The end of 2015 has come and gone; we’ve struck out on the
new year, but I wonder just how much promise it holds. With just a bit of
observation, some might say that this country has lost its way. That includes
the country as a whole and the citizens as individuals.
The concentration of wealth continues to be limited to a
minute percentage of the population. Wages for the common man have
“flat-lined.” According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, a person who makes
$22.41 per hour has the same buying power as a person who made $4.03 in 1973.
Since 2000, weekly wages have
fallen 3.7% among workers in the lowest earnings jobs. However, for people near
the top, wages have risen 9.7%. (Bureau of Labor Statistics). The old saying
that the
“rich get richer while the poor get poorer” continues to ring true.
The hope that life can improve for millions seems to be nothing more than a
pipedream. How fair is it that so few control so much? Yes, people should be
able to prosper, but not on the backs of the masses.
The cry that “It’s not my fault”
has reached the court system. Witness the case of the teen in Texas who escaped
punishment for killing 4 people because he drove under the influence. His
defense was
that he was too affluent to know what was right and wrong. Just writing
it seems absurd. When the young man continues to do things that are a violation
of his probation, he and his mom simply jump in a car and escape to Mexico.
When they are caught, it’s announced that he might not receive harsher
punishment because of his age. The idea that nothing is an individual’s fault
is being further reinforced; it’s not a giant leap to see a future where no one
is punished for anything.
Along the same lines, the country
has witnessed some terrible examples of poor judgment by law enforcement.
Stories of young people who are gunned down by cowboy cops air on our nightly
news. Crowds hit the streets to protest, but some participate only to have an
excuse to loot and rob. The cry “Black lives matter” goes up. I agree, but at
the same time, I shout that all lives matter, and that includes police
officers. We can’t condemn the entire law enforcement community for the acts of
a few morons no more than we can blame the entire black community for the
wrongs of a few individuals.
Immigration is a hot-button issue
that divides our nation. Too many illegal immigrants are flooding into the
country; something must stop them. However, those who come to the country
aren’t just
I believe in the Second Amendment; however, I don’t see any
sanity in allowing anyone to possess an assault weapon that fires too many
bullets in too few seconds. Some places impose restrictions on the carrying and
ownership of guns while other places encourage folks to “strap ‘em on!” It
makes sense to have folks register guns and to have sellers licensed so they have
to run checks on buyers. Banning people on a list of suspected terrorists from
owning a gun is simple common sense, not a denial of rights.
Am I the only one who thinks we’ve lost our way? Let’s hope
that 2016 finds our country committed to addressing the real problems. Let’s
pray that both sides of the aisle in Congress will work together to come up
with solutions that help folks. Finally, let’s bow our heads and ask for the
Good Lord to lead us in the right direction.
1 comment:
I'd like to add the absolutely horrible things that are being posted and shared on social media to your list. People say such hateful, bigoted, sarcastic things, many of which are outright lies. These things just fuel the anger that people feel. I'm beginning to feel that no one will be able to reasonably discuss any issue because no one is willing to really listen to someone who calls them names & insults them simply because they have a differing opinion. I really fear for our country, not because of terrorism, but because if the attitudes of our own people.
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