Vietnam 1967
Iraq 2007We're well into the summer of 2007. It's hot outside, schools are getting ready to start back up, hurricanes are starting to churn in the tropics, there's a wildly unpopular war raging far away on the Asian continent, there's tremendous political unrest in this country and the current inhabitant of the White House is an extremely unpopular and clueless bumpkin from Texas. Wait a second, did I say this is 2007 or should I have said 1967? I mean, after all, it's still a crime to smoke marijuana, parents loathe their kids' music and the Red Sox are giving the faithful at Fenway hope of another series appearance. If that should turn out to be the case, the old park will be rocking well into October. So, is this just another stale, summer rerun, or is this just an updated version of glaring mistakes from our past. Let's take a closer look.
In 1967, gasoline prices were quite a bit lower. The average cost of a gallon of gasoline back then, was $.33 per gallon. A few months ago, the average cost of a gallon of gasoline was ten times more expensive than it was then. How many people can recall, or even fathom, you could actually fill your car's gas tank to the top with a $5 bill and have enough change left over to buy a large coke and a candy bar, if you so wished. Speaking of gasoline prices, what about the automobiles the service station attendant pumped that gas into? The average price of a brand spanking new automobile back then was $3,200. If you want to pay $3,200 for your ride today, you might want to look into at a late 1980's, less than fully loaded, Toyota Corolla. In 1967, when you drove that brand new $3,200 luxury vehicle with that $5 full tank of gas back home, you would have expected to pay on average $25,000 - $30,000 for that four or five bedroom, two story house on a 1/3 acre lot. Before rising credit markets caused the real estate market bubble to burst early this year, the only house you could have bought in the $25,000 - $30,000 range, might have been a swanky, deluxe dog house.
There's so many differences in pricing over the past forty years on virtually everything from simple everyday items, to luxury extravagances. However, that's destined to happen in any forty year span throughout history. What's really disturbing though, is how little we as a people have changed and learned from our past mistakes. What is it about people, that allows us to be so much more critical of others, than we are of ourselves. Why are so many people apoplectic at the thought of two gay men or women, who love each other, from being permitted to legally marry. More importantly, why do non-affected people even care? Does it cost them money or dramatically impact the quality of their own lives? It's 2007, and police are still arresting consenting adults for lighting a joint. Why is that, I wonder? Why do a certain percentage of Americans think sparking a joint will turn your neighbor across the street into a psychotic terrorist, who wants to eat your children and more importantly, clean out your bologna stash? You're just too uptight to realize he's probably already smoking pot, and wants nothing to do with your kids, but perhaps, your Oscar Meyer bologna may be in jeopardy, should his munchies reach a point of critical mass.
Six years after 1967 bid the world farewell, The Supreme Court made perhaps its most memorable and controversial ruling of all time, by affirming the landmark Roe v. Wade case. The court, in effect, decided a woman had the constitutionally protected right to an elective abortion up until the point a fetus becomes viable, or in other words, capable of sustaining life outside the womb. Well mother of God, moral people everywhere came out from under their collective rocks to voice their very public displeasure about the very private matters of others. So many American people honestly feel strongly, that if they don't like something, it should in no way exist, case closed, it's BANNED! I, myself, happen to loathe asparagus. Therefore I declare, effective immediately, the United States Government must ban farmers from planting, growing and harvesting of said asparagus for the purpose of widespread distribution to supermarkets everywhere. I realize South American and Asian "asparagus growing" Vegetable War Lords, will plow under their cocaine and heroin fields, and replace them, with that damned potent asparagus, and initiate high tech methods of smuggling their evil veggie into this country, via unmarked shipping containers, through our unsecured ports, all along our unsecured borders. That's because all the evil asparagus lords and terrorists are joining forces to fight us over there, so they can't get into here. Wherever the hell there and here even is?
The bottom line is that Americans have to learn to think issues through as individuals, rather than as insignificant members of assorted, organized religious cults. How many more millions of dollars will the Catholic Church be forced to pay out in class action pedophilia lawsuits instead of allowing their priests to marry. What would Jesus do? I have to assume he was smart enough to prefer his parish priest be teaching his kids to live happy lives, as well adjusted independent thinkers, rather than living their lives as unhappy victims of repeated sex abuse by sexually pent up and frustrated male virgins. It really is 2007 now. It's not 1987, 1977 or 1967. Those days are forever gone. It's time we all pause, and take a moment to look back, at all the things we wish we could take back, and be thankful we still have the ability to move forward. We don't get to make the exact decision how much longer we'll be able to physically or mentally be capable of doing so on this earth. So why should any of us waste another day? We need to begin this transformation immediately. Life is so much better with exciting new episodes, instead of stale old reruns we've seen before. Maybe I should take my own advice, and try some delicious asparagus for dinner tonight? Nah, I'm an American, maybe tomorrow..........
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