Thought of the Day

Atrocities, One automatically thinks of the acts that have scarred the worlds mind through the ages, Generally almost always acts of man upon his fellow man. Acts of little or no conscience against the planet. But the healing for mankind doesn't start on a global scale or in the palaces of our leaders. It begins in our living rooms. It begins in the dark of our bedroom , just before sleep, in those moments when our face we show to the world means nothing. And we (if we have any conscience at all) reflect , on the events and steps we've taken, that have brought us to this point in our lives.

There may be individuals both family and friend lost to us because of differences, because of the turmoil in there lives. Some we are accountable for. When changes come in us, they usually appear as we mature, each of us at our own pace. and that maturing may not come in time heal family differences But whether or not those situations can be patched up, have no bearing on our need to still attempt to make it right if we can. What if they will have no part of it? Then that burden is still upon us, to not battle against their opinion, but to show a difference, a real one in our lives,in our interaction with the poeple we love, to act in a positive way, towards our world. Then possibly through that example, no matter how late its appearance, the friend or family member can possibly learn to believe in us agin, and help to set there portion of the differences aside, Or we can be bitter as well, saying fine, proceeding on with our lives selfishly, never attempting to better their lives, or ours with the gift of peace. We can be, and are the authors of attrocities and terrible waste in our own lives. We don't have to just assume because its happening to many around us, its just life, it can't be helped, because it can.

The space between words and actions need only sometimes be seconds. We have the will to do so many things in our life, meet financial goals, work towards a better home, a nicer car. Why can't those same forces of our will, be used to repair our families for a start. Our world needs so many things fixed. Our problems are like plants in our window that we've forgotten. They need attention. We need to clean up our neighborhoods, enjoying the pride we can share for the accomplishment. We need to seriously go to our politicians with a desire for answers not just rhetoric. We need to get the homeless off the street in a compassionate and caring way. We need to not just complain among ourselves about it, but do something to remove drug houses from our neighborhoods. We need to realize the terrible cost in wasted lives they cause our children and others amongst us.

We need to be more supportive of our police departments, more willing to assist them in issues that greatly benefit us. As I say constantly, your camera is the colt 45 of our age. Now more arrests are made through accumulated evidence than by firearms. If illegal activity is occurring in your neighborhood, take pictures . We all have reasons to be out and about, ample opportunities to acquire pictures of dealers, etc.

You have to ask yourself , what kind of world you want? (No,what kind of world, you will allow). Empower yourselves with your numbers, with your common sense, with your memory of a better world. There have always been problems and it has taken those who really cared to quell them. we have to as a country join together
, in a new dedication to try to send less angry children out into our cities, ourselves trying to be better citizens, so that we can leave a more positive legacy , in our passing .

Introduction

This site is a result of years of not being involved in the world or its issues Oh, I heard through the news our growing list of our societies ills had passionate conversations over coffee, about cures. But the truth of the matter was that they affected me about as much as water on a ducks back.

Even when I was a victim of violent crime, I went on with a tunnel vision that now frightens me as I look back. It is easy for us to be idealistic in our youth, but then life happens, and the experiences of life form layers sometimes that numb us to the realities about us, blind us to truths we no longer wish to address.

And that was where I found myself at 48 But a woman entered my life who, helped me remember. Her example opening doors inside me that had been closed for years. and I woke up. I understand now why I've watched so little news over the last 10 to 15 years of my life, it is a parade of murder, sexual crime and corruption in our high places. The newscasters can't help that we supply them so well with tragedy and a propfile of man's lesser side.,

That the stories of good will are so few and far between. But our greatest problem as a country, isn't any one particular kind of crime, or lack of humanity it's (Complacency). It's the ability to drive past a man lying in the street, to turn our heads to drug houses and drive by shootings in our neighborhoods, to sit idley by as our world becomes less and less safe for our children.

To know there is another society crawling along side ours, whose poeple squat like the pioneers, in our cities, some having not even a roof. And just believeing some one else will handle it.

The holiday season is here again, and our classics warm the tv screen, and our hearts, Jimmy Stewart, in its a wonderful life. I know this movie touches poeple, But what is it really to us?Just another Christmas babble taken out like our finery for the tree? Or do we try to pass on to our children any of the importance of those sort of examples,?

Clearly things werent all right for everyone then,. Equality was still unknown, among the races and the sexes, but there was among most poeple then a better understanding of who we were and where we had come from. And there were values of sorts that are a stranger to many of us now.

Can we act as a society that way ever again? As a more caring and involved group of poeple, not for the sake of any one person, but for the survival of us all, for the betterment and continued growth of us all. Parents need to be parents again, need to study the laws that now lessen their ability, so they can have the upper hand once more, in the game of chess their forced to play with the laws that now empower there children in a harmful way.

We need to not just move to help homeless people during the holiday out of guilt, or some periodic sense of benevolence. We need to press our law makers to find solutions. We need to be more supporting of our policemen, trying to build a more friendly relationship between them and the public, to carry our cameras with us, and when we see things needing attention record it.

Drug houses and the activity surrounding them, more, neighborhood watches, cleaning up our neighborhoods, without expecting pay. Please understand, I know there is little, reward sometimes , and true risk, in some of these things mentioned,(and the list goes on and on), but what are we going to do? No matter your religous beliefs , there is a downward spiral we're in, our childrens favorite music glorifies violence, and the lack of respect of men for women.

We have little authority in our homes, and the police departments and legal systems are being stretched to the point that it hinders there effectiveness. And worst of all our children are becoming cold as our world is. The rant above is just the tip of what you'll find here. What it comes down to is "Who are you"?

If you don't agree, you'll pass these pages by, But if your sick of the situation we're in, if you've known people lost to senseless violence, if you agonize over our children, if you remember a better America, contact me with your articles, thoughts, and stories, pics, at carterbushman@yahoo.com and together we'll not just talk about it, We'll ACT to see changes , hopefully in our lifetime. Sincerly Richard Carter,