Motivated In Ohio: 6/3/12

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

New Poll Shows Country Severely Divided--Hardball

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On the ground at Wisconsin recall central

Oy Vey--by Cletis Stump

One of the few advantages of getting older is I at least have a basis of comparison for many things I see going on in the world today. I grew up in the fifties and remember vividly the more care free, less stressful lives people lived. There were struggles, like in any place at any time, but there was not constant turmoil and there were not lines of frustration etched an inch deep into the brow of every adult in the community.

Today things have changed. I see very few adults who aren't struggling with emotional issues and I see very few children who don't think the world began with them. I realize this sounds like the ramblings of an older person and I know each generation of older people longs for an earlier time. The truth is, however, no generation in history has witnessed the incredible scientific advancements and social changes my generation has witnessed.

Politically there is a greater divide and less trust among people today than I have ever seen. When I was a boy, no presidential candidate was compelled to campaign with an American flag prominently displayed on his or her lapel. Dwight Eisenhower, John Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson, nor Richard Nixon spoke publicly about their deep and abiding love for god. It just wasn't done. Over the last 20 to 30 years, politicians have brandished their faith and worked diligently to prove they love the lord far more than their opponent. Jesus has been reduced to a marketable product.

Public education, arguably America's greatest contribution to the world, is under assault by today's GOP in an effort to privatize and thus make available the opportunity to make a few bucks off of our kids. If they succeed, they will destroy the very fabric of our society.

There were homosexuals when I was a boy and everyone in town knew who they were but they were not political pawns. I don't recall the venomous hatred directed toward homosexuals as today by the Christian community. It wearies me that we have lost the essence of the teachings of Jesus but have retained the hard line legalism of Mosaic law.

Churches are again trying to reassert their authority over women and the shameless GOP has denigrated and debased women who are simply seeking equality and parity in the work force and dignity and respect for their personal choices.

President Obama has been assaulted from the very day he was inaugurated. His birth has been questioned by lunatics with nothing better to do but also by many nefarious Republicans who keep this pot boiling in an effort to discredit his legitimacy. These people deny they are racist but if the president were white his birth would not have been questioned.

Mitt Romney has lied on President Obama repeatedly. I'm not talking about campaigning and perhaps even exaggerating, I'm talking about flat out lies. There was a time when lying to the degree Romney has lied would have totally destroyed a political career.

So, where do we go from here? I see two choices. We either withdraw into our private lives and live as well as possible or we make a commitment to demanding ethical behavior from our political leaders, our family and friends, and most importantly from ourselves.