Saturday, May 4, 2013

A Series of Events, Unfortunate and Un


 

So what to write about?  That I haven’t beaten to death already, of course.  Politics?  Stupidity of “sequestration” while the Dow soars, unemployment drops and more jobs are created, Donald Trump takes on Jon Stewart.  Sums up the week, unless you want to talk about Syria of the series of disasters across the globe, and I really don’t.  I could also speak about the unwanted and abandoned pets that fill our shelters and all too frequently are killed because no one claims them. 

In older news, yesterday was Pete Seeger’s 94th birthday.  If you don’t know him and love him, I assume you’re very young or have been living in a cave.  I grew up with his music and had the opportunity to see him in person several times over the years.  He has never stopped fighting the good fight—for peace, the environment and justice.  Most people have grown up with his music without even knowing it. 

On a darker note, today is the 43rd anniversary of the Kent State shooting of 4 students by the National Guard.  The students were protesting the Viet Nam War, which many did in that time, including yours truly.  The fact of innocents being killed by our own soldiers was a shock—we should never forget that this can happen in our own US of A. 

If you choose not to dwell on disaster and death, you can celebrate both Cinco de Mayo and Mother’s Day in the upcoming week.  This is permissible even if you are not Mexican and neither have or are a mother.  I’m all for celebrating anything that you can; it is a good excuse for immoderate eating and/or drinking.  I’m also for anything that necessitates the giving of gifts to me. 

Should you get gifts just because you’re a mother?  I would like to believe that the majority of mothers love their children and work hard to give them the best lives possible.  There are exceptions:  abusive, self-centered, neglectful mothers.  What about mothers who have given up their biological children?  Are they still mothers, or does all the glory go to the mother that has actually taken on the responsibility? I’ll leave that to the individuals involved to decide.  I guess I don’t believe that the biological fact of creating a human life entitles you to glory, but making a good decision might.  Actually, the fact of loving and caring for a child shouldn’t either—that’s the way it’s supposed to be.  Americans are just all about creating Hallmark holidays to bolster retail purchases.

Today I will celebrate Saturday and the birthday of a friend.  I will rejoice in my 4 rescued dogs that have found their forever happy homes with us.  Monday, with all the reality of sadness that is my daily job, will be here soon enough.  Happy Cinco de Mayo!

 

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