I have to change my mindset! I am no longer a teacher, so I am freer to say what I really think (but it is still quite hard for me to do it at this point - 31 years of self-censorship doesn't just go away overnight).
Anyhow, I have a guest Blogger today (that's him to the left, not me)! I have been reading this gentleman's words for years and was lucky enough to meet him and hear him speak this past year. The connection with my opening: he has done what I haven't been able to - that is be able to freely speak his mind (and write his words) and not care what others think. My work environment was such that the wrong thing said equaled big problems, so I learned to be quiet (or at least very, very carefully watch what I said). Anyhow, the column below arrived today, and I wanted to share it with my readers. The words below pretty much nail our messed-up country today! Read it, and then read it again. I hope you understand and agree. The following is reprinted with permission (assuming "Go for it, Dave" constitutes permission). Enjoy:
THE MIDDLE ROAD: AMERICA'S DESERTED WASTELAND
By Joe Klock, Sr.
As this is being written, our nation is celebrating its 232nd birthday, with gasoline at an all-time high throughout the land and public optimism, in some areas, seemingly finding lower ground on a daily basis.
Having lived through more than a third of America's history (35.345% for anal retentive readers), I have mixed emotions about its present status and future prospects.
To be sure, I applaud the fact that this country has survived a risky birth, a frail infancy and multiple crises, but I'm saddened by some of the changes in public attitude and governmental practices.
Although it is a time-honored policy among political partisans to "point with pride" to all of the principals and principles identified with their parties and "view with alarm" all those of the opposition, the polarization of these views has become increasingly rigid and mean-spirited.
Regrettably, in this presidential election year, it is customary to slap labels on those either holding office, seeking office or merely taking positions on matters politic.
At the highest level, one candidate is seen as oozing leftward, while the other sidles subtly to the right - both, presumably to attract new supporters without abandoning their core sychophants.
The mass media are rife with thinly-concealed propaganda, disguised as news, fact and objective debate. (For evidence of this phenomenon, flip randomly between Fox News and MSNBC between 7:00 pm and bedtime.)
In my small corner of the wordworking world, I have been accused of being both conservative and liberal, often with an accompaniment of pejorative comments and suggestions that my IQ and age are numerically equal numbers.
I plead, incidentally, guilty to both charges, tending to be conservative as to most economic matters and generally liberal in the social arena.
That said - and here I might start losing some of you readers - I feel strongly that those tendencies (an important word there) reflect the position of most Americans who do not fit into the inflexible mold of extremism.
In other words, most of us TEND to be the kind of moderates which most partisans PREtend to be in their public personae.
Also, most of us (exceptions noted above) are willing to concede that those with whom we disagree are not entirely wrong in their beliefs - except in such irreconcilable matters as the support of athletic teams and the proper seasoning of chili con carne.
In the language of partisanese, compromise is regarded as a hateful four-letter word, more appropriately replaced by either the flipping of one finger or the pointing of another.
This is why the blame game is played with respect to such problems as:
- Our hopeless-in-the-short-run dependency on fossil fuels.
- Our rape and pillage of a once-solvent Social Security fund.
- Our sailor-on-leave deficit spending policies.
- The surrender of policy-making to lobbyists and special interests.
- The transformation of our electoral process to an e-Bay auction.
- Our progressive departure from recognizing a power higher than ourselves.
- Disrespect for the flag and disdain of patriotism.
- Almost automatic reelection of underperforming public officials.
- An increase in laws and decrease in order.
- Shameless pandering to illegal immigrants and their (voting) supporters.
- Scorn from some international enemies and screwings from some friends.
All of these national scourges - among many others - are hot topics in the current campaign atmosphere, but have roots dating back through several presidencies and congressional transitions.
So when a single finger is flipped outward in the present, several others point backward, and none of our major problems can be laid on the doorstep of a single party, candidate or the immediate past.
What is missing in the "Sturm und Drang" of our current situation is an invasion by our elected leaders and self-appointed opinionists into the largely unoccupied wasteland of compromise.
Therein often is heard such encouraging words as "you have a point there," and "let's sit down and hammer out a solution" and "I said something really stupid, didn't I?" and "WE made a mistake, folks."
Until such sensible dialogue comes into vogue, we'll continue to be misguided by the rhetoric of those "pride pointers" and "alarm viewers," while the future Fourths of our descendants shape up as less festive occasions, with more candles, but smaller cakes.
Disagree with me if you wish, but please spare me the fingers!
One final thought: Oh, say, can you see any familiar figures in that middle ground?
Great lyrics for a new National Anthem, maybe, as our star-spangled banner doth seem to be wavering a bit.
Freelance wordworker Joe Klock, Sr. (joeklock@aol.com) is a winter Floridian who summers in Holderness, New Hampshire. More of his "Klockwork" can be found at www.joeklock.com. The KlockWorks, Inc., P.O. Box 72, Holderness, NH 03245
Phone: (603) 968-4449 E-Fax: (954) 333-2944 Web: www.joeklock.com
Sales & Management Tips Newsletters - Syndicated Columns - Books & CDs
Today I had to pick up a pair of thinning shears we had sent out to get sharpened. All was fine until I looked across the street and saw a Blood Drive happening at the church. I decided then and there that it had been a while, so....
