Monday, April 13, 2009
1979 vs 2009
Remember our (my) generation? Ok, I am a little older, but I remember my school days. Things have more than changed. They are out of control. And, it will only get worse.
Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1979 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.
2009 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1979 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2009 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1979- Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.
2009- Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.
1979- Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2009- Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.
1979 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2009- Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.
1979- 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.
2009- Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1979- Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2009- Pedro's cause is taken up by state Democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4t h of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1979- Ants die.
2009- BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1979- In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2009- Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.
Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.
1979 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.
2009 - School goes into lockdown, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.
1979 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.
2009 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.
1979- Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.
2009- Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.
1979- Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college, and becomes a successful businessman.
2009- Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.
Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.
1979 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.
2009- Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.
1979- 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.
2009- Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.
Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.
1979- Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.
2009- Pedro's cause is taken up by state Democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.
Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4t h of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.
1979- Ants die.
2009- BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.
1979- In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.
2009- Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.
Labels: Comparison, Generations, Parenting, Tolerance
Sunday, April 05, 2009
Easter - "The Great Awakening"
Easter has been my favorite Christian celebration for the last 30 years. I enjoy the giving and receiving of Christmas and enjoying my birthdays less as I get older.
Easter, on the other hand, reminds me of the continuing newness of my life. Everything in life is a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The good, the bad and the ugly. Believe me, I have experienced enough of the bad and ugly to last me a mortal lifetime.
Easter, on the other hand, reminds me of the continuing newness of my life. Everything in life is a result of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The good, the bad and the ugly. Believe me, I have experienced enough of the bad and ugly to last me a mortal lifetime.
My Sunday School theology taught me that Jesus died for the forgiveness of sins and on the third day he arose. True enough. But nobody explained the simplicity of believing that could and would be so difficult. Especially in light of personality and mental health issues.
It is interesting to contemplate a narcissistic God that claims that He is an angry and jealous God and there are to be no others before or after him. Him and ONLY Him. And at the same time so loving the world that He sacrificed the most precious love of his life, His ONLY Son for our sake. Some call it the Yin and Yang. I call it the greatest love of all.
My father died November of 2008. He was not God, but he was my earthly father. I was not his only child but I was the sickly child. Dad worked hard being a farmer/ rancher but always found time to be involved in my life. He taught me many lessons, some I evened learned. He gave me rules and instructions, some I even obeyed. He gave love and that I never doubted.
The last time I visited dad in the nursing home I knelt beside him, looked him in the eyes and said, "dad, I love you. You know that don't you?" His reply was typical, "yeah, I know that." then he said I hadn't heard in nearly 40 years. "I don't know how to say this, but I love you, too."
"I love you, too" The last words he said to me. Two weeks later he died in his sleep.
I choose to believe Jesus died with these words on his lips and in His heart, "I love you, too."
God is my heavenly father. He gave me teaches me things that I sometimes learn. He gives me instructions that I sometimes obey. But not always. And when He sacrificed His Son, Jesus it was like kneeling next to my fading life and saying, "I do this because I love you, too." My good, the bad and the ugly melted into peace. A sense of acceptance enveloped me.
The hardest days of my life absolved because God loves me, too. The greatest days of my life are blessed because God loves me, too. My friends and enemies are in my prayers because God loves them, too.
I definitely am more sinner than saint. At least my good friend from seminary always reminded me of that. "Hey sinner, how ya doin'?" Imagine hearing that with a NJ nasality.
Easter reminds me of my limitations and errors. More importantly it causes me to ponder the wonder of God's love for someone like me. One who thinks too highly of himself, wallows in the depths of depression, seeks to minister to those in crisis and share life with neighbors and friends. My earthly father loved me for all of me. My heavenly father does the same and then some.
Easter is the love of God born of human suffering. Easter is the renewing of life everyday. Easter is the giving and receiving of love everyday.
Easter is my resurrection.
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