This morning at the breakfast table my lovely wife said to me, "We need to buy some guns. We need to stock up on ammunition."
This week in Congress retiring Kentucky Senator Jim Bunning is blocking an appropriations bill that would extend unemployment benefits for millions of Americans. His job affords him free medical care and lifetime postage, and he is thumbing his nose at hurting people and flipping them off on the way to the elevator.
People are angry. They can't get jobs, the roads and bridges are crumbling and the trains are antiquated, and the people in charge of making decisions and providing solutions are grousing about missing a college basketball game. Jim Bunning says, "Tough shit." He's not worried. He has a fine home and lots of money.
It's frustrating to many, because they watch the news and see we have money to help Haiti and Chile, and we print money to finance an unending war in the Middle East, but the ordinary citizens of this country are living on $325 a week and wondering how much longer they can go on.
My granddaughter Kourtney reads about the earthquakes and disasters and historically extreme winter weather and she thinks we're nearing the end of the world. She's in sixth grade now, twelve years old. What a world that children have to carry such thoughts in their heads. They hear the whispers of their parents. A knot of uncertainty never leaves their stomachs.
One day soon a father living this mean and stark existence is going to get angry in a way he can no longer control. He's going to look across town to the hills where the fine homes, the homes with the seven big screen tvs and the bathtubs that look like the spa of a prince, and he's going to think about how easy it would be to take everything the rich man has. Morality won't mean anything to him any more. Civilization and society won't. Society has failed him. And in the primitive part of his brain the law of survival will take over, and he will spew all of his anger and empty his rage out in the street.
Jim Bunning has flipped off the wrong people. He may touch off the road rage that clogs every freeway in America, and sends the posh Senate elevators crashing to the basement. The earthquake of rage and frustration that hits this country will be a magnitude never seen on earth.
Dad---
ReplyDeleteI don't know about the end of the world, but you have to admit the science of nature has been quite strange lately.
We've been taking Kourty to counseling to help deal with the deployment. It's been helping a little she says. Tom goes with her which is nice. They've been spending nights watching movies and playing video games together before he leaves. He went to MT over the weekend and got his new tatoos before the deployment. Ethan went with him because Kourt had a late dance practice so she couldn't go. He got Lizzy's name tatooed under Ethans on his chest, and a star added to his EOD badge (matches his time in service and unit stuff). He also got Kourty's initials tatooed on his ankle but changed it to KRA and when he showed it to her on Monday when they got back he told her it was because she was his daughter too and he wanted her to know that was how he felt about her. Cutest thing ever, I cried of course even though I knew beforehand that he was getting it done. Kourty cried too. He probably did too, but wouldn't say so anyway! By the way went with Elizabeth Marie for her name, Marie is Tom's mom middle name and we have an ultrasound scheduled to Wednesday so the doctor can print some new pictures for Tom to take with him. We are confirming the sex too, so it really better be a girl or Tom's going to have a really funny tatoo!!!!
Me
The science of nature has been quite strange lately, and in fact that is my next blog topic. Tom is well on his way to being America's "most decorated" soldier. It's wonderful to hear about the bond that's grown between him and Kourtney.
ReplyDeleteHave the two of you seen "The Hurt Locker"? I'd be interested in Tom's take on it, whether it's worse seeing from an expert's perspective. It would probably be too worrying for you.
Love,
Dad
Dad--
ReplyDeleteThe boys hate the Hurt Locker. They say it's an insult to EOD techs everywhere. From an entirely movie perspective it's not bad but if you're going to watch it don't think any of it is real. They don't even wear their uniforms right!! Tom says one of the more famous scenes (where the main guy find a bunch of bombs in the sand all tied together and he pulls them up at once) is impossible. The kind of bomb they are showing each weight about 125 pounds, there are about eight of them, and his bomb suit is about another 150 pounds. Pretty strong guy to lift it all up by himself right? I haven't seen the whole thing. We had a viewing party when it was released but everyone fell asleep after throwing popcorn at the screen in anger....
Me
Steff--
ReplyDeleteInteresting about The Hurt Locker. A movie that got all kinds of praise for realism and power apparently didn't get essential details right, and Hollywood rewards it chiefly to snub James Cameron.
I want to see The Blind Side and Crazy Heart.
Have a great day and hug my grandbabies.
Love,
Dad