Thoughts On Spring

Spreading Fear
First I need to say that my heart goes out to the people of Japan. Let’s all pray that their recovery is swift. It’s hard to look at the pictures from there and not be horrified by the devastation that the earthquake and the tsunami that followed it brought upon them. The crisis of the nuclear power plants is tragic as well; and there, my friends, lies the rub. While many in this country, as well as around the world, try to figure out how we can assist Japan, we have the talking heads and so-called experts spreading panic and fear in the U.S. You know, the “can it happen here” talk. Suddenly, nuclear power is unsafe. We’re now on panic watch to make sure our plants don’t explode. Then we find out that the people who built some of Japan’s plants built ours. Why is it when there is a world crisis such as this, we somehow manage to bring the focus back on us? And it’s not just with this but with everything. It makes us seem kind of shallow. Ever since 9/11, we have been conditioned to fear everything and everyone. Now, we all know that nuclear power can be dangerous. We’ve always known that, we’ve even had examples of it. But we’ve chosen to go on about our lives. Not today. Now we are told to be afraid, that the plants may explode at any moment. I don’t know about you folks, but I’m not going to be afraid.

Libya
So we have entered the fray with Libya. Is anyone really surprised by this? I’ve been telling folks for weeks now that we would eventually need to intervene, because, face it, Gaddafi’s a madman. Once he started offing his own people it was only a matter of time before the U.S. jumped in. This whole operation is supposed to be a coalition of forces mandated by the UN, not just the U.S., and for the President’s sake it had better stay that way. This country is rather war weary and has little taste for an all- out war against Libya. However, this is something that needs to be done. We cannot just sit by while this madman slaughters his own people. This is a war worth fighting, even if we don’t want to.

Erin Go Blah
I watched the St. Paddy’s Day breakfast and parade on the old tele the other day. I’m no fan of the holiday, or rather no fan of the foolery that goes with it. I never really got the whole St. Paddy’s Day breakfast thing. A bunch of people gather around to eat, drink, and tell really bad jokes. I can go to a blue-collar bar on any Saturday night and get that, and why must it be televised? Oh, I get it, it’s because a few politicians stick their heads in the door. That must be it. Still, do the rest of us have to be subjected to it? Then there’s the parade. I’m amazed that after all these years, this parade is still not inclusive of all people. The Vets, the gays, and other groups that the parade organizers don’t find, ah… appealing, are still not allowed to march in it. In fact, there were two parades this year — the regular one, and then the peace parade. Yet the organizers are allowed to put on this sham. As long as people keep going and put up with it, things will never change. Well, Erin go Blah.