richest nation the planet has ever seen. Can’t we do better than this? If you are Christian, consider the words of Jesus: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.
Hardly a day goes by without hearing of another unprecedented event in our climate. July was the hottest month on record. Pakistan and Greece have been flooded almost apocalyptically. A Category 5 hurricane just slammed into Apoculpo, Mexico. Never happened before. This morning’s Post (October 30) published a front page piece on the effect of climate warming on little kids in Yemen, a war torn nation on the Arabian peninsula. Yemen sits cheek-to-jowl with oil rich (filthy rich) nations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia. So, why can’t they just go cool off in the air conditioning? Just like the oil barons. Was it St. Luke who observed that the pursuit of money is the root of all evil? Is climate change for real? Ask the babies and little kids of Yemen who are being parboiled.
And, yes, we have two major wars going down. Just what we need, not to mention people in Palestine, Israel, Russia and Ukraine. As a former president observed (in a somewhat different context), there are fine people. On both sides. In the case of the Middle East, there are sins on both sides.
While all this goes on, Congress is stymied by a lack of a Speaker. Well, no, the GOP finally selected a backbencher. Now we can get serious about government shutdowns and all the useful things the House gets to do. Don’t you feel better already?
Finally, to break the monotony, we have had our (un)regularly scheduled mass shooting event, this time in Maine. At last count, only 18 lives were lost. The perp had an arsenal of legally purchased weaponry. He had recently been hospitalized for mental problems, hearing voices, etc. Apparently, some of the I’s had been dotted,T’s crossed, but to extend the cliches, dots were not connected. The system worked, until it didn’t. When will we realize that the best armed citizenry in the world is too well armed? The ultimate solution? Get the guns off the streets!
There you have it. I watch the news. I’ve only myself to blame.
Rogernarc 