It's an Ugly Blend of the Day and Times Thing

Dear America,

"It's easier 

to build 

strong children 

than repair 

    a broken man."  

Frederick Douglass

as go the people, 

so goes the nation.

Like a good cheese or a yummy wine, the natural maturity of man or country does not come simply with age alone; for the aging process requires a proper environment, quality ingredients, a nurturing guide and. of course, loving attention.   It's through a compilation of knowledge, experience, lofty dreams, and high expectations that collide together to bring forth something of value, worthy to be called good in every way.

Any creation worth anything comes from this, while the virtuous, full and able bodied character is the result, a semblance of fine artistry -- a unique collection of products the reward, enabling the whole to be labeled utterly exceptional.

There was a time when this nation spent much of it's time aging our young with a moral compass (see McGuffey's Readers), a spiritual connection to each other  and our God, understanding of the difference between right and wrong, proficient in the works of splendid literature of the ages.

We took the time to put good in.

There are many times I feel like we are filling our children up with not only Flaming Cheetos and Oreo cookies, but with the empty calories of gossip via facebook and twitter, stupid tv, degrading music, filthy mouths, pretentious and superficial goals resting on making a quick gain, with the ambitions to be nothing more than a Kardashian or a Bieber.   

And yes. The exaggeration going to extremes fully intended.  And the provocation  fully warranted. 

As somehow -- when it comes to the stories picked up on the mainstream and scattered like pixie dust on ecstasy -- it seems like that reality is all we see.   As a nation, we are TMZ to the nth degree.

Oh and we all sit back and gawk, judge, pick it all apart and throw it all away in a day.

But what do we learn; what do we gain; how do we use it to make us better, not worse, in this mad, mad world from  tidbits of titillation?

For me, if we put it all together, it seems like we are being manipulated and steered in one direction. But perhaps the conspiracy is all in my head.  Time will tell.

One thing that stands out in recent days  -- in reaction to the stunning remarks coming from an NBA team owner and others -- is clear:  racism in all of it's forms is ugly.

[I also believe in my heart that MOST Americans want no part of that.]  

Racism is ugly and thankfully, unpopular -- growing more so every day.

But what may be just as unpalatable might just be the follow the herd, knee-jerk reaction to it; as if the work of our own critical thinking has been left to someone else to decide.

I feel drawn to an opinion from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and want to share it with you:

“So, if we’re all going to be outraged,” the former NBA star concluded, “let’s be outraged that we weren’t more outraged when his racism was first evident. Let’s be outraged that private conversations between people in an intimate relationship are recorded and publicly played. Let’s be outraged that whoever did the betraying will probably get a book deal, a sitcom, trade recipes with Hoda and Kathie Lee, and soon appear on ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ and ‘Dancing with the Stars.’”

Couldn't have said it better myself.

And you can read the whole story on The Daily Caller, here.

You see, in other reactions -- some might even consider as equally disturbing as Sterling's -- is this, from Larry Johnson, former NBA player and Knicks Executive:

“Black people your Focusing on the wrong thing. We should be focusing on having our own, Own team own League! To For Self!!’’

Yes.  Indeed.  Fight racism with racism.

People are fascinating.

Do we really think the only racists come in  white shells?

In a post slavery America, the possibility of a fresh perspective is constantly being challenged, warped from our past experiences and framed by a history unshakable and unfortunately perpetuated by a few ignorant souls unworthy of our attention.

What do we want to create? 

What is the ultimate goal?

Where do we go from here?

Let us not fall back asleep and pretend we can cultivate good from the low-life sustenance we seem to put in.

And speaking of falling asleep, in a best offense is a good defense kind of way....

This is totally unrelated and going in a tangent far, far away, but it's a lively blend of ignorance and bliss, condensed in a speech from Brian Kennedy, President of The Claremont Institute.  Here is an excerpt from Early Warning:  The Continuing Need for National Defense:

 It was important, he thought, to understand the strengths and vulnerabilities of a nation. His classes served as an antidote for students who had grown up in post-war America—a much needed antidote, because citizens of free nations in peacetime do not historically think in such terms. We today, and our elected leaders—in whose hands we place the responsibility for national defense—are in urgent need of such an antidote, because the U.S. is increasingly and dangerously vulnerable, and our elected leaders appear oblivious.

Indeed.

To understand the strengths and vulnerabilities of a nation, through and through.

"...because citizens of free nations in peacetime do not historically think in such terms."


Oh wow,  yummy, critical thinking for the greater good;  oh the idea of it -- oh the splendid blend of knowledge and experience, questioning what has come before, and wondering how wonderful our future could be, having mastered the art of cultivating the best and the brightest of ideas into one thing.

Now, granted -- the entire post at Imprimis requires your full attention.  I have only used a fraction for nothing more than my own selfish purposes today.  Kennedy makes valiant and remarkable points all the way around.  We must not take for granted what we have and forget the absolute necessity of protecting it.

But returning back to the start,  my plea is that we not squander and discount all that we have learned to date from one bad seed.

Our strengths and vulnerabilities must be crossing for a reason.

Make it a Good Day, G