Tag: good

What Is Going On In 2017 – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

I originally started writing this in early November prior to traveling for work. I was unable to complete do to work related priorities and much has occurred during the month of November to further emphasize this article. So here goes.

When 2016 came to an end, I sighed a breath of relief believing that there is no way 2017 could be any crazier. Well, it would appear that it is time to ask “what is going on” as we start the eleventh (11th) month of 2017.

During 2017, we have experienced both highs and lows as a nation and world but one thing for certain is that we are not safer based on terrorist attacks, lone wolf attacks, and unstable regimes. Perhaps, we are safer but we do not know it but in my opinion, the world has become a more unglued.

Beyond world safety, we live in a world of political chaos. Portions of nations are trying to succeed from nations, politicians are fighting with politicians in the same political parties, and there are power struggles between special interest groups with similar goals. What was up is down and what was down is up.
In recent weeks, it has become apparent that many of the rumors we thought were true regarding the entertainment industry have been validated as not only accurate but also hidden from view. In times like this, we need to question if rules are equally applied but I believe we all know the answer. I will discuss further later in this article.

Since starting on this article, much has occurred to solidify my concerns regarding good and evil which was addressed in an earlier article.

Who would believe that a small town congregation in Texas would be massacred by a lone gunman who illegally possessed weapons and slipped through the system destroying many lives in his short life. This tragedy fell off the front page of news agencies much as the Las Vegas massacre a month earlier. So sad.

Starting in October 2017, the news has been saturated with “Me Too” reports involving people in powerful positions. I do not believe anyone is shocked considering certain people have been protected or untouchable and I hope these individuals get what is due to them.
My concern with the “Me Too” is that the issue goes well beyond our leaders in entertainment, politics and business and is a problem that goes beyond sexual harassment. Why is sexual harassment the big news item other than because sex sells?

Harassment occurs in all economic, social, racial, religious and gender groups and needs to be treated equally. I do not believe someone that has been harassed in small town USA or urban USA is treated in the same manner as someone harassed by a big name but I could be wrong.

I am not minimizing the issue but I am making a point that harassment is not being treated equally a form of hate.

This week, evil did take a hit with the death of Charles Manson. It is hard to believe that in the late 60s the massacre of a few people by Charles Manson and his followers was considered unacceptable and all involved were sentenced to life in prison.

At one point in our history, murder was not as common place as in our current environment but the murder of Sharon Tate and her unborn child was brutal. It is truly my hope that Charles Manson suffers wherever he currently is.
2017 has been a year that we must all ask “what is going on” and do everything in our power to turn the tide.

What are your thoughts on the events of 2017?

Wishing you health, safety and success. Its great being fifty plus going on fifteen (50 plus going on 15).

Jay Patterson

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Light Forces And Dark Forces – Fifty Plus Going On Fifteen

With each day that passes it seems like the question we need to ask is “Why has the world become unglued“?

I do not believe this question is specific to sex, religion, politics, geography, income, and/or education but I do believe this question is specific to good and evil or light and dark forces.

This weekend, I was scanning slides that I had taken through the 70s and 80s into digital format. During this time frame, major threats to humanity included:

  • Nuclear war with the Soviet Union.
  • Global cooling predicted by environmentalist.
  • Petroleum shortages predicted by the end of the 20th century.

I was raised left of center as a follower of JFK so I was environmentally aware, believed that rogue nations could be negotiated with, and promoted limited infringement in personal rights. In the 80s and 90s, I was also a sailor in the US Navy so at times I was a duck out of water due to the militarys right of center atmosphere.

Marriage and children came in the late 80s and early 90s and during this time, the end of the Cold War occurred, global cooling was debunked, and new petroleum reserves were found. I wiped the sweat off my brow and was thankful about the positive changes in our world.

Think about it, heroic efforts of the greatest generation (WWII), Korean War, Vietnam, and Cold War veterans had paid off even though it had taken more than forty (40) years to solidify world peace and freedom after the end of World War Two (WWII). I was thankful that our children would be able to live a happy and safe life due to the hard choices that were made during the Cold War.

During the mid 1990s, the military was downsized and I retired from the Navy and entered th civilian sector. The economy was bumping along and the dot.coms were big. We moved to South Dakota and started a new chapter in our life and the future could not look better.

As the end of the century rolled around, I found that I was not as gullible as I had once been and started to question politics, right and wrong more. It became clear to me that neither of primary political parties owned the high ground when it came to good and evil. Worse yet, both primary political parties appeared to be more concerned about political power than the good of the nation.

Y2K occurred and I moved to my second long term career starting in the field. The 2000 presidential election was hard fought and a new level of political ugliness occurred after the election. United States politics had been taken over by Lawyers and I never want to hear about “hanging chads” again.

In early September 2001, I took some vacation to paint our house. On Monday I scraped paint and while walking my son to school on Tuesday, the first World Trade Center was hit by a plane. I walked into the house and my bride informed me about the plane crash and I told her it was not an accident. Soon after, the second World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and a Pennsylvania field were the final resting places for four (4) suicide planes.

This was the beginning of my “what is going on” phase and it has not stopped since 911. This was also the start of what I consider defined light and dark forces that impact us every day we take a breath. Evil is emphasized in our 24 hour news, internet, 4G world and stories about good are few and far between. As a society, I believe we have become numb to dark forces and accept these forces as the norm and not an exception.

It has been sixteen (16) years since my “what is going on‘ phase started and I feel sorry for our younger generations for having to experience the failure of lightness winning over darkness. I wish the major political parties would get over their desire for power and work for the good of the United States and the world but that appears to be a secondary goal.

What are your thoughts about light and dark forces? Is there hope for future generations?

Please provide feedback and comments and thanks for visiting.

Fifty plus going on fifteen (50 plus going on 15)

Jay Patterson