7.11.07
I will be the first to admit that I shelter myself. I am uninformed, often ignorant, and altogether a lot happier because I avoid “the news.” Television news, newspaper news, CNN, MSNBC – I tuck my chin and let it all zoom by over my head. I figure that if anything really big and important happens someone will tell me about it. I know this is true, because even without turning on the television I know that at the beginning of June Paris Hilton went to jail, then got out of jail, then went back to jail. I don’t care a whit about Paris and I still know all about it. That’s pretty sad. If this is Big National News these days people in other countries must think we’re a joke. Paris is cute and rich and that makes her newsworthy for days on end? What kind of country are we living in, anyway?
Me, well, I guess I’m pretty okay with her going to jail if that’s the usual sentence for probation violations in California. Rich people shouldn’t be above the law… but then again, we all know that those who can afford better attorneys do better in court, don’t we? Maybe serving her time will stop her from becoming just another celebrity train wreck – I think maybe it’s not easy for these people to be alone inside their heads. Being forced to pause for reflection and journaling might help her get to know herself. Might make her a healthier person in the long run. One way or another I’m sure even I won’t escape hearing all about it.
On the local front, I was catching up with Barb Olsen’s news of the city council on the “created” civil service position of Maintenance Helper Worker. I’ll recap my understanding real quick… the city is creating a new position to fill with current workers whose drivers’ licenses have been suspended in jobs that require them to drive. Have I got that right? Where was I when this came up back in February? Oh yeah, hibernating.
The current issue isn’t even WHY the position was created, so yeah, I’m out of date here but… am I the only one whose eyeballs just fell out? Listen up, folks, city workers aren’t losing their drivers’ licenses because of something innocent like non-payment of child support (yes, I’m being facetious here). Mostly I suspect they lose them when they get caught driving under the influence. The good old DUI. Maybe I’m a little too conservative in my thinking (my friends can stop laughing here) but I guess I figure having a drivers’ license is a privilege that comes with certain responsibilities, one of which is not to drive when you’ve been drinking. If your job requires you to have a valid drivers’ license, that’s even more reason. If you didn’t have a drivers’ license you wouldn’t have been hired for a job that requires you to drive, so losing your license should be grounds for being fired. End of story. You blew it, so now someone else gets a chance at a living wage.
As a parent I am always telling my child that there areconsequences for bad behavior. There are consequences for grown-ups, too, and we usually have a pretty good idea what they are well in advance. Done deal.
So okay, I get that I’m probably responding to dead issues at this point, but because I shelter myself from news I tend to be a little slow on the uptake on some things.
Like the Veteran’s for Peace float being denied inclusion in a (Memorial Day?) parade in Virginia, MN. Eh, maybe it was the Land of the Loon Parade – whatever. I guess here’s my question… if a group high school girls in full make-up and dressed to show some skin arrived with a “Free Paris” float – would that float have gained entrance? After all, Paris going to jail is national news. Our boys dying for their country in Iraq just… well… isn’t.
At least this is what we tell the world.
Cindy Sheehan said something that struck me hard in the gut, but I don’t have it in front of me so I can only quote her very, very loosely: How can I make an impact on a country that cares more about who will be the next American Idol than how many American soldiers have died in Iraq?
Sometimes I’m actually embarrassed to be an American.
No comments:
Post a Comment