I'm Tired

It has been a relatively quiet week, but I a tired, or more correctly weary to the bone.  The enthusiasm has been drained away, bit-by-bit until I sit here as an empty vessel, wondering why I think I make a contribution, or why I bother trying.

I listen to Republican’s making damning accusations of cover-up, political targeting, and government violations of the 1^st amendment.  By the way, these are all things that in an earlier time led to the resignation of a President.

I hear the President’s defenders rise up to explain he really didn’t know what was going on, and it’s not that big of a deal anyway.  If we want to be safe we need to give up some of our individual freedom for the greater good.

Both sides are talking, or blathering.  Neither side is willing to listen.  I am tired of the lack of politicians who listen.  Although I did find it funny that the first congressional district of SC, a historically Republican district, returned former Governor Mark Sanford back to the government dole by electing him as their Representative.  I guess the job market for disgraced Governors is tough in these economic times.  In his words “I stand before you as a human being most appreciative in whole new ways for the significance of family and friends.” It just seems to be one big carousel where the same people move through the same jobs and nothing changes.

I resent the loss of civility in our language and our society.  Where entertainers think nothing of using profanity to comment on whatever they are commenting on.  Not spontaneous, emotion-backed profanity, but scripted purpose-based profanity used because they think it cleaver and Avant-garde.  It isn’t, it is childish and shows a general disrespect for those they are speaking to.

I fear the destruction of an organization I’ve spent a good part of my life serving.  That, as has been the case in most wars, we will chew up and throw away the men, and woman too, who have carried the fight to the enemy, and the chosen few who were sponsored, sheltered and groomed for rank will look around one day and wonder why no one answers the phone.  They bemoan the experience and training of our force in one breath, and seemingly without thought order the next change that will destroy what little experience remains.

We have created a pool of Veterans, probably equal to what we did in Vietnam, and because of advances in medicine so many more came home.  Alas, so many are broken.  Shattered arms and legs are visible reminders, burns and scares you can see, but how do you see a spirit that is wounded, a heart that can’t love, or a terror that won’t recede?  Will our nation keep its promises to these men and women, or will they be shuffled around the VA bureaucracy until they give up?  As we fight about what the Government can afford, I am afraid they will lose to groups that have a stronger voice, like the illegal immigrant lobby.

I am tired of listening to children tell me how I should think without the ability to back up an opinion with anything but another opinion as if repeating themselves is proof they are right.  Listening to how our society must be changed, but unwilling to do the work to change the constitution, preferring the courts and  executive edicts.  I wish just once they would talk about how to change the constitution rather than just ignore it.

I’m tired.