Symbolism and thanks for those who died
Unlike just about everyone on our little street, I try to fly the American flag on a regular basis at our house, not just on patriotic holidays. It is a gesture of my appreciation for our country’s traditions and ideals.
Shared ideals?
In an ideal world, in which we don’t live, there would be a better balance between true community involvement, at the intersection of awareness, action and comfort. Clearly, this young man’s world favored only the latter.
Unlike just about everyone on our little street, I try to fly the American flag on a regular basis at our house, not just on patriotic holidays. It is a gesture of my appreciation for our country’s traditions and ideals.
Similarly, I do try to spend some time around Memorial Day
to say a silent prayer en behalf of those who have served our country and gave the ultimate sacrifice. We wouldn’t be
here without the service they provided.
But it isn’t nearly enough to fly the flag or express patriotism
verbally alone. Being truly engaged in
our democracy, by striving to remain informed should ensure the war dead are memorialized.
Presumably, being knowledgeable leads to better decision-making and puts pressure
on our leaders to act wisely and responsibly. That’s how it is supposed to
work, anyway.
The disengaged American -- my recent exchange
That’s why an otherwise innocuous exchange in a local store struck me as an unfortunate example of failure to act in a way that’s consistent with what our Founding Fathers intended.
That’s why an otherwise innocuous exchange in a local store struck me as an unfortunate example of failure to act in a way that’s consistent with what our Founding Fathers intended.
The incident occurred recently in a little shop in suburbia. I was wearing a fleece
given to me by C-SPAN, non-profit the cable television network which televises
proceedings of the federal government, as well as the National Press Club. I
was 2011 Club president.
The young man, who looked to be in his 20s, seeing the C-SPAN
name and logo, said “that looks like a television channel, or something.” I said “yes, it’s a channel devoted to the
affairs of the government.” He mentioned that he likes watching YouTube and
looking at a website devoted to technology. And then he added, “I don’t really
care about what happens in this country.”
Without much pause, I said, “It is good that you have that luxury.” It
wasn’t necessarily a constructive reply on my part, but reflected my inner
frustration.
Who knows what led the young man to be disinterested in
government? It could be lack of education,
cynicism, or parents who also failed to set an example.
Our country is far from perfect, but we have more than two
centuries of history demonstrating an ability to innovate, adapt and
improve.
There are countries where, until there's revolution, or war, apathy and cynicism rule the day. Inaction allows corruption, or worse, to persist. It is the perfect recipe for disaster from a governance standpoint.
There are countries where, until there's revolution, or war, apathy and cynicism rule the day. Inaction allows corruption, or worse, to persist. It is the perfect recipe for disaster from a governance standpoint.
Shared ideals?
In an ideal world, in which we don’t live, there would be a better balance between true community involvement, at the intersection of awareness, action and comfort. Clearly, this young man’s world favored only the latter.
Our exchange was not unpleasant, and he undoubtedly was
unaware of my unease about his orientation.
As I prepared to leave, he failed to make the correct change
from our transaction, giving me about a half dollar too much in coins. I corrected him and handed it back. Here’s hoping he also begins to understand
the necessary transactions of a healthy democracy and why so many people have given their lives
so that we can look forward to a peaceful, long weekend. Here's hoping we can all remember why this is a special time of reflection and remembrance.
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