To Carl Tucker's comment: I hear what you are saying, but it doesn't make sense to me. Quite plainly, based on your narrative above, it appears that the younger folks disapprove of the Trump cult. Perhaps you are one of the older angry men who might ought to re-examine your priorities? What is is that you wish to leave as a legacy to the younger generations and to the world? What kind of respect do you show for the younger generation or for the larger half of the population when you can't even spell the current President's name correctly? We live in a nation of laws; our Constitution is "the Ten Commandments" of our legal system. Respect for law is primary. Yet, you appear to profess allegiance to a man who flaunted his lack of respect for people, law, and the constitution and to encourage it among his followers. Why would you respect this man, Trump? That seems to be what the youngsters in your narrative were saying. It is their future that is in danger if, for example, the powers that be, and that is all voters, do not get a grip on climate change. Antarctica is melting, doesn't that concern you? Make a list of your priorities. For example, why would you choose someone like Trump over someone like Will Hurd or Asa Hutchinson? Don't give me the "conservative" cop out. Why, really. I would like to know.
I said it once in a letter to the editor, but it bears repeating: To keep believing Trump and to keep supporting him means you have to keep turning your back on more and more of America. From the humblest of election workers up to State and Federal commissioners. From local county judges all the way up to the Justice Department (Now that they’re no longer “his.” And if hearing a president in all seriousness talk about “his” Justice Department didn’t appall, disgust, and frighten you, then perhaps you are too far gone to return to the fold.) The FBI, the Intelligence agencies…the list gets bigger every day. And let us not forget the majority of voters in America, your fellow citizens, who chose Biden over Trump. How much of America can you reject and still call yourself an American?
I didn’t see this answer before, and this may be late, but are you talking about the infamous Hunter Biden laptop? The one that’s been investigated exhaustively over two administrations now? Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Hunter Biden just get charged with tax evasion and a gun violation? And didn’t his sweetheart plea deal get revoked when a judge got a good look at it? Doesn’t that show that the Justice Dept. is doing its job? If Hunter is being handled with kid gloves because of who his dad is, well, to me that is part of the privilege shared by all wealthy, connected individuals in this country, a privilege heavily relied on by Trump himself for his whole life even long before he ever got into politics. (And that whole issue can be a topic for another day!)
Hunter Biden seems to be a bit of a sad case, not living up to his potential or the expectations of his family, but that does not make him a criminal mastermind. And if trying to cash in by dropping his dad’s name is a crime, then you better make room in the cell for Eric, Don Jr., and Ivanka too.
Many of the other so called Biden scandals and outrages hyped by the conservative media are a lot of hot air and not much concrete evidence. They are throwing sparkling chaff in the air to distract from Trump’s misdeeds, but nothing much comes of it, because there’s no there there. It reminds me of the Benghazi hysteria. Hillary Clinton was investigated for years to within an inch of her life by people who really, really wanted to get her, but in the end it all didn’t amount to a hill of beans. And I do not believe it was because of some ridiculous “deep state” plot to protect her. The best evidence that there is no “deep state” is that Trump still lives and breathes and creates chaos.
I stand corrected as to the difference between the Justice Dept. and the judicial branch. I knew that they were separate like that, but I should have been more careful with my language! Thank you for pointing it out.
I don’t remember reading or hearing any actual determination that the Executive Justice Dept. did, in fact, slow walk or impede the investigation. To my knowledge that is an unverified complaint made by people with a dog in the fight, an axe to grind, and/or a desire to keep eyeballs glued to their broadcasts. If there were shenanigans like that taking place, I have no doubt they will eventually come to light because if I’ve learned one thing in my long life, it’s that truth will vindicate itself.
A career public servant (and I assume you are speaking of Joe Biden here, not local election officials or low level bureaucrats) becomes a member of the 1% in the usual way: Money chases power and power chases money. Becoming wealthy while serving in Congress may not be why all politicians enter public life, but I sure do think it’s why so many fight so hard to stay there. One hand washes the other, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours…whatever cliche you choose, it applies to just about all of them. I do not approve of the role of money in our system of government, but I am not so naive as to think only one side is guilty of grubbing for it. Congress is overflowing with millionaires. Not all of them started out with a silver spoon in their mouth, but once they get one they all seem to love the taste, even the ones that affect an aw shucks folksy demeanor. Did Joe Biden do some things in his long career that wouldn’t look so good in a campaign ad? Almost certainly, I think. I am also as certain that he has plenty of company, Republican, Democratic, and Independent. Let’s investigate them all and throw them all out and start over. I could get behind that idea. But it will never happen because they’re all in on it, and they won’t investigate themselves, that’s for sure.
So in my mind at least, there is a huge difference between possible run of the mill status quo sleaze, and the massive, blatant, pathological, despotic disaster of Trump. An interesting fact: I have spoken to more than one person who in 2016 originally wanted Bernie Sanders that ended up voting for Trump. I have to think it was that desire to make a wholesale change that made so many people fall for Trump’s act, because people could sense that neither party’s political establishment truly had their best interests at heart. I knew from growing up in NYC while Trump was first making a name for himself that he was a lying, cheating, narcissistic, misogynist deadbeat who never saw a building he didn’t want to put his name on in ten foot high gold letters. A horrible human being, and not a good businessman either. But most of the country knew him from his reality show, where he played a clever, shrewd master of the universe, able to see and know things ordinary mortals couldn’t. It was just an act, but unfortunately for our country it was an act that people swooned over, and the more they swooned, the more extreme his schtick got, until we got to where we are today, where half the country listens to him compare himself to the second coming of Jesus and cheers, and half the country is left wondering if he can be stopped and jailed before he destroys America forever.
Someone obviously cursed America with the old Chinese saying…may you live in interesting times.
I'm sorry to say that in your first sentence in comment about the Skidmore student you mention that you had a Trump bumper sticker. You mention it by name. So, you see, you did mention Mr. Trump.
Carl, I’m not angry so much about Trump supporters as I am sad, but I was not angry at you, or even thinking about you in particular at all when I wrote that. I maybe should have used the more generic “one,” as in “How much of America can one reject and still call oneself an American.” But it sounded a bit too professorial and stuffy, so I went with the more casual sounding version with “you.” If you thought anger was directed at you personally by me, then I apologize. It is difficult sometimes to convey tone without being able to hear and see someone speak. Driving more wedges is not something I choose to do on purpose.
Whether you personally are a Trump supporter or not matters much less to me than the fact that you seem to think I was unable to support my position. I thought I explained it pretty clearly. It is something I have observed both in the conservative media, and with people I know personally. Believing Trump means believing vast swaths of America actively hate their own country. It means believing ordinary folks, career public servants, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, and politicians, (even Republican ones) from all states, are somehow all involved in an evil plot, laser focused on bringing Trump down. Someone like Mike Pence, Trump’s own Vice President, a conservative darling for many years, is now persona non grata. He is booed and ridiculed by people who used to think he was a stand up guy and eagerly voted for him. Why? Because he had the audacity to rather mildly reproach Trump for trying to get him to do something he thought was wrong. On January 6th some people literally wanted to see him hang for it.
It is so very hard to grow old in this country. Support is often difficult to find, our bodies fail us and our peers often feel free to say whatever they they think, letting their true feelings show. I feel sorry for those who are angry, bitter, prejudiced and feel that they need to be right. Hang in there, we all aren’t like that.
Retirement resolved pretty much all of my anger issues. During the Covid era I read a piece by David Drehle in the Washington Post on stoicism and fell into that. Of course, I face the dilemma many would-be Stoics do of not having problems commensurate with testing their stoic character. I attend church service every week and that’s a literal blessing as well in that I have this realization that I can’t do anything that would embarrass me in the eyes of my fellow congregants. That seems to be a problem the Navy veteran doesn’t share.
My sympathy goes out to you, Will, because I realize you are living a life that would test most people. God bless you for the strength He’s given you.
I'm having a difficult time aging. My once strong agile body is no longer..need help carrying heavy things and it kills me to ask for help. Got some medical issues I've been ignoring mainly because I know it will lay me up and I just can't be there right now. Struggling since early retirement to help with my mom.
Interesting though that something came up in my media *memories * that had to do with old men lol.
I pursued legal action against a former sheriff...clicked on the comments supporting his disgusting behavior. ALL white men of a certain age and when I looked at their social media they are trumpers and anti anything different from themselves.
I can only hope that younger generations come through...but hate is learned at home and I know these men passed down their prejudice to their families.
Just keep fighting the good fight Will.
I took stickers off my car....was afraid someone would do something to it.
Oh dear, dear Will....sadly, you are really NOT old in this current age business but you are certainly experiencing the trials of aging...early!! You have Belle's issues as well as your own so you are truly living it...tough. Perhaps not only do the "good die young" but maybe those who live with problems beyond what seems reasonable (!!!) are even MORE "good! Best wishes won't help but you must know that your writing helps all of us.
We are all witness to the recent acceptance of nasty behaviors. I don’t believe it is most old men; it is just that some are overly vocal and demonstrative (your close shave with an “honorable” veteran). And I want to say that there are some ill-mannered old women out there as well. The bitterness is being aimed at the wrong people. I cannot reconcile how so many Americans support political and cultural evil.
Keep writing, Will. It reminds us there is still a lot of sanity in our world.
I feel people of all Ages are less empathetic but I think some men find it weak to show a kinder side, all we can do is try to be our best selves, hoping you are getting support on your journey with Bella
Okay, I’m going to talk politics here…get ready, or stop reading.
I believe the hate and anger we see so much especially in older white men is not an accident, and worse we are seeing more of it all the time among young white men and women. It’s being purposely cultivated by wealthy and powerful interests who feel they are not powerful enough and want it all. The tactic is simple and time honored: divide and conquer. The tacticians are people who are on the John Birch Society spectrum who were soundly rejected by the very healthy civil rights movement. When Nixon was driven from office “libertarian” fascists went on a campaign of funding far-right think tanks and organization, some are well known like the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, others are more anonymous. These groups are funded by people like the Koch brothers, Harlan Crow, the DeVos family, the Mercers … and they’ve worked systematically to disable and disarm the rules and regulations that strengthen civil society. Not too long ago the government limited the number of news outlets a single owner could hold in any market, limited corporate money in politics, supported public education, supported the rights of women and minorities. All of this and much more was accomplished by the Party of No.
It’s an appropriate name, Party of No. our nation was founded on a very simple principle “governments are instituted among (the people) deriving their just powers from consent of the governed.” Government must be just, and justice is derived through consent - an admonition that finding a way to say yes to those we disagree with is the very core of our experiment. But not just any old way of finding a way to say yes, giving consent, finding consensus, cooperating. Compromise is not the goal, consensus is. Compromise was a fall back position the Founders used on issues they could not find consensus in order to avoid the division King George sought to sow among them, but compromise was not great. Everyone walks away from compromise feeling they have lost a bit of their deepest principles and so the major compromises of the Constition left fissures in society that the Civil War did not resolve. Those fissures persist and those who seek to gain power are using those same fissures to split us apart.
It is a bleak analysis, but not one without hope. Arguments for compromise with those who gain power by a strategy of “no” on every issue only makes our democracy weaker. It makes each of us weaker individually, philosophically.
The strategy to heal division is to find common ground, to cooperate where we may, to find consensus with others, even those who we may despise. That requires empathy of a kind that is difficult to muster, but columns such as this one help us to find empathy.
This 68 year old white male thanks you. Heard you speak at Rotary in Plattsburgh. My fear is that slip on that slippery slope of aging and becoming less tolerant, more angry and bitter. I refer you to a song of mine titled “Lunchtime Conversation” under my name on YouTube which expands on this very real concern. Thanks.
From one old man to another, but you’re just a pup! It’s all a matter of perspective and attitude. I’m still trying to figure out how an 86 year old man is supposed to act I used to say to our kids, “Act your age!” (and they usually were). Now my kids are saying to me, “Act your age!” (and I’m usually not).
Seriously, “ageism” is just as dehumanizing as the other “isms.” The richness of life in the beloved community is reflected in its diversity—of race, religions, nationality, sex, age, etc.
It may be true—but I don’t believe it is—that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but it is true that there are some tricks only an old dog knows.
Thanks again, Will, for your perspectives on life and love. Shalom!
Spending one career working with men and angry. I would say to you that old men who are angry were young men who were angry. Society gives a pass to folks who are older and angry, thinking that age makes them that way, the aches and pains may have something to do with it. Maybe, they did not accomplish what they wanted in their younger years, and they are angry. No, they were always angry..to their mom's, their girlfriends, their wives, their co-workers...age again...gives them a pass...an excuse. There are plenty of wonderful old men who are still the same as they were when they were young. The world is angry...the world is angry every 50 years...crime is on a 50-year cycle...it goes up, stays up and then comes down when society has enough, creates more laws, puts them in jail...then it starts all over again. Check out the 1880's, 1920's, 1970's and now 2020's... we just repeat history...I am so sorry that Bella is failing, and you have had some health issues. Aging is not always easy and fair. But the upside of aging is that we made it to that point. All that experience, knowledge and willingness to let go of things that really are not important or useful. Politics is a contact sport and again, reading history allows us to realize that history repeats itself. We are not caning each other on the floor of Congress or dueling. Yes, we can say we have had a lot of angry and we all hope folks are just voting with their feet by moving to somewhere else, versus a real civil war. I am hopeful, that this too shall pass, and I hope I am around long enough to see that it does, until the next 50 years.
My sister a social worker who works with the elderly, said exactly the same thing when I was wondering about a mean old lady and how she got that way. My sister said she was probably always mean; it's not like mean young people get old and suddenly become nice. We become more who we are over time, not less.
Unfortunately, hate is passed down and seems to carry more vocal energy than tolerance and kind wisdom.
To Carl Tucker's comment: I hear what you are saying, but it doesn't make sense to me. Quite plainly, based on your narrative above, it appears that the younger folks disapprove of the Trump cult. Perhaps you are one of the older angry men who might ought to re-examine your priorities? What is is that you wish to leave as a legacy to the younger generations and to the world? What kind of respect do you show for the younger generation or for the larger half of the population when you can't even spell the current President's name correctly? We live in a nation of laws; our Constitution is "the Ten Commandments" of our legal system. Respect for law is primary. Yet, you appear to profess allegiance to a man who flaunted his lack of respect for people, law, and the constitution and to encourage it among his followers. Why would you respect this man, Trump? That seems to be what the youngsters in your narrative were saying. It is their future that is in danger if, for example, the powers that be, and that is all voters, do not get a grip on climate change. Antarctica is melting, doesn't that concern you? Make a list of your priorities. For example, why would you choose someone like Trump over someone like Will Hurd or Asa Hutchinson? Don't give me the "conservative" cop out. Why, really. I would like to know.
I said it once in a letter to the editor, but it bears repeating: To keep believing Trump and to keep supporting him means you have to keep turning your back on more and more of America. From the humblest of election workers up to State and Federal commissioners. From local county judges all the way up to the Justice Department (Now that they’re no longer “his.” And if hearing a president in all seriousness talk about “his” Justice Department didn’t appall, disgust, and frighten you, then perhaps you are too far gone to return to the fold.) The FBI, the Intelligence agencies…the list gets bigger every day. And let us not forget the majority of voters in America, your fellow citizens, who chose Biden over Trump. How much of America can you reject and still call yourself an American?
I didn’t see this answer before, and this may be late, but are you talking about the infamous Hunter Biden laptop? The one that’s been investigated exhaustively over two administrations now? Correct me if I’m wrong, but didn’t Hunter Biden just get charged with tax evasion and a gun violation? And didn’t his sweetheart plea deal get revoked when a judge got a good look at it? Doesn’t that show that the Justice Dept. is doing its job? If Hunter is being handled with kid gloves because of who his dad is, well, to me that is part of the privilege shared by all wealthy, connected individuals in this country, a privilege heavily relied on by Trump himself for his whole life even long before he ever got into politics. (And that whole issue can be a topic for another day!)
Hunter Biden seems to be a bit of a sad case, not living up to his potential or the expectations of his family, but that does not make him a criminal mastermind. And if trying to cash in by dropping his dad’s name is a crime, then you better make room in the cell for Eric, Don Jr., and Ivanka too.
Many of the other so called Biden scandals and outrages hyped by the conservative media are a lot of hot air and not much concrete evidence. They are throwing sparkling chaff in the air to distract from Trump’s misdeeds, but nothing much comes of it, because there’s no there there. It reminds me of the Benghazi hysteria. Hillary Clinton was investigated for years to within an inch of her life by people who really, really wanted to get her, but in the end it all didn’t amount to a hill of beans. And I do not believe it was because of some ridiculous “deep state” plot to protect her. The best evidence that there is no “deep state” is that Trump still lives and breathes and creates chaos.
I stand corrected as to the difference between the Justice Dept. and the judicial branch. I knew that they were separate like that, but I should have been more careful with my language! Thank you for pointing it out.
I don’t remember reading or hearing any actual determination that the Executive Justice Dept. did, in fact, slow walk or impede the investigation. To my knowledge that is an unverified complaint made by people with a dog in the fight, an axe to grind, and/or a desire to keep eyeballs glued to their broadcasts. If there were shenanigans like that taking place, I have no doubt they will eventually come to light because if I’ve learned one thing in my long life, it’s that truth will vindicate itself.
A career public servant (and I assume you are speaking of Joe Biden here, not local election officials or low level bureaucrats) becomes a member of the 1% in the usual way: Money chases power and power chases money. Becoming wealthy while serving in Congress may not be why all politicians enter public life, but I sure do think it’s why so many fight so hard to stay there. One hand washes the other, you scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours…whatever cliche you choose, it applies to just about all of them. I do not approve of the role of money in our system of government, but I am not so naive as to think only one side is guilty of grubbing for it. Congress is overflowing with millionaires. Not all of them started out with a silver spoon in their mouth, but once they get one they all seem to love the taste, even the ones that affect an aw shucks folksy demeanor. Did Joe Biden do some things in his long career that wouldn’t look so good in a campaign ad? Almost certainly, I think. I am also as certain that he has plenty of company, Republican, Democratic, and Independent. Let’s investigate them all and throw them all out and start over. I could get behind that idea. But it will never happen because they’re all in on it, and they won’t investigate themselves, that’s for sure.
So in my mind at least, there is a huge difference between possible run of the mill status quo sleaze, and the massive, blatant, pathological, despotic disaster of Trump. An interesting fact: I have spoken to more than one person who in 2016 originally wanted Bernie Sanders that ended up voting for Trump. I have to think it was that desire to make a wholesale change that made so many people fall for Trump’s act, because people could sense that neither party’s political establishment truly had their best interests at heart. I knew from growing up in NYC while Trump was first making a name for himself that he was a lying, cheating, narcissistic, misogynist deadbeat who never saw a building he didn’t want to put his name on in ten foot high gold letters. A horrible human being, and not a good businessman either. But most of the country knew him from his reality show, where he played a clever, shrewd master of the universe, able to see and know things ordinary mortals couldn’t. It was just an act, but unfortunately for our country it was an act that people swooned over, and the more they swooned, the more extreme his schtick got, until we got to where we are today, where half the country listens to him compare himself to the second coming of Jesus and cheers, and half the country is left wondering if he can be stopped and jailed before he destroys America forever.
Someone obviously cursed America with the old Chinese saying…may you live in interesting times.
I'm sorry to say that in your first sentence in comment about the Skidmore student you mention that you had a Trump bumper sticker. You mention it by name. So, you see, you did mention Mr. Trump.
Carl, I’m not angry so much about Trump supporters as I am sad, but I was not angry at you, or even thinking about you in particular at all when I wrote that. I maybe should have used the more generic “one,” as in “How much of America can one reject and still call oneself an American.” But it sounded a bit too professorial and stuffy, so I went with the more casual sounding version with “you.” If you thought anger was directed at you personally by me, then I apologize. It is difficult sometimes to convey tone without being able to hear and see someone speak. Driving more wedges is not something I choose to do on purpose.
Whether you personally are a Trump supporter or not matters much less to me than the fact that you seem to think I was unable to support my position. I thought I explained it pretty clearly. It is something I have observed both in the conservative media, and with people I know personally. Believing Trump means believing vast swaths of America actively hate their own country. It means believing ordinary folks, career public servants, judges, lawyers, prosecutors, and politicians, (even Republican ones) from all states, are somehow all involved in an evil plot, laser focused on bringing Trump down. Someone like Mike Pence, Trump’s own Vice President, a conservative darling for many years, is now persona non grata. He is booed and ridiculed by people who used to think he was a stand up guy and eagerly voted for him. Why? Because he had the audacity to rather mildly reproach Trump for trying to get him to do something he thought was wrong. On January 6th some people literally wanted to see him hang for it.
My statement stands.
It is so very hard to grow old in this country. Support is often difficult to find, our bodies fail us and our peers often feel free to say whatever they they think, letting their true feelings show. I feel sorry for those who are angry, bitter, prejudiced and feel that they need to be right. Hang in there, we all aren’t like that.
All we can do is endure and persevere. No bumper stickers. Keep writing and encourage everyone to vote.
Quiet desperation is not just the English way...
Retirement resolved pretty much all of my anger issues. During the Covid era I read a piece by David Drehle in the Washington Post on stoicism and fell into that. Of course, I face the dilemma many would-be Stoics do of not having problems commensurate with testing their stoic character. I attend church service every week and that’s a literal blessing as well in that I have this realization that I can’t do anything that would embarrass me in the eyes of my fellow congregants. That seems to be a problem the Navy veteran doesn’t share.
My sympathy goes out to you, Will, because I realize you are living a life that would test most people. God bless you for the strength He’s given you.
Try a support group for Altzheimers care givers. Support groups are a life saver because they have gone through what you are going through now.
I'm having a difficult time aging. My once strong agile body is no longer..need help carrying heavy things and it kills me to ask for help. Got some medical issues I've been ignoring mainly because I know it will lay me up and I just can't be there right now. Struggling since early retirement to help with my mom.
Interesting though that something came up in my media *memories * that had to do with old men lol.
I pursued legal action against a former sheriff...clicked on the comments supporting his disgusting behavior. ALL white men of a certain age and when I looked at their social media they are trumpers and anti anything different from themselves.
I can only hope that younger generations come through...but hate is learned at home and I know these men passed down their prejudice to their families.
Just keep fighting the good fight Will.
I took stickers off my car....was afraid someone would do something to it.
That is where we are in America.
Oh dear, dear Will....sadly, you are really NOT old in this current age business but you are certainly experiencing the trials of aging...early!! You have Belle's issues as well as your own so you are truly living it...tough. Perhaps not only do the "good die young" but maybe those who live with problems beyond what seems reasonable (!!!) are even MORE "good! Best wishes won't help but you must know that your writing helps all of us.
Yes! Keep writing. and writing. and writing. You always have something very worthwhile to say.
We are all witness to the recent acceptance of nasty behaviors. I don’t believe it is most old men; it is just that some are overly vocal and demonstrative (your close shave with an “honorable” veteran). And I want to say that there are some ill-mannered old women out there as well. The bitterness is being aimed at the wrong people. I cannot reconcile how so many Americans support political and cultural evil.
Keep writing, Will. It reminds us there is still a lot of sanity in our world.
I feel people of all Ages are less empathetic but I think some men find it weak to show a kinder side, all we can do is try to be our best selves, hoping you are getting support on your journey with Bella
Okay, I’m going to talk politics here…get ready, or stop reading.
I believe the hate and anger we see so much especially in older white men is not an accident, and worse we are seeing more of it all the time among young white men and women. It’s being purposely cultivated by wealthy and powerful interests who feel they are not powerful enough and want it all. The tactic is simple and time honored: divide and conquer. The tacticians are people who are on the John Birch Society spectrum who were soundly rejected by the very healthy civil rights movement. When Nixon was driven from office “libertarian” fascists went on a campaign of funding far-right think tanks and organization, some are well known like the Heritage Foundation and the Federalist Society, others are more anonymous. These groups are funded by people like the Koch brothers, Harlan Crow, the DeVos family, the Mercers … and they’ve worked systematically to disable and disarm the rules and regulations that strengthen civil society. Not too long ago the government limited the number of news outlets a single owner could hold in any market, limited corporate money in politics, supported public education, supported the rights of women and minorities. All of this and much more was accomplished by the Party of No.
It’s an appropriate name, Party of No. our nation was founded on a very simple principle “governments are instituted among (the people) deriving their just powers from consent of the governed.” Government must be just, and justice is derived through consent - an admonition that finding a way to say yes to those we disagree with is the very core of our experiment. But not just any old way of finding a way to say yes, giving consent, finding consensus, cooperating. Compromise is not the goal, consensus is. Compromise was a fall back position the Founders used on issues they could not find consensus in order to avoid the division King George sought to sow among them, but compromise was not great. Everyone walks away from compromise feeling they have lost a bit of their deepest principles and so the major compromises of the Constition left fissures in society that the Civil War did not resolve. Those fissures persist and those who seek to gain power are using those same fissures to split us apart.
It is a bleak analysis, but not one without hope. Arguments for compromise with those who gain power by a strategy of “no” on every issue only makes our democracy weaker. It makes each of us weaker individually, philosophically.
The strategy to heal division is to find common ground, to cooperate where we may, to find consensus with others, even those who we may despise. That requires empathy of a kind that is difficult to muster, but columns such as this one help us to find empathy.
Thanks Will.
Very well elaborated. I hope others agree. Thank you.
This 68 year old white male thanks you. Heard you speak at Rotary in Plattsburgh. My fear is that slip on that slippery slope of aging and becoming less tolerant, more angry and bitter. I refer you to a song of mine titled “Lunchtime Conversation” under my name on YouTube which expands on this very real concern. Thanks.
Sorry - it was Ken that I heard speak. Thanks for sharing Will’s thoughts!
From one old man to another, but you’re just a pup! It’s all a matter of perspective and attitude. I’m still trying to figure out how an 86 year old man is supposed to act I used to say to our kids, “Act your age!” (and they usually were). Now my kids are saying to me, “Act your age!” (and I’m usually not).
Seriously, “ageism” is just as dehumanizing as the other “isms.” The richness of life in the beloved community is reflected in its diversity—of race, religions, nationality, sex, age, etc.
It may be true—but I don’t believe it is—that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” but it is true that there are some tricks only an old dog knows.
Thanks again, Will, for your perspectives on life and love. Shalom!
Spending one career working with men and angry. I would say to you that old men who are angry were young men who were angry. Society gives a pass to folks who are older and angry, thinking that age makes them that way, the aches and pains may have something to do with it. Maybe, they did not accomplish what they wanted in their younger years, and they are angry. No, they were always angry..to their mom's, their girlfriends, their wives, their co-workers...age again...gives them a pass...an excuse. There are plenty of wonderful old men who are still the same as they were when they were young. The world is angry...the world is angry every 50 years...crime is on a 50-year cycle...it goes up, stays up and then comes down when society has enough, creates more laws, puts them in jail...then it starts all over again. Check out the 1880's, 1920's, 1970's and now 2020's... we just repeat history...I am so sorry that Bella is failing, and you have had some health issues. Aging is not always easy and fair. But the upside of aging is that we made it to that point. All that experience, knowledge and willingness to let go of things that really are not important or useful. Politics is a contact sport and again, reading history allows us to realize that history repeats itself. We are not caning each other on the floor of Congress or dueling. Yes, we can say we have had a lot of angry and we all hope folks are just voting with their feet by moving to somewhere else, versus a real civil war. I am hopeful, that this too shall pass, and I hope I am around long enough to see that it does, until the next 50 years.
My sister a social worker who works with the elderly, said exactly the same thing when I was wondering about a mean old lady and how she got that way. My sister said she was probably always mean; it's not like mean young people get old and suddenly become nice. We become more who we are over time, not less.
Many of Trump supporters are angry, aggressive people. They have a mind set that seemingly can’t be changed.