At times I feel out of touch. That may
be due to living many miles from those
those who I love. Right or wrong it now
seems the traditional nuclear family is
as extinct as my youth. Life takes many
of us on divergent and far away paths.
My kids (and their offspring) live at
least a thousand miles away. Therefore
hosting weekly family dinners is but a
fantasy. So could it be those religious
zealots are right? That America's drive
for success has pushed "normal" family
units to the absolute brink of extinction?
The above has haunted me for years. My
personal guilt trip is that the choices I've
made ended me up in the wrong place.
Therefore the reason my family isn't
nearby is because I distanced myself.
However post waiting on a long line at
the Post Office - I realized that I'm not
alone. Most of the packages being sent
by locals are to children, grand kids, or
loved ones far away. Just read the daily
obituaries and you'll discover that most
families live (and die) far apart. And it's
been that way generation to generation.
For proof just delve a generation or
two back in your family tree. Soon
you'll discover that this country was
built on a foundation of abandonment.
You see, most of our forefathers left
family behind to come here. Therefore
the theory that fractured families are a
byproduct of modern culture is fiction
at best. Generation after generation of
immigrants have abandoned those near
and dear in order to start anew in this
promised land. Hence yesterday, today,
and tomorrow history repeats itself.
One can only marvel at the bravery of
someone able to willingly leave ALL
that they love for an uncertain future.
Yet that's exactly what the American
dream has always been about. While
we deride our country's demise, it is
still for many the promised land. A
place that offers equal opportunities
for ALL. Sadly even with a legacy
of new immigrants eagerly joining
said phenomena - suddenly many are
vociferously suggesting that we close
rather than open the door to freedom.
Imagine being backed into a corner.
That all you cherished could be
taken away from you. Your loved
ones threatened, beaten or brutally
murdered. Would you run? What if
suddenly the chance to escape to a
much better place was summarily
eliminated? Well, that's what leaders
like President Trump vociferously
want America to stand for. Rather
than freedom they prefer that we
run a private club nation with very
limited access. Is that American?!
Their argument is that if we allow "the
enemy" to enter our country we will be
overrun with terrorists, criminals, or
worse. However the majority of mass
U.S. shootings since 1982 had a white
American male citizen at the trigger.
No Muslims, Mexicans, or minorities
from "shit holes". So what are they
afraid of? Are they melting down due
to the fact that our American melting
pot continues to drive diversity? Are
they trying to do anything possible to
protect their waning competitive edge?
I don't know about you but I'm scared.
Nor that some Mexican or Muslim is
a threat - but that those who want to
build walls are violating our inalienable
rights. Have these "patriots" forgotten
from whence they came? A century ago
anyone who was from Ireland or Italy
was deemed a pariah. An outcast. An
undesirable threat to the American way.
Today their offspring are our elected
leaders. Or dare I suggest hypocrites?
It's time we remember from whence we
came and that diversity makes us great.
