Virginia Is For Families

This is what I wrote on June 30th.

Good News For Consumers/ Demand For Gasoline Down

And today on the radio they said that the price of gasoline was down 53 percent from its highs. A bit of good news amidst the economic chaos.  And so a lot of prices will be coming down.  And a lot of crazy practices on Wall Street will be outlawed.  Perhaps people will not be able to buy houses they cannot afford as well.

Perhaps we will all live closer to our means.  And  sleep better at night even if the rain comes in the roof of our 1940’s era home.

I know it is going to be very difficult for some.  I feel most for those guys with families who are going to lose their jobs and their homes.  I feel for their wives and children.   Gasoline at two dollars per gallon is not going to do much for them at first.

But maybe it will help to revive the economy and create new jobs.

We really need to establish places for families to stay who are caught in the economic nightmare.   The schools and the churches need to be used to provide shelter for families at night.   Groups need to be formed to make them comfortable and as cheerful as possible.

Families who need shelter are different from individuals who need shelter.  Perhaps that sounds controversial but I believe that a family that includes children is not going to take advantage of a shelter program most of the time. Someone who had a job with a corporation and applies for shelter this week with his or her kids is someone who genuinely needs help.   They join others with genuine needs for shelter.

Conservatives and liberals can come together to make this happen.   I see it happening all across America.  Conservatives are willing to help once they understand the need is genuine.  Liberals have much less of a problem in that area.   THIS SITUATION should bring them together.

Liberals are going to have their wishes fulfilled in Congress and the White House.  Maybe now we can all come together and create a closer nation where people help each other instead of fighting all the time.

We have a free and open press here in America. We can criticize our government and the people who run it.  We can change things if we get together and vote for change.  There is an election coming up in November and it may result in some major policy changes both in this country and abroad.

It’s just the way we do things and have done them for hundreds of years.  Probably we don’t do them as much as our ancesters in this country did them.  There was a time when citizens ran around the White House after an election and got their foot prints all over the upholstery.

The dawn of a new populist era was vividly clear on Inauguration Day. Jackson opened the White House to his backers, and hundreds of them pushed and shouted their way through the building in search of conviviality as they celebrated their hero’s victory. Many were rough men in muddy boots who climbed on the chairs and devoured the food and drink provided by uniformed waiters. Women, children, farmers, laborers, ambassadors, members of Congress—a stream of humanity took over the place for the day.

They were in a celebratory mood.  Andrew Jackson had won the election.

But we don’t mind saying what we think.   And nobody is going to come around and arrest us for saying it.  We might have to answer a few questions if we threaten to kill someone.  But for the most part we are free to say whatever.

Here is what someone has to say about my poem.

“You stupid American! You think the air in Beijing will pollute your lungs? Then why do your American team still come to the Olypics?
You said you feel sorry about your Tibetan friends? Then why don’t give your money directly to them. Do you really care about them? Are you really friends of them?
You brainless American! Have you ever been to Beijing or Tibet? Do you have any evidence to prove what you said?”

-Anonymous

Dear Anonymous

I remember what happened in 1988 when a group of citizens decided to protest their government’s policies in China.  And I am wondering when communism will finally be sent to the dust bin of history.  We should all have the freedom to vote for our leaders and say what we need to say.

And I respectfully disagree with what you have to say about “proof” and my intelligence.  I have not been to the moon.  But I feel pretty certain that I could not breathe there without a tank of air.  If this makes me stupid then you must be very perceptive.

Thanks for responding.  Please come back and don’t be afraid to use your name. No one here is going to persecute you for saying what’s on your mind.

David

http://davidnotes.com/2008/08/13/woman-gymnasts-olympic-competition/