The Talk Ahead

I have had my say many times via this blog. It is my escape valve. It allows me to think aloud and work complicated things out. By sharing this with a larger audience I take my writing seriously. Of course, I am not always right. Yes, I am wrong some of the time.

But I don’t stop thinking on the subject matter. My mind goes back over the material time and time again. It is a process. It is never quite done. And just when I think it near perfection, bam! Something comes along to upset the whole thing. Back to the drawing board, or at least the re-thinking board.

This happens quite a lot. The dimensions of life are large; diverse as well; and ever-changing. This is why history rarely remains the same other than the what happened, where it did so, and when. The why is the real reason of history. It is mankind’s way of deeper understanding on what happened and why. The Cause, Effect and Result of Man’s Story in Time.

The landscape of history, however, never stops. It is forever in a continuum. Making sense now does not mean the same ‘sense’ will remain later. Prelude and postlude change perspectives.

While we live through periods of events and unsettled times, we focus on the bits and pieces of what we think are the important matters. Often, they are not; more important themes are emerging and difficult to spot.

Today, in 2018, we have major issues beckoning our attention. But only one really takes center stage: what is the role of government?

That’s it. Everything else swirls around this question endlessly. Take the current student pressure for changes in gun laws, this is a role for government. At least government authority can handle this task faster and more completely than private citizens. But private citizens can take control of this issue as well. In fact, the issue is mainly a cultural one. That is your business and mine. It is not automatically one for government.

If we want fewer guns in our midst, don’t buy them; and discourage our kids from buying them. For sport, maybe; for any other purpose, no. Assault weapons belong to those who are trained military or police agencies. In my mind such weapons ought to be owned by those agencies and not private individuals. But that is only my opinion.

If all of us who dislike guns would just live our lives as such, it would go a long way in minimizing their presence in our culture. My parents did not own guns. My sister and brother do. I don’t. My kids don’t own guns. I don’t know about the rest of the family. And it is none of my business, anyway. I can do for my family what I can do; nothing more.

In this manner the culture of America can restrict gun ownership. It is not an ‘approved’ mindset to own guns. We can make it so.

With regards to the rest of the gun ownership debacle, a larger authority is needed. That is where government enters the picture. To maintain order and public safety, gun regulations are needed. We have them. They are a mish-mosh of ineffective laws and regulations. They need to be rewritten and streamlined. Someone ought to do that. I suggest a government authority do this under the supervision of the law, the courts and the Constitution. Then let’s discuss the recommendations before implementing any changes.

Government is a needed element of our lives. Without it anarchy would reign. Countless societies and cultures have experimented with this over the ages; all minimization of government failed dismally. Life is that complex. Order takes discipline and process. Accept it and move on.

What government does at any given time is guided by public input and elected representation. The rest is process and orderliness.

I really don’t favor one political party over another. Each has its ideology. That, too, changes over time. I once was a staunch republican. Now I am not. Nor am I a democrat. What I am is an independent searching for the people who will best speak my sense of reality at any given time. Right now that is mostly democratic leadership. Not entirely. But most decidedly not republican. That party is in great disarray! Again, that's my opinion; I own that, I don't expect you to.

So, for those who want to put me in one slot or another, don’t waste your time. I seek truth and orderliness. I accept government roles for some of this. I have faith in government, not blind faith. We are, after all, human beings capable of error. We muddle on toward the best end.

Why must this process be so fraught with hideous anger and personality? I guess that’s the human element once again.

Oh well; muddle on!

March 27, 2018