By Judy Reiss
As I sit here in front of my old computer, I have tried to think of something to write that wouldn’t be either boring or just plain sad! I haven’t turned the TV on today because what seems to be on is so controversial as far as I am concerned, or really, really sad. So, I decided to write instead. Of course, when I write, I also turn on the radio, which has turned out to be a really bad decision, too. All I can hear is a talk program that is talking about ISIS and all the other Muslim atrocities, and to tell you the truth I am not sure that I can listen to much more. Of course, I was born in 1939 just before WWII, and as a little girl, I vividly remember all the things that we were encouraged to do to help “win the war”. And that included eating fake butter which we made by breaking a little orange bubble and mixing the orange stuff into the big white glob and “ta-da,” we had butter. We scuffed through the gutters and picked up silver paper from packs of cigarettes because that silver would help make planes. Everyone I knew did everything that they knew how to do to help the war effort. Today? Our young people are not even willing or able to do anything that even allows them to help.
I have always thought that I was right on the cusp of knowing what was going on politically in our country. I have lived through a lot of different presidents and their entourages, but I have never ever even dreamed of the chaos we are experiencing today. Do you wonder what the rest of the world thinks of what is going on today? Not only are the Republican candidates offering themselves as the most bizarre candidates imaginable, but they are also telling the world just about anything that crosses their minds without giving it a hard thought first! And as if that isn’t bad enough, the fights between Trump and Cruz are so shameful that no one can begin to understand what they can be thinking! Now, I am sure some of you probably disagree with me, but think about this. Since World War II, the United States has been the most admired country in the world. Even when we were involved with other wars, our country was still considered the one that every other country wanted to emulate. Now, whether we want to believe it or not, every country and person in the world gets to hear the foolishness that is spoken by the candidates who are asking our citizens to elect them to be president of our great country. Think back into history, can you think of any other candidates who spoke like the ones we have today and let the world know what they are actually thinking and perhaps even proposing? We all should be so ashamed!
Of course, then we have to be swamped by all the horrors that are being done around the world. And fortunately, not on U.S. soil yet. What kind of people train 8-year-olds to become suicide bombers? It is bad enough that anyone is willing to kill themselves while killing as many innocent civilians is absolutely mind-boggling to me. But to train children? Barbaric!
This past weekend after watching and weeping about the several terrible grim atrocities in Belgium and Pakistan, I watched a program that showed these same terrorists destroying and ruining temples and antiquities that have been treasures for the past thousands of years. These amazing part of history can never be replaced and they have been destroyed for absolutely no good reason! They are being destroyed because it appears to be fun for these very ignorant people. We don’t have antiquities like these in our country because we are thousands of years too young. But we should still feel the sadness and the horror as we see these temples and pieces of art destroyed.
I had such a wonder Easter with half of my family but it was during our brunch that I looked around and wondered what lies ahead for these boys. The two older ones are 20 and 18 and the younger ones are almost 10 and almost 13. Even when my children were that age, I pretty much knew what their future would be. All four of my kids went on to college and today they are three RNs and one Doctor of Physical Therapy. And as I looked around the table and looked at the very well behaved boys who all do well in school and are planning their futures, I couldn’t help but think about the children their age who are living in constant fear or watching as a suicide bomber is blowing up their family members. Or even worse, are carrying the explosive to kill as many as they can on their own young bodies!
I think it is time to insist that our political candidates forget about being such fools and fighting about God only knows what and instead talking about the future for our children! Nobody really cares about their sex lives or their wives’ history. It might be fun to laugh about but it is hardly how we want to be talked about throughout the world! Good Lord, our forefathers must be twirling in their graves! None of them were angels and maybe they had a few drinks or even a few women too many, but they took their responsibilities about how to run the country very, very seriously. Let’s try and go back to having some moral code that transfers to our government.
