Voice in the Wilderness

I'm not becoming some bitter old guy. At least I don't think I am.

I generally think of myself as a pretty positive person overall. Given my circumstances, it seems to me there would not be many people who could hold it together. Not that I'm dealing with everything terrifically, but I think I'm doing the best I can. But my personal issues are none of anyone's business.

The concerns that get me blogging are more societal than personal, even though I meet more people that confirm those concerns than don't. I can spot a narcissist a mile away, but don't need to look that far, because there's one on every corner, so to speak.

The fact that this huge majority of Americans have no more than the shallowest notion of what the terror war is about, and what the stakes are in Iraq, gives me heartburn. Suppose after Gettysburg, popular opinion turned against the war between the states, and Lincoln was pressured by his political opponents to just give the Confederates what they want and quit. Or suppose that while Allied troops were giving up huge casualties fighting the Japanese Island by Island in the South Pacific, and political opponents successfully convinced Harry Truman to quit.

That's what's happening right now. Ignorant people who haven't bothered or can't grasp the global threats to our country seem to be driving the government down a path of capitulation in Iraq. As if we could just sort of say, "nevermind", and bid the Iraqi people good luck as we ship everyone home. Will we even bother to fight when the inevitable third world war ramps up as a result?

OK, rant over. I know, nobody cares. If I blogged about Tom and Katie or Brad and Angelina or Britney or Paris or Lindsey, I'd be more in tune with what people really care about. I suppose there's not much choice but to leave everyone to their clueless lives pursuing their own hedonism, drinking and toking, looking for sex, and dreaming about winning the lottery. I suppose actually having to think about world events just gives everyone a headache.

I'm really not so angry and bitter. I'm only trying to wake people up, even if I'm some voice in the wilderness.