Who are You/We?

 

“Parents never truly die; they continue to live on within their children.”

Dr. BLR

 

 

Sometimes I wish I could live in a bubble and profess ignorance of what is going on in the world around me, but that’s not who I am or have ever been. I have empathy for those people I don’t know, and thinking about them makes me wonder why more people don’t feel similarly. 

In recent months, numerous events have dominated the news cycle, including Israelis killing Palestinians, Sudan’s civil war, gang violence in Haiti, Russians killing Ukrainians, ICE terrorizing undocumented immigrants, and, of course, the public release of the Epstein files. The one common thread across all of these situations is us, the Americans. 

I could never speak for everyone, but when I look in the mirror, I ask myself who are we as a society and how did we get here. It seems we’ve reached a point where nothing else matters but ourselves. The desensitization took place over many years and has infected the minds of citizens of all ages. There are days when I just want to put on headphones and listen to music to take my mind off everything going on in the world, but I can’t be that ostrich that sticks its head in the ground to avoid the killings, corruption, and deceit perpetrated by this American government. 

The history of this country is stained by bloodshed and theft, often overlooked as the flag is raised and the national anthem is played, with everyone required to stand and give praise. For those who have actually read a book or done a modicum of research, it is clear that we have a long way to go to overcome our past. Nonetheless, as subsequent generations are born and educated through this system of denial, the problems of racism, homophobia, sexism, and discrimination will continue to stifle the progress that is needed.  

As an older father of young children, I am saddened by the future they will face without me. I look back on my own trials and tribulations and am fortunate to have learned the hard knocks of street life, which hardened me and helped me accept what I couldn’t change. But things are different now as I try to prepare them for the inevitable. Video games, social media, and AI technology will consume their generation and may even take away employment opportunities, but they must figure it out for themselves, as past generations had to. While I know that no matter how hard we try as parents to protect our children, the world is fascinating and may distract them from our wisdom, so they must fall, get up, fall, and get up some more. That’s why it’s called life. The one thing I will consistently do is talk to them, so they know that no matter what, I will be here to help them figure out this crazy world. While I may not have all the answers, I will do my best to give the best advice I can based on my years of living. It is my hope that they listen and heed my warnings because, in a world of selfish people, you must learn to survive on your own. 

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