Kids just don't understand, do they? The easy, simple life they have compared to when we were their age. I remember helping my dad chop wood and stacking firewood. There are a few that probably still do that but the numbers are probably a lot less. If I wanted some money for clothes or whatever, I de-tassled corn in the summer for a local seed corn company. If I wanted to call a friend my mom would ask "Is it the same prefix or is the phone company gonna charge me 10 cents a minute?" I would have to sit in a kitchen chair and I couldn't walk around to talk. Because the receiver had a cord attached to it connecting it the handset. Life was tough. As a kid I had to ride the big yellow schoolbus. Sometimes, on a hot summer day, the stench of fresh vomit would waft through the air and fill the sinus cavities.
Life was tough. But I will admit, in some aspects, kids today have it a teensy, weensy bit tougher. I started thinking about the challenges facing kids these days and perhaps I'm a little quick with my own self-pitying. I don't remember ever being scared of the possibility of someone walking onto the school grounds and emptying a magazine from a semi-automatic. I just don't remember being scared like that. I also don't remember gang warfare taking place. But I am from a rural town. Back then, if kids went hunting, it might not be such a shocking thing to find an unloaded shotgun in the back windshield of a pick-up truck. A lot of kids knew how to hunt or had at least experienced it. But, as I said, I grew up in a rural town.
I also remember there wasn't so much confusion about who we were. I'm sure there was a few children who felt some confusion about their sexuality or gender. But it wasn't at the epidemic levels we seem to read about in this day and age. I never felt like I had to take a stand on marriage equality. I, as well as a high percentage of my classmates and kids all over the United States, understood dad was in charge. Mom never really disciplined. But she would insure us of the fact that Dad would be home and taking care of it. They were a tag team of sorts. In all those years of growing up, the word "divorce" was mentioned so few times that I didn't really even understand what it meant. When two people married it was a life sentence. Usually without parole. Marriage was just a simple staple that involved a man and woman united. And I don't ever remember any stories, local or distant, of a father leaving his wife for another man. It would not be until I was 20+ years old that I would even see a public display of same-sex anything. Actually I was pretty shocked and confused when I saw two girls kiss at a bar in Los Angelos. Now children have to decide what they are and who everyone else is by junior high. Just doesn't seem very fair to put that kind of pressure on 12 year olds. The roles of gender and sexuality should not have to be a subject discussed or taught in school. I guess that makes my role a homophobic. You gotta be something nowadays.
Even school lunches aren't simple anymore. It used to be a mom could pack a lunch for her child and let little Johnny or Suzy take some aspirin with them. Now even that's regulated. If it's even allowed. Many schools don't even allow a home-packed school lunch to enter the cafeteria. If it's not momma-Michelle Obama approved, it can't be allowed to endanger the health of your own child. Reports are coming in that half a kiwi and a bun with some type of veggie burger is an approved alternative to sliced ham on white bread. Fortunately, the youngest children will begin their programming with the highest from of common core math that can be handled. Those children will be brilliant. I've looked into the eyes of common core teachers and there are traces of souls there. What was once filled with the love of knowledge and teaching has been thoroughly replaced with a paycheck and a week off every month. (I exaggerate and I do know there are a lot of teachers out there who hate common core just as much as everyone else.) The problems are many, but some kids, somehow, will survive the newest, and bestest ideas surfacing from the muddy waters of the federal education system. There will be a few. The odds tells us so.
So, if these children survive the violence, the gender and sexuality questions, and the school nutritional programs without o.d.'ing on over the counter medicines, they will have years of paying off college tuition and books. And that is only a drop in the bucket compared to the taxes and penalties and the "personal responsibility payments" they have a life time to look forward to. The amount of money to survive in this freshly cultivated "barren" wasteland of economic fatigue imagined by a progressive institution of higher excellence through welfare and social programs will just not be there for our future income earners. When I entered my senior year I saw possibility. I saw hope. I envisioned my life could be middle class or riches. I just don't think I could realistically have that same outlook today. But that's the beauty of the human spirit. No matter how much the government and progressive teams of idealists yearn to squash capitalism and industrial achievement, the young can imagine and dream. They can overcome. As long as the television, music, and other forms of entertainment don't put them on a path of assured stardom. There are only a few stars in the music industry. There are only a few millionaires playing sports. The rest of us have to achieve our dreams without multi-million dollar contracts. We have to have a work ethic and the knowledge to achieve. I just didn't know how easy I had it over our youth of today. The worst part is - they're smart enough to understand the world they are entering. And there are just too many less old fashioned minds out there to explain it to them. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog. Shout out to me at rueuhy@gmail.com
Life was tough. But I will admit, in some aspects, kids today have it a teensy, weensy bit tougher. I started thinking about the challenges facing kids these days and perhaps I'm a little quick with my own self-pitying. I don't remember ever being scared of the possibility of someone walking onto the school grounds and emptying a magazine from a semi-automatic. I just don't remember being scared like that. I also don't remember gang warfare taking place. But I am from a rural town. Back then, if kids went hunting, it might not be such a shocking thing to find an unloaded shotgun in the back windshield of a pick-up truck. A lot of kids knew how to hunt or had at least experienced it. But, as I said, I grew up in a rural town.
I also remember there wasn't so much confusion about who we were. I'm sure there was a few children who felt some confusion about their sexuality or gender. But it wasn't at the epidemic levels we seem to read about in this day and age. I never felt like I had to take a stand on marriage equality. I, as well as a high percentage of my classmates and kids all over the United States, understood dad was in charge. Mom never really disciplined. But she would insure us of the fact that Dad would be home and taking care of it. They were a tag team of sorts. In all those years of growing up, the word "divorce" was mentioned so few times that I didn't really even understand what it meant. When two people married it was a life sentence. Usually without parole. Marriage was just a simple staple that involved a man and woman united. And I don't ever remember any stories, local or distant, of a father leaving his wife for another man. It would not be until I was 20+ years old that I would even see a public display of same-sex anything. Actually I was pretty shocked and confused when I saw two girls kiss at a bar in Los Angelos. Now children have to decide what they are and who everyone else is by junior high. Just doesn't seem very fair to put that kind of pressure on 12 year olds. The roles of gender and sexuality should not have to be a subject discussed or taught in school. I guess that makes my role a homophobic. You gotta be something nowadays.
Even school lunches aren't simple anymore. It used to be a mom could pack a lunch for her child and let little Johnny or Suzy take some aspirin with them. Now even that's regulated. If it's even allowed. Many schools don't even allow a home-packed school lunch to enter the cafeteria. If it's not momma-Michelle Obama approved, it can't be allowed to endanger the health of your own child. Reports are coming in that half a kiwi and a bun with some type of veggie burger is an approved alternative to sliced ham on white bread. Fortunately, the youngest children will begin their programming with the highest from of common core math that can be handled. Those children will be brilliant. I've looked into the eyes of common core teachers and there are traces of souls there. What was once filled with the love of knowledge and teaching has been thoroughly replaced with a paycheck and a week off every month. (I exaggerate and I do know there are a lot of teachers out there who hate common core just as much as everyone else.) The problems are many, but some kids, somehow, will survive the newest, and bestest ideas surfacing from the muddy waters of the federal education system. There will be a few. The odds tells us so.
So, if these children survive the violence, the gender and sexuality questions, and the school nutritional programs without o.d.'ing on over the counter medicines, they will have years of paying off college tuition and books. And that is only a drop in the bucket compared to the taxes and penalties and the "personal responsibility payments" they have a life time to look forward to. The amount of money to survive in this freshly cultivated "barren" wasteland of economic fatigue imagined by a progressive institution of higher excellence through welfare and social programs will just not be there for our future income earners. When I entered my senior year I saw possibility. I saw hope. I envisioned my life could be middle class or riches. I just don't think I could realistically have that same outlook today. But that's the beauty of the human spirit. No matter how much the government and progressive teams of idealists yearn to squash capitalism and industrial achievement, the young can imagine and dream. They can overcome. As long as the television, music, and other forms of entertainment don't put them on a path of assured stardom. There are only a few stars in the music industry. There are only a few millionaires playing sports. The rest of us have to achieve our dreams without multi-million dollar contracts. We have to have a work ethic and the knowledge to achieve. I just didn't know how easy I had it over our youth of today. The worst part is - they're smart enough to understand the world they are entering. And there are just too many less old fashioned minds out there to explain it to them. My name is Rueuhy and I approve this blog. Shout out to me at rueuhy@gmail.com
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