Happy Thanksgiving Day from our cabin in the North woods of Wisconsin. The turkey is on the Green Egg, the grand kids who are here are watching the parade, I have a fire going and wifi is working. Time to offer a comment on the day.
I am writing personally contented, but disturbed by what goes on around me. It just does not seem like a happy time. Is this the condition of the world or because I spend far too much time watching CNN. It is not so much the bad events of the world that bother me – the riots in MSP, the Syrian refugee crisis – negative events cannot be avoided. What leaves me with an empty feeling is the way so many of us living with so few personal problems react. I am disturbed that many states feel no concern for those fleeing the wars we must accept some responsibility for and turn our backs on the refugees. I am pleased with the reaction of my new home state of Minnesota and disgusted with the general reaction of those from my previous North Dakota home.
Minnesota has its own issues with the recent police shooting of a young black man. I do not know what to think of the event and of those reacting to it. So many personal biases are projected on an event that those drawing conclusions did not witness. I know that racial prejudice exits. I also know people serving in law enforcement and find the reaction of so many to the job they do as unappreciative. Most of us live lives that are without personal physical threat. It is easy to make assumptions about the behavior of others that are never actually tested. Would we panic or overreact? Would we see things that were not really there? It is so easy to judge and make assumptions. Still, there are also bad people filled with hatred in every occupation. There are people willing to seize on events willing to take political advantage or push a personal perception of the world that may or may not be valid. For me, it just seems like things have become polarized and I find both positions self serving and disgusting. Of course, I can also sit here in front of my fire without really knowing how I would feel if I were closer to the situation.
Something to think about.