Like a Bad Penny...

 Well.  Here I am again. Between Hub and myself, we've had a rather nasty year. First, I had a bad reaction to a new medication and wound up in the emergency room twice. I had so many diagnoses I should have been dead on the spot.  Finally, I just stopped taking what I thought was causing the problem and it did, in fact, go away. Hmmm.

Next came a complete slowdown of activity from Hub.  He just plain stopped doing work that had to be done. Finally, when the chest pains and tightness got to the point they even worried him, it was off to the emergency room once again.

His problem, initially, was bleeding ulcers.  They pumped him full of blood and did a few other tests. To make a long story short, he is now thoroughly stented and well on his way to recovery.  Knock wood.

So much has happened in the world since May. Inflation has skyrocketed, and the war in Ukraine continues as does our funding of their weaponry.  Crime doesn't seem to have waned any. Our political parties are still fighting like a bunch of kids on a playground. Government transparency is in the eye of the beholder and Joe Biden. He has done nothing to convince me he should run for President again, nor has Trump. If there is any good news, the pandemic is over though there still seems to be an undercurrent of debate on that in some political circles.

Nevertheless, I'm still here and will try my best to offer an old lady's perspective on the world's happenings as they occur. Or hit my hot button which is far more likely.

First You Say You Will and Then You Don't

 I know there has been colossal blowback about the amount of money this President has asked for military aid for Ukraine. We need the money for our own problems.  I understand that.  Really, I do.

On the other hand, Ukraine is a sovereign nation invaded by a much larger and better equipped Russia. It is by no means a fair fight and the world should be helping Ukraine with the weaponry they need. 

It's tough.  I know that but what happens if Russia succeeds in destroying Ukraine? Who will be next? Even more important, at least to me, doesn't the world have a moral obligation to do the best they can without putting their own military into Ukrainian territory?  Like supply the arms Ukraine asked for?

Biden has pussy footed around this issue since the invasion. Then it seemed like he finally got some guts and now he has reneged. Heaven forbid the Ukrainians should have weapons capable of getting into Russian territory. Isn't the point making it possible for them to defeat the aggressors?

I don't know.  This is just an old lady trying to sort it out.  It seems to me though, that this reversal by Biden is just one more nail in the coffin of American trustworthiness. We don't have their back. We won't give them what we promised. 

Putin is weakened by illness.  It has been reported he has about three years to live.  Will this encourage him to double down? Probably. Wouldn't it be prudent to help the country now engaged in battle with him to win?  To beat him back?  To make it abundantly clear this is unacceptable behavior? 

One last thought.  Should we need some help at some point, who would be there? Your guess is as good as mine.

Will a New Tea Party be Parent Driven?

 Now is the time! Parents have a new reason to seize the bully pulpit from the politicians and their minions!

It began to gain steam when parents were becoming aware of what their kids were being taught in their classroom thanks to being able to observe during the shut down when the kids were doing remote learning.

I do take them to task for not knowing before that.  If one has children one has the obligation to be involved in all aspects of that child's life which certainly includes what goes on in their classrooms.

However, when it became apparent that sexual counseling seems to be allowed for first graders and up without parents being told, and critical race theory seems to be running rampant in parts of the country, the parents did begin to stand up and make themselves heard.  For that, they were arrested and labeled domestic terrorists.  What type of official could even think that?? I could go on for days on that one.

Now they have a new cause for which to give voice. School safety.  What precautions are demanded by school districts and are they being adhered to? It is as important as what's being taught.  As we've so tragically seen once again.

Take it a step further.  Make sure law enforcement isn't allowed to get complacent and make sure the training they have meets the potential threat to the children. 

I've long thought it's time for a third party in this country. If we are truthful with ourselves, we know what each party represents and where their strengths and weaknesses lie. Neither meets the smell test for good governance. A third party can essentially take the politics out of a lot of issues.  Become the Common Sense party for the sake of the children. Politics have no place in the life of a child and should not be forced upon them. When they're old enough to understand the ramifications of politics maybe common sense will prevail.

Parents, it's in your hands.  Believe that your children are our future. Do whatever is necessary for them to live. And learn. No one can do it better. Do you have the collective will to make yourselves really heard? Forget about the slings and arrows. Just do what's right so we don't lose another 19 young ones to a sequence of events that could and should have been averted.

Uvalde - Everyone Seems to have a Piece of the Blame

 I don't want to come down too hard on the Uvalde police for several reasons. I do not know all the facts, and the police have really been taking it on the chin since all the defunding movements. Their morale must be at rock bottom and fear of doing the wrong thing is always looming. However, I'd seriously look at the training they're getting.

That being said, there is a reason for raised eyebrows.  Since when do police run from a fight?  Why didn't they try to get into the school through windows or other means instead of waiting for backup? Especially when children were involved? That's only one question that has popped into my mind.

Why were there so many conflicting stories from those who should have been in the know?

I can almost give the teachers a pass because they weren't expecting what happened and fear and adrenaline can confuse. However, relaxing procedures and blocking open a door when in a crisis might indicate the lack of instilling those procedures over and over until they become so habitual fear cannot overcome them.

Politicians were, as usual, over the top in politicizing the incident. The media was too quick to report without verifying information. Again, nothing new.

Man, there's a lot of blame to go around. I'm thinking it's time for an entire societal reset in this country.  From child safety to mental health issues in our kids - and adults for that matter - policing and first and foremost, intelligent leadership.  Less time spent on the right to use gender pronouns that aren't real and more time looking at why parents are not welcome in the classroom,  why questionable subjects can be underhandedly pursued, and why suddenly it's okay for biological men to compete in sports as women. Which they are not. Period.

Uvalde is an example of what happens when what's important is allowed to slide into apathy and complacency by those who should be monitoring it. I'd say it is a small example because it's a small town, but that's not true. It's huge. Twenty-one people are dead. Nineteen children. It's huge.

The Horror of Children Killing Children

Illustration by Golden Cosmos

 The least heard words regarding the unspeakable tragedy in Uvalde, Texas were "this is not the time for politics". It took about 32 seconds before the mass shooting turned political. First by the President, then again today by political wannabe, Beto O'Rourke.

The next words were finally mentioned but will be ignored. "There is a mental health crisis in our country."

To be sure. I have another question though. What turns an 18-year-old youngster into a mass murderer.  Yes, of course, they have mental problems, but why?

You see, I don't consider an 18-year-old an adult.  I know all the arguments as to why they are. I just don't happen to agree with most of them.  Obviously, some of them are far too impressionable to be able to make wise decisions. So who is failing them?

First and foremost, I have to look at the parents. How can they be so self-absorbed they cannot see the problems their children are having? Or are they just so ill-prepared they shouldn't have had kids in the first place?  I mean, what kind of a horrific argument could anyone have with their grandmother that would lead to shooting her in the face?

Then on to school officials? Interviews at crime scenes with kids to find out what a schoolmate was like should be coming from faculty who should be on the lookout for odd behaviors.  Our teachers did that way back in the dark ages when I was in school! We didn't have mass shootings back then either.

There are so many places to point fingers I can't even count them.  The least of which is more gun laws. Let's look at actually enforcing the ones we have. 

I'm not a big gun person. I have friends who have concealed carry permits and I must admit they make me uncomfortable.  I see the other side of it too and instances where those carrying have saved lives. We have open carry here.  That really makes me feel uncomfortable because I see it as more of an in-your-face action than one of safety. Funny, those laws are strictly enforced.

Back to the state of mind though.  It saddens and scares me that ballpark eighteen-year-olds are capable of such actions.  That they are so deranged at such a young age. And that they, in cold blood,  can take the lives of those so young they've barely gotten their foot in the door of life.

Let's stop the blame game for political ends.  Please. Please. The political season is upon us for the next several months. Let's not waste it with the vitriolic pettiness than is engulfing us. There must be some adults that are willing to come into the room.  Some younger than me, and smarter, but just as concerned and caring. Please. Please.