Sunday, August 9, 2020

ask the question

 I keep seeing posts with photo's of folks protesting Trump, advocating to defund the police, and politics in general. I get it, you have that right in America, the right to assemble, the right to speak and be heard, the absolute right to peaceful protest, the operative word there being peaceful. The pictures of the destruction is upsetting. I find it hard to believe that it is allowed, and in some cases condoned, here in America. But I understand about emotions and mob mentality. It only takes a few agitators to get the whole group in a frenzy. And that is followed by the opportunists. Those people don't care about any issues, they don't care about social justice, they don't care anything about any of that. They are just there to take advantage of a situation.
 Yesterday, not for the first time, I saw a photograph of people protesting Trump. It was a protest against those supporting Trump really. I didn't see any posters complaining about policy or party platform, just about Trump supporters. Okay, you have that right, no matter how juvenile the motivation may be. But yesterday as I looked at that picture I saw the children and felt a sadness for them. Now these children were there, besides their parents, guardians, or whatever relationship they had to those adults, holding signs saying the most vile, vulgar and inappropriate comments. I'm quite certain these children, and I mean little kids, didn't write these signs. I'm as equally certain their parents composed those and instructed their children to hold them, to chant the hate of the crowd and fully participate in something children have no reason to be participating in! What damage is being done to these children? I would feel exactly the same way if those signs where opposing Biden or any other political candidate. It's just plain wrong! The same people that are always hollering, protesting and proclaiming about the rights of human beings, how everyone has to be treated equally, preaching about acceptance, are teaching their children to do what? Hate, is the answer. That's what those signs are all about, hate and nothing more. Children do not understand the complexities of politics and what that entails. No, children tend to do as they are told, they tend to follow the crowd, and what is the crowd doing?
 I equate this same logic to all this talk of racism. Seems to me the ones that are complaining about racism are the most racist bunch of all. They see racism in everything, everywhere, all the time. It's a fixation for them. Regardless of any other factors, if they aren't happy with their current situation, it is because of racism. It is their insistence upon pointing out race, the further creates the divide. If they fail it is because of racism, if they succeed it is, in spite, of their race. They are the ones insisting that race, and race alone, determines the outcome. Yes, if they are successful it is always , in spite of. They had to work harder, longer, struggle, endure and persevere far more than anyone else because of their race. And that is what they are teaching their children. Like those people handing the signs to their children the message is always the same. If you don't get what you want, it is someone else's fault! You should be able to say and do whatever you like, whenever you like, and to whomever you like without any repercussions, any accountability or consequence whatsoever.
 What are we doing to the children? Stop for just a minute and think about that. We are exposing our children to things that children should not be exposed to. Children today are exposed to a constant barrage of adult themed subjects. Have you even looked at what is being taught in the school system these days? Take a good look at elementary education and the topics being discussed. Children today are no different than when you and I were children. This fantastic notion that our children today are so much smarter, so much wiser, is just ridiculous. Teaching children to repeat adult themes is not making them more adult! Nothing in this life is free, there is always a trade off, a price to be paid. In this case what is being surrendered? The innocence of youth is the answer. You know there is something you can't teach, it's called maturity! That takes time and experience. Knowledge is useless without those two things. You can not apply knowledge without context.
 And when it comes to all this protesting what are you teaching the children? Is it to examine the issues, make an informed choice, and react in a reasonable fashion? Or is it to, protest! Make a lot of noise, gather in groups and hold signs! Do you really believe that children understand any of that? Well, all they know is the " adults " aren't happy about something, not really sure what that is, but the response is protest! And how do we protest? We hold signs with vulgar and vile slogans on them and shout these same slogans at the top of our lungs! It's the adult version of a temper tantrum! If you are a strong believer you can throw things, set things on fire, and loot the stores! That's what the kid see, regardless of what you believe to the contrary. That is what you are teaching the children.
 Yes I know I'm old, I'm a boomer. I can tell you this much from experience, children generally react to things the way they are taught to react. If this what you teach them, this is what they will do. Now I'm old but I still remember when I would throw a tantrum, make a fuss, or whatever you want to call it. When that was justified my parents responded to my needs. When that wasn't justified, mostly when I simply wanted something, my parents responded to that as well. The big difference was in the response. If I had a genuine need that need was addressed to the best of their ability. Should I decide to create a disturbance because of a want it did get their attention. Thing is, I wasn't very happy with the result of that attention! It also didn't take me long to figure that out. It began with asking calmly, saying please and thank you. That was the best method to get your wants addressed. Throwing a fit, never worked! Not one time. Now, although it was a rare occurrence, a well reasoned argument may gain you what you want. It was possible to change their mind, just not easy. It took effort, it took thought and it took maturity!
 So I'm saying, leave the children at home. Do not expose them to all this protesting about adult themed topics. Do not teach your children to react in that manner. They will learn that on their own given time. They will also learn how to get the results they want by the method they choose. They will learn about risk and reward. Is the risk worth the reward? That is a mature question. If we remove all the risk, ie: glorify negative behaviors, that question is never asked. When the question is never considered, never asked, never even given thought, bad things happen. People get killed and property gets destroyed. And in my old, boomer opinion, that is at the heart of the matter. The removal of risk has emboldened people to foolish behaviors. So much so there are those proposing removing law enforcement altogether, no accountability whatsoever. You know children need a parent someone to guide them. Those same parents need to discipline their children. Enforce the rules. Society needs the same thing! Someone has to be the parents in this mess. Don't teach your children to hate the Police! I can't believe I even have to say that. 

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