Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion: On Elections
My name is Paul Big Bear and this is (what will be) my weekly column, titled, “Everyone Is Entitled To My Opinion” in the weeks to come I will be discussing many topics, and expressing my opinion on them. This is not to evoke argument or debate, these things are difficult at best in a weekly written format instead, my hope is to provoke thought, your thoughts and opinions.
The elections are over and a new president will be inaugurated soon, so who did you vote for? Who you voted for is your business, I remember when your vote was your business and we were told that you don’t discuss politics, religion, or sex in public. Today not only are these subjects discussed but more often than not often in vile and violent ways.
Sports figures, singers and musicians, actors and actresses have become so important to our lives; we follow their daily movements with such importance. We vote for the party and or the person, we have lost sight of what is truly important, the future.
Sex was not for public discussion, gentlemen never discussed a woman in public. Kiss and tell was childish locker behavior, your braggadocios tales of conquest were lies that fulfilled a boast of entering manhood that was exaggerated if not an out and out lie.
Religion, it has been said more wars have fought over religion than anything else, your faith in your God is meant to be a strength, strength of character, a foundation for you morally. The basis of what is right and what is wrong. Lose this building block of who you are and you standing on quicksand.
Finally politics, we grew up with certain steps that lead us to adulthood; long pants, at least for me and the guys I grew up with, it was a big thing when summer came and you found a pair of long pants (usually dungarees) that you could wear to go out and play in. Being old enough to go and get a haircut on your own. Dating, no longer secretly holding a crush knowing you won’t catch cooties or be banned from the “girl haters club.” Being old enough to shave, old enough to drive, I had a tractor license at fourteen which meant I could take a job making big money, old enough to shave, to pick up my date and go out without Mom dropping us off.
Being old enough to serve our country, old enough to vote, to register and put that registration card in your wallet with your Social Security card and your driver’s license. Along with these steps toward manhood you grew; physically, mentally (education and common sense), maturity, and responsibility. You knew that a family, a home, and being a good neighbor were important. Your daily actions and decisions were no longer just a reflection on you growing up, they were reflections on your family, your friends. You voted for what was good for your neighborhood, your town, local businesses, and your future.
Your future as a family man, home owner, member of the working community, a parent, how will your vote affect your world when you are gone and your children, grandchildren are on their path to adulthood? Sadly we have become a “me” society, asking only how will this affect me? Will I be able to indulge in my pleasures seems to be the most important thing in life to many. We somehow have come to the convoluted conclusion that our churches and schools raise our children relieving us of these responsibilities; sadly we have allowed the very ability of these very institutes to have a positive influence on our children to be weakened to the point of no longer being able to do so. So I will again say, instead of who did you vote for, let us ask what did you vote for.