Still in somewhat transit, though at my final destination for the next few months, I finally had a chance to catch up on some of the news from back home. My sister-in-law had pointed out a certain story that has been floating around, and in fact gone 'viral' as they say on the internet. It was the incident in which the older lady on the school bus was being berated by kids.
We are shocked, for some strange reason, at the vulgarity and direct display of disrespect from the youth of America to this elderly woman. Of course society will blame the media and reality TV shows, hip-hop and Eminem. The media, will blame other media and of course probably race or social differences in the poor and rich. It will be a disgusting mixture of pointed fingers and misappropriated blame.
The hard truth to all of this, is that it isn't the fault of what's on TV. It's not the fault of social classes. This time should not be the normal American way of things, to find and place blame on other things. Find a scapegoat for the problem and then attack it for all it's worth, or until we are disgusted or interested in the next best thing. The problem is greater and more influenced by more problems than we can even comprehend. Of course, the obvious problem here is the youth of our nation. The truth of that matter is not only in parenting and lawyers and the ability to place blame on everywhere but where it needs to be; on each and everyone of us. Personal responsibility for one's actions, words and existence has all but been lost in our society.
We as a society can obviously point our finger at the parents of these kids. And shake our fingers and change our tone and light our torches, and call for justice. Of course, any good lawyer, as well all pretend to be in this country can simply place the bad parenting blame on plenty of other society factors; video games, Lil' Wayne, food stamps, Ritalin. The excuses pour out of every crack in sanity. We eat it up like dinner after no lunch. We are a product of our own compassion. We are have sympathy and compassion for this woman, who certainly is deserving, and then we will be just as compassionate to victimize the perpetrators and the reasons why they are the way they are. The cycle is never ending, and sickening.
So how do we change our society? It starts with you, and I. We have to be willing to take responsibility into our own hands. We have to be able to punish the guilty. We have to be willing to step out of our comfort zones. How many times have you seen someone doing something wrong, and simply turn the other cheek, walk the other way, and go about your day? How many times have you seen a kid walking through the grocery store being a complete brat, his mother too busy or ignorant to deal with him. We say nothing, do nothing. We're too afraid to get sued. Too burden our day, with something that we consider, not our problem.
We are too afraid that what we will say will be seen as tyranny or oppression in our free world. Lest we forget, your rights end as soon as they infringe upon other's rights.
The good news from the story, is that the social media, something I somewhat consider a contributor to the laziness and downfall of our country allowed for the good people to at least raise a pen, sign a check and contribute in the best way we Americans know how to help; from a distance.
They say it's a hopeless fight, but I say...
It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes- President Thomas Jefferson
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