Personally. . .

I'm feeling rather peaceful tonight, after a stressful week. My fourth son graduated from high school. My fifth son graduated from eighth grade. We have one more left in middle school. In six years all of our boys will have high school diplomas and perhaps we can enjoy our empty nest.

I remember the early years. Each baby coming, two or three years apart. By the time my oldest was thirteen, I had an infant and four others in between. All the way from puberty to infancy. I don't have to point out that those were difficult years.

Now they're nearly grown. Three have left and gone off on their own, and often I want to call them back. Isn't that the paradox of parenthood?

But while war rages in Afghanistan, Iraq, and various other places, I can lean back and smile on the men I have raised. My own personal peace. Often that's all we can ask for.

Same old story

I need to apologize to my readers. Too many of my posts are stale. Bear with me. Right now my mind is on other things. In two weeks we're moving. By July I should be able to come up with something a little more exciting.

The main news today is that a U.S. army helicopter went down in Afghanistan. Five were killed. May is on target to be the deadliest month. Bring the troops home.

Peace Mom

She's thrown in the towel. She's lost too much and isn't receiving support from those who count. Especially not from those in Congress.

Who can blame her? She lost her marriage, neglected her children and her health. What more can we ask?

She's come to the heart-wrenching conclusion that her son died for nothing.

I hope she's able to rebuild her life. And I know I will never forget her.

Unfortunately, I'm not one of the people who counts.

Decoration Day

I remember when Memorial Day always fell on May 31, no matter what day of the week that was. Everything closed and everyone observed Decoration Day.

Decoration Day is what everyone used to call it. It was for the remembrance of fallen soldiers, but in my family, at least, it was also a time to remember family members.

My grandmother put on her Sunday best. My mother drove her to the cemetery. They took flowers to the graves of my mother's father (who died before he ever became my grandfather), and later my mother's brothers, along with other departed relatives.

I don't remember much beyond that, but I know there was no picnic or barbecue. Decoration Day wasn't the unofficial beginning of summer, a time to party. It was simply a time to remember.

So much has changed. Unfortunately, one thing is the same. When I was young, soldiers were dying in an unpopular war in Vietnam. Now they are dying in an unpopular war in Iraq. The U.S. left Vietnam, in a hurry, but that country is now prospering. Will Iraqis ever be given the opportunity to rebuild their country?

"They're After Your Children"

Al-Qaeda, that is. Whoever they are. The statement must be accurate. I heard it in a press conference this morning.

My mother used to read a poem to me when I was young. I still remember the refrain: "The goblins'll get you if you don't watch out!" That poem came to mind when I was watching the press conference. Watch out for the boogie man. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Control through fear works well in the short-term. But, as Lincoln said, "You can't fool all of the people all of the time." This technique is getting old. Blaming Al-Qaeda. Maligning the very slippery Osama Bin Laden. Reminding Americans that terror lies around every corner.

"They're after your children." That's what he said this morning. Was he talking about an ogre who lives in the forest and lies in wait of sweet young flesh?

Childhood monsters hide in closets. But we're not children. Let's get real.

Just a name

George Orwell had the right idea, but the wrong nationality. Everything that went wrong, in Orwell's futuristic tale, was attributed to Emmanuel Goldstein.

The White House has just blamed Osama Bin Laden for "insurgent" actions against U.S. troops. Isn't he dead? Deas or alive, he's the perfect scapegoat.

We know why Orwell chose the name Goldstein. In Orwell's world, the association made sense. It no longer does.

Will there ever be a day when Muslim parents can feel comfortable naming their sons Osama?

Isn't It Time to Leave?

Let's see. Every morning we read that gas prices are at a record high level. Two weeks ago the Iraqi parliament asked the U.S. to withdraw troops. Violence is increasing throughtout the Middle East.

The Iraq war didn't reveal weapons of mass destruction. The war also didn't lower gas prices. It has spurred a growth in violence and terrorism. And the democratically elected leaders of Iraq don't want U.S. troops there.

Can't we take a hint?

Bipartisan tit-for-tat

There used to be a great deal of talk about the "dumbing down" of American society. I saw it as a teacher, noting the differences even in textbooks from the late 1980s to 2002. More pictures. More pizzazz. Less substance.

Of course, our dear leaders are no exception. When former president Carter called the current president the worst in history, the White House responded that Carter doesn't matter. He's "irrelevant." I was disappointed in the comeback. It lacked substance and ran more along the lines of "So's your old man" or "Your mother wears Army boots" (an outdated phrase if ever there was one).

Carter apologized and retracted his comment, in spite of the lackluster White House response. That's the end of it, I guess.

I miss the days when students were expected to read their textbooks and not just browse the pictures. The days when a research report meant hauling yourself to the library and coming home with an armful of books. The days when a political spat lasted longer and burned brighter.

I'm not that old, really, but I've seen the dumbing and dimming of America. Will somebody please turn on the lights?

Supporting the Troops

We all know about the abuses within the Veterans Administration and the terrible conditions at the VA hospital. We also heard the government's moves to censor soldiers serving in Iraq. Now there's a new insult.

The White House has rejected a 3.5% pay increase for troops, claiming they are already well paid--though their salaries are below civilian pay. I'm all for cutting back on government spending, but VA executives just received large, undeserved bonuses. Why not give the money to the people who are actually doing the work.

I strongly oppose the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But if you do send troops to fight in unjust wars, shouldn't you at least make sure they and their families are treated well?

"Support the Troops" is just another example of government rhetoric. It sounds nice, but where's the beef?

Innocents Lost

A four-year old girl is missing in Europe. Another girl, also four, was shot dead in Milwaukee this week--the victim of a stray bullet.

Children represent a brighter future. They're innocent and curious. They're how we used to be, before we became burdened by our obligations and our possessions.

They're our responsibility. From the moment of conception till their day of independence. And still, when they're grown, we offer them a safe place and a comforting embrace.

I don't understand people who don't value children. The world would be a much happier place without them.

Interesting. . .

For a variety of reasons, I wasn't able to post yesterday. But there sure was enough to talk about.

Let's see. The president demanded that Americans cut consumption of oil, which was like adding insult to injury. It's bad enough we have to pay for the ridiculous prices at the pump. Now we're being lectured about using less gas. I'm sure most of us are already conserving, simply out of necessity.

Then there was the ban on certain websites for military service members. Sites like YouTube and MySpace. I know the military is strict--my veteran father taught me that--but the limits on free expression are becoming tighter. Why do soldiers fight for freedoms which they themselves cannot enjoy?

And what's going on with the security alert? What prompted it? When I walked into an airport terminal on Monday, the first thing I heard was an announcement that the level has been raised to orange. Being a Muslim, I found the timing to be unsettling. What happened?

Oh, and teachers in Tennessee thought it would be a good idea to scare a group of sixth graders, threatening them with death from an unknown source. You do still need to graduate from college in order to become a teacher, don't you?

Jerry Falwell died today. I never agreed with him. Now he'll know for sure who is right.

Pizza for the Homeless

A condemned man made a final wish before his execution. State government couldn't fufill the wish, so individuals stepped in. After Philip Workman was put to death by the state of Tennessee, homeless shelters received donations of pizza.

I grew up in the shadow of LBJs Great Society. It was the responsibility of the government to feed the poor and provide health care for the elderly. Food stamps, public housing, and Medicare were supposed to ensure that no American would be denied the basic necessities.

The Great Society never eradicated poverty. Whether the program fulfilled any of its objectives is a discussion for historians. It no longer matters. When the Republicans began seizing control of the government in 1980, they began to weaken the entitlement programs in favor of defense spending.

We should know by now, twenty-seven years later, that we can't depend on the government to take care of us. We must take care of each other. Whether it's providing pizza for the homeless--admittedly, a large undertaking--or health care.

I applaud the citizens who helped some of the homeless in Tennessee. It's time for all of us to share the burden. Don't look to Washington, D.C. for help. Just ask the poor of New Orleans.

Fights at a local middle school caused a lockdown earlier today. And in other news. . .

I know I'm old, but I don't understand all the fighting. Students attacking teachers and each other. And it happens so often that it's barely news now.

One of my teenagers just wrote a teacher-mandated report on the connections between video games and increasing violence. I'm very happy with the teacher who assigned the topic. My son has been forced to admit that video games can have bad effects.

Not that he plays often. I won't allow a game system into the house. My kids were playing interactive internet games, but I've had to ban those too. They were causing my normally obedient kids to talk back on a regular basis. Not to mention the waste of time.

I can't say exactly why teachers have to add self-protection to their to-do lists. I think video games play a major role. I suspect lack of parental involvement has something to do with it. And kids are generally coddled, even compared with my baby boomer generation. Self-esteem and instant reward are two of the expectations facing teachers today. Some of it is good--no kid will be told she's too clumsy to play ball, as I was. But a little goes a long way.

I have six more years until my youngest finishes high school. After that, I hope I won't have to worry so much about finding good schools for my children. Violence is now a fact of life in America--in middle school, at college, in the workplace. But I'll relax just a little if I can make it through the next six years.

Nothing to Fear. . .

Pick up a newspaper or visit a mainstream news website. What do you see? Maybe a story about how a lost dog traveled 800 miles to find its owners. Or perhaps a government warning that sitting at your desk too long can increase your risk of stroke. After that, you may find an item about an international election or a bill in Congress. Serious news.

The warnings are especially bothersome. Too much wine causes liver problems, among other things. But scientists contend a little is good for the heart. When I hear stories like that, I'm glad I don't drink at all.

Then there's tainted food. and vulnerability of the water supply. And terrorists. There are always terrorists.

Today we were told that six men planned to attack a military installation. Not only that, they made incriminating videos and sent them out to be turned into DVDs. I'm sorry. I really don't think they would be that stupid. Six guys against the U.S. military? It sounds like a ten-year olds fantasy. (There is no one in the world as strong as a ten year old boy. Just ask him.) But these were grown men. The storuy doesn't ring true.

It does serve the purpose, though, of keeping up the fear level high. Isn't that the main purpose of the news.

Insuring Domestic Tranquility

No one can stop a tornado--certainly not one a mile wide. A tornado so strong it wiped out 95% of the town in its path.

Tornadoes happen. And after it's done, the government donates resources to cleaning up and helping the people rebuild their lives.

That's how it used to be, anyway. Before Bush. Before the war in Iraq.

Greenburg, Kansas is having a bad week. First the tornado. Then looting--not by hoodlums but by the people who had been sent to help them. Now they face a shortage of resources. Trucks, humvees, and certainly cash. Everything has gone toward the destruction of Iraq.

It used to be the job of the president to ensure that the American people were taken care of by the American government. But the rules have changed. There are wars to be fought. We're on our own.

Support the troops?

There were several interesting news stories today, but the one I can't forget is about bonuses paid to administrators of Veterans Affairs.

When I was a teacher, we were happy to receive $50 or $100 bonuses for a year's work. And anyone who knows anything about teaching realizes teachers work very hard. I never imagined a $33,000 bonus. Certainly not for someone who doesn't seem to be doing a very good job.

Someone commented that the people who received the bonuses would have been fired if they'd worked for the private sector. Why can't we have the same standards for those who work for all of us? We pay them with our taxes. We entrust them to use the money wisely. We expect them to do their jobs.

Maybe it's time to make civil service a little less comfortable.

Oh, and there was another story which boded badly for members of the armed forces. Their blogs and emails, and those of their families, are now to be censored.

I support the troops and I want to bring them back from Afghanistan and Iraq.

Who does the White House support?

Too Soon? Then when?

It's too soon, cry the voices in support of White House policy. Iraq isn't ready.

In 2002, Iraq ran fairly smoothly. Saddam Hussein was a dictator--that's beyond argument. However, he had been propped up for many years by U.S. diplomacy. There were shortages, too, but these had been caused by a 12-year embargo instituted by the U.S.

Iraq was not perfect in 2002, but there was structure in the lives of Iraqis. Schools and workplaces operated efficiently. The electricity worked. Most Iraqis were comfortable enough.

All this was destroyed during the period of shock and awe as American bombs rained down and American soldiers patroled the streets. Now, four years into the war, Iraq is in shambles.

The U.S. must maintain a humanitarian presence in the country destroyed by American weapons. But a military presence? How does that promote democracy? How can violence bring an end to violence?

The fighting won't stop when the U.S. leaves, but it will subside. Then it will be time for Iraqis to figure out how to rebuild their country--with substantial help from those who destroyed it.

How much "terror" in Iraq is born of the need for independence? At this rate, we'll never find out.

Imagine foreign soldiers patroling your neighborhood. Then tell me if the U.S. military should stay.

It's Time for Another Definition

Democracy
From two Greek words. Demos means people. Kratos means rule. Democracy--the people rule.

So what would you call a government which blatantly disregards the will of the majority of the people?