A Much Deeper Problem

Okay...I truly assumed that this whole mess would

have been unraveled/revealed--or even more

preferably, completely blown over--by this point.

But since it hasn't, let me make a heartfelt plea

on behalf of this besieged and very disturbed young man;

Leave Manti Te'o alone before y'all drive this poor

closeted kid to commit suicide in order to cover up

a secret he obviously can't deal with yet.

Homophobia is real and severe, and it creates

a lot of schizoid people in this world, who do

a lot of foolish things.

But when people who hate who-and-what-they-are

get backed into a corner and they aren't ready to

divulge, they delve deeper into their secrets or

they take what they feel is the only way out. This

sense of desperation and unrealistic outcome is

not uncommon for someone who has built up and fed a

 fantasy for so long.

The fear and undesired dissipation of their longtime

false identity is truly psychosis-inducing.

Now I realize the world at large doesn't

care one whit for one less homosexual in

the world, but can we not just agree that

the media scrutiny on public figures is

too damned much, and pull back off of this

non-issue before it leads to tragedy?

***

The Price of Freedom

I was thinking of bayonets and horses again today.

Specifically, how I would rather be stuck with a bayonet in

a new version of the Boston Tea Party, or run over by a

horse being used by a new Paul Revere than stand in line

and wait behind the old couple at early voting at the courthouse.

And listen to the comedy of errors from their poor,

senile heads as they yammered on and on.

So, old befuddled Jed and Granny asked a million questions,

didn't understand uncontested races, didn't understand touch-screen,

and forgot their instructions as soon as they were told.

It took for-EV-er for Ma Kettle to finish up and

there's no telling who she voted for.

Feeble old coots going through all this in order to

exercise their democratic responsibility to the republic?

Should be awesomeness personified, right?
I'm just wondering if they even knew who the

candidates were. I imagine they were there to make

certain Millard Filmore got reelected.

Where's the fairness, too, since they'll likely be worm food

before November 6th, let alone Inauguration Day.

Ah, well, I endured...and Grandpa Willard was still

hard at work trying to finish his voting (before his

horse and buggy got fined for being illegally parked)

as I left the courthouse.

Still, after the experience, a good old Civil War doesn't

seem so difficult to survive. Nor does it seem so

difficult to imagine how it occurred.

(Now, I trust the folks at the Registrar's Office/Probate

Office, but this scene is likely to be repeated over

and over again with the populace of a mostly elderly retirement

community come election day. There are some skeevy

hoes volunteering at the polling places who could

take advantage of addle-brained seniors to promote

their candidate. Not that a Republican would ever

stoop to dirty tactics!!!!! Haaa! So, if you know an older

voter who may need help, PLEASE go with them!

Unless of course, you're the one intending to scam them!)

I cast my ballot to oppose greater tyranny,

to stop the spread of conservatism and oppression

of civil rights. But I can't shake the feeling that all I

did was kneecap one of the many angry cracker's votes.

As of my visit, 583 other persons had participated

in early voting. Approximately 10% of the

registered voter population in this area.

I imagine most are the zombified, clueless, oldsters

like those before me, muddling through the process,

spurred on by scare tactics and fear of the future.

Ah, well...at least the new "I Voted" stickers are cooler.

(Early Voting continues through Friday, November 2nd,

Monday thru Friday 9 to 5,

and special Saturday hours on October 27th, 9 to 4

at the Seminole County Courthouse, downtown)

**PLEASE NOTE:
YOU MUST have picture i.d.

and know what your name and address appears

as on the voter i.d. card! Be prepared!

***

Tell it!

***

Competition for Last Place

The new bar in America has been set grievously low

in order to accommodate the mediocrity and

stupidity that pervades this country.

We have successfully ended competition and a

true system of rewards. Classes hand out

certificates for everything, jobs give out meaningless

titles, the media celebrates anyone and anything with

shock value--no matter how little effort or dedication

was invested.

Gone are the days of hard work and resilience and

actually producing something of value would

receive attention and accolades.

Kids receive awards for simply showing up to

class, treats for completing their work,

 and rewards for getting passing grades.

No more impetus of personal pride and

self respect or achieving goals.

Many children don't even have chores or

responsibilities in the home. Parents

allow them to care for selves and one another,

giving no instruction or compass to follow.

So the connection between how the younger generations

are being brought up and what the society on whole

idolizes is easily established.

People are getting lazier and stupider, and thus

are drawn to like-minded folks so they feel

connected and secure. Observing and being

(falsely) connected via computer takes precedence

over action, competition, accomplishment,

or striving.

There are graduation ceremonies for passing every

class, as opposed to graduating from an institution.

Candy and money and release from responsibilities

are the acceptable means of showing children they

have done well, instead of the more appropriate

and lasting glow of respect, admiration, and

one's own sense of accomplishment and pride.

No, we are building a generation of

weak and sedentary clueless wonders; they'll

have no idea what to expect in the real world,

and no means of coping.

Or will they?

They have all kinds of significant role models to

look up to and show them the way,

with such sound advice as;

* Money is all you need

* Bad attitudes get you far

* Privilege trumps hard work

* Knowledge is uncool

*Communicating well is a downer

The other side is that it isn't just how the kids

are being raised (or not raised, as the case may be,)

but they're getting their input and influence from

somewhere.

It's not just the images on TV that are corrupting them;

despite being prescribed one set of standards by

parents/caregivers, kids have always seen through hypocrisy.

(Why on earth would someone accept the

ridiculous provision of "Do as I say, not as I do."?)

The unreality of throwing a party every time

a child has hurt feelings doesn't soothe them or support them;

it creates weakness and isolates them from

developing skills that will help them handle

stress and hard times.

No more trophies for participation.

(Being left out is a part of life; teach them how to

address that instead of coddling.)

We lowered our national standards for what we call

obesity so we wouldn't have to address the truth of an epidemic.

We now say that 'young adulthood' is not finished at 18,

but has instead been extended to age 26, since 'kids' are taking

longer to grow up.

If kids don't pass tests or pass classes or pass grades,

we just lower the standards so they can.

(Or, like the state of Georgia, just commit mass fraud

on testing results, and cheat your way through

to the desired effect! And not everyone found

guilty lost their job--what kind of message

does that send about engaging in

inappropriate behavior.)

Illusion is everything,

and how it gets obtained or maintained

is inconsequential.

The appearance of doing well--that's equal to

actually doing well, right?

Sure. This is the Land of the Free, baby.

We're free to be as ignorant as we want,

and image is all we have.

***