As a backdrop to the remarks I want to share, let me reveal that I have been reading a lot of books and information about World War II. The one aspect of the war that strikes me the most, on the home front, is the level of cooperation and single-minded efforts of every citizen for a common cause. Rubber was recycled into tires for bombers. Household cooking oil was turned in. That was used in making explosives. There were paper drives and scrap metal drives. Women went to work, en masse, in factories, to take the place of absent husbands, on assembly lines. Food and gasoline was rationed. Butter, meat, milk and other commodities were in short supply. Everyone was asked to not only pull in their belts, but to contribute money to the cause by purchasing war bonds that paid for the war. People of that era seem to be proud of their willingness to support the military and the goals set forth (combating tyranny, etc.). Those still living today can recall how they huddled around a Victrola radio to hear the latest news, or a speech from FDR.
It was a different age.
In the current times we live in, people feel entitled. High school students, whether good students or not, are pushed through the system and feel it is their just due to hang around colleges, mainly to expand their social lives, snag a potential mate, and con the instructors into giving them better marks than they deserve for their puny or non-existent efforts. Americans slide by. They take the easiest route. Have you noticed lately how few science and math majors there are? There are lots of English majors. They have lots of theories, i.e. their own opinions. In other countries, like Japan, the emphasis on education, as well as a strong respect for teachers, has been in place for a very long time. Other countries seem to be producing medical doctors and other trained specialists in science more often than the United States. You don’t have to look far to find an Indian doctor, for example. There is a shortage of American-trained doctors.
I am thinking about all of these ideas because today is Election Day. The Republicans want to “take back the country,” in their own words. Why, I ask? Do we really want to return to the George Bush days of overspending that got us into the financial mess that remains today? Did anyone really think that President Obama could turn the country around, totally, in two short years, when the former president had 8 years to get us further enmeshed in debt? Do we support the “war on terror” or whatever we are calling it now? If not, why are we not exiting the arena of war and leaving war-making to those who want to engage in it?
The time for divisive tactics is over. We need to work together, whether Republican or Democrat, with our eyes on the big picture, not just (dirty) partisan politics. I find it reprehensible when Rush Limbaugh on (was it Fox News?) says that President Obama “looks demonic.” That is not fair reporting and furthermore, it is clear that the worst shots of him are rounded up for broadcast.
Like me, the president is worried about this country. He wants to do well, and he wants to make America a better place. If he did not want to improve matters, he would not have run for office. Republicans can win “back” more seats, and the result of that will be, most likely, a filibuster when it comes to voting, and more obstructionism to progress. As someone who enjoys history, I am really frightened by some of the statements coming from members of the Republican party. While there is a little truth in what is said, the rest of their statements sound like they are not thinking clearly. I am concerned about this country. Moreover, I just wonder what could be done to put a team spirit back in place, as was present during World War II. There is a reason we call the people who lived during that time, “The Greatest Generation.” They knew how to work together for the common good.
Patricia Cummings
