These are the types of questions I ask myself everyday. And next weekend, I’m taking a break. I’m heading down to the land of hurricanes and hand grenades to see Panic’s triumphant return to N’awlins and the UNO. And I’m going to enjoy myself and get away from it all, even if it is just a couple of days. So it seemed appropriate for me to end this column with lyrics from their song Walk on the Flood, because to me, it illustrates the divisions that are crumbling our already weak infrastructure.
They kill it in the comedy clubs
They’re killing in the schools
Make a killing on Wall St.
Adjust the golden rule
Do unto others
It’s surely what they’d do
Remember the memories
We were all once children tooAshes ashes
All in the name of whoWe say howdy neighbor
I love you Mom and Dad
But if you’re a stranger
You must want something we have
I know you don’t like me
Am I really that bad
Remember the schoolyard
There were no strangers in the sandFascist fascist
Let’s see a show of handsIf we’re all going to fly
We’ll need a safe place to landThis is the picture I painted this morning
There are the colors memories forming
These are the pictures we painted togetherWe elected our leaders
So we’ve been told
Got no right to complain
We’ve bought what they soldThe slogan of the day is
Put peace on hold
Lennon would have us laughing
If we’d just let him grow oldPacifist pacifist
Ain’t we a sight to beholdSome people feel so much
We’re making new drugs
Mister Rogers and Oprah
Other channels have blood
Trying and dying
Water and mud
Forgiving for the love
Take a walk on the floodForgiving for the love
And walk on the floodThis is the picture I painted this morning
These are the colors this was my warning
These are the pictures we painted togetherThis is the picture I painted this morning
These are the colors, memories are forming
These are the pictures we painted together
JB and Company have it right — what happened when we went from childhood to adulthood? Where did the golden rule go? Have we forgotten everything we learned? And what are we teaching the children of today? We, as a nation, can paint these pictures — but it’s up to us as to decide how these pictures are painted.
One Response
I agree 100% with you. I am so sick of it all, I may not vote this year. I am a cross between a libertarian and what used to be called a Republican. I don’t think that there’s much difference between any of them any more.
I am so concerned about where this country is going. No matter who wins next week, there will be more sacrifices, hard work and tons of debt to pass on to my kids and their kids. What future is that?