Memorial Day Thank You

Begin to talk about the Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution in a high school U.S. History class and, if you listen closely, you can actually hear the eyelids snapping shut.  Students will arrange backpacks on their desks so as to provide a makeshift pillow.  Pencils will begin doodling on paper, hands will grope in pockets for cell phones, and eyes will flit to the clock for a quick time-check.  A high school student does not yet appreciate the jarring impact that a simple sentence such as, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness" can induce.  Begin to talk about the American Revolution, Civil War, World War I, and the like, and you will notice the students' heads rising from the backpacks, eyes will focus back on the teacher, hands will pause - but not stop - in their search for the cell phone.  If the teacher is either lucky or good, time may even cease to be relevant.  War is where the action is!  War sells.  For example, Call of Duty - Modern Warfare 3 sold 6.5 million copies and generated over $400 million in revenue within the first day of release, breaking all sorts of records for a video game launch.

On Memorial Day, we pay tribute to the military men and women who have died in service to their country.  We are right to do so.  These men and women sacrificed their lives so that we may enjoy the blessings of liberty.  The debt of gratitude we owe these individuals is staggering.  The total number of American deaths since the Revolutionary War is 1,529,230.  This is the price of freedom. The men and women we honor on Memorial Day did not die because of the war in which they were fighting, though that was the proximate cause of death.  These soldiers died because of a principle contained in a boring, centuries-old founding document; a principle that has existed even longer than that, in fact.  They died because America stands for the idea that freedom is a gift given to man from God and that no human has the authority or the right to take away that right.

From the American Revolution through the present day, Americans have valued the individual and right of an individual to choose how he or she will live, worship, work, educate themselves, etc.  As such, Americans have a deep-seated problem with authority.  King George wanted his colonies to be seen and not heard.  The colonies were not supposed to be a "cash cow." They were supposed to be the giant's golden goose.  Unfortunately for him, it turned out that the colonists were sort of a collective "Jack".  America wanted no part of World War I.  We were scared of German infiltrators, but despite the sinking of the Lusitania, we still stayed out of the war.  When the Germans tried to get Mexico to attack us and promised them the territory they had lost in the Mexican War as a reward for their efforts, it became clear that America could not sit on the sidelines.  The Germans removed the right of sovereign nations to move freely on the seas and they threatened the American way of life.  That could not stand.  As for World War II, Hitler was to freedom what "Fat Man" and "Little Boy" were to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  It was not in the American character to only fight in Japan and let Europe fend for itself.  Meanwhile, communism (to this day) does for humanity what slavery did for Africa.  Communism removes the individual's ability to think, much less choose.  America could not allow such a cancerous philosophy to spread.  This is why every President since FDR was committed to fighting the Cold War.  On September 11, 2001, Al-Qaeda decided that the American way of life was too free, too decadent, too evil.  They saw America as an imperial force, oppressing other nations and preventing them from reaching their full potential.  These people wanted us dead for no reason other than the fact we were Americans.  There is no question that America has not always acted honorably, but on balance she has stood for freedom and the value of the individual.


Observers from other countries will say that America is a chaotic place filled with self-absorbed, arrogant people.  There are voices in the world that say that America is no better than any other country and that we need to be put in our place.  America is chaotic.  It is so because of its freedom.  To survive in our environment means citizens have to be educated, hard working, competitive, and willing to take calculated risks.  This is a great nation, and unique among the nations of the world.  The people who built this country, from the beginning, were the "wretched refuse" of other places.  Their only true common bond was that they had been bullied out of their own countries and they longed for the right to succeed or fail on their own terms.  They built a nation, founded on the moving target of equality, that gave its citizens that opportunity.  We may leave the impression that we are arrogant, but that is an oversimplification.  We are competitive.  We know that we have the opportunity to be the best at what we do and many of us believe enough in ourselves to think that we can do that.  Other societies may question new ideas and ask, "why".  In America we ask, "why not".  The reason our society prospers, the reason you have a cell phone in your pocket, a microwave in your kitchen, and a wireless laptop, among other amenities, is because someone was free to conceive of an idea, build a product and market it to a consumer who wanted the product and could afford it.  We are home to faiths of every denomination.  In Michigan, you can even hear the Muslims being called to prayer.  We can associate with whomever we want, and speak our minds, leading to a cacophony of ideas that move society forward.  Americans also hate bullies.  We do not much care for being told what to do or for the people who tell us to do so...wherever or whomever they may be.


Every so often, bullies appear around the world who think that their way is the only way.  They become dictators, supreme leaders, or Fuehrers.  They start by controlling and subjugating their own people.  They build up their armies.  They attempt to expand their influence beyond their borders.  They take the freedoms of their own people, then they do the same to their neighbors.  As Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing."  The men and women whom we honor on Memorial Day were good men who did something.  They said, "NO."  When the bullies asked who would stop them, these men and women stood up.  Today we honor these men and women who chose to serve the idea that all men are truly created equal and have a fundamental, God-given right to be free.  They gave their lives in service to that idea.  Thomas Jefferson said that the "Tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."  That tree is healthy today and we (as well as countless others) remain free thanks to their sacrifice.  To those who gave their lives, I say, "thank you and may the Good Lord keep you safely in his arms."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_military_casualties_of_war

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/video-game-news/8884726/Call-of-Duty-Modern-Warfare-3-breaks-sales-records.html

Textiquette

Two years ago, I took my tennis team to an away match.  I had a Motorola Razor phone at the time and I had left it on the bleachers.  The opposing coach, a good friend, absconded with my phone and, in a fit of curiosity, started plundering through my text messages.  She was shocked and appalled at what she saw and immediately judged me to be boring.  There was nary a text from anyone other than T-Mobile telling me that my bill was due.  Now, two years later, texting is a part of my life and I have become surgically attached to my cell phone.  In that time, I have learned that texting presents a unique set of challenges - as well as opportunities - that must be addressed in order to use this tool as effectively as possible.  


We text constantly.  Although every school seems to try to stop it, every student texts in class.  The other night, my family and I were at a local Mexican restaurant enjoying a family meal.  Across the aisle sat another family of four - two teenagers, mom, and dad.  They sat next to each other.  They ate from the same basket of chips.  They spoke not a word.  Each was absorbed in their cell phones, typing and occasionally grinning sheepishly to themselves.  I responded to a text from my boss at dinner one night and my wife did not speak to me for the rest of the evening.  I received a text from a student at 10:00 one night asking why he was failing my class and what he could do to improve his grade.  This was quite possibly the wrong time to have asked that question.  I have observed people texting in church.  It's a weird form of communication.  It's not like an email that can wait in your "inbox" until you get around to reading it.  There is a sense of urgency to it.  On the other hand, a text is not as urgent as, say, a telephone call that requires an immediate response AND your (more or less) undivided attention.  One can multitask and text simultaneously.  This can lead to the occasional challenge.

The language of the text is well documented and, while amusing, also provides an insight into the intellectual capacity of the texter.  I have a co-worker who constantly texts in "textese". Instead of saying goodbye,  he will proffer C U L8R.  There is nothing inherently wrong with this, other than doing to the English language what a Cuisinart does to ice cream, only with less delectable results.  The problem here is that the individual in question is a professional and is not offering casual conversation but essential business communication.  This is disturbing to me.  On the other hand, I have several friends who will frequently mis-type a word or two and send the correction in the next text.  I like that.

Texting has its own pitfalls.  Some people find it easier to have serious conversations via text.  I can understand this, to a point.  If one is uncomfortable with face-to-face conversation, texting provides an opportunity to speak one's mind without possible emotional conflict.  After all, the only way one can yell at another person when texting is to WRITE IN ALL CAPS!  Inevitably, we are usually distracted as we text.  Hence, a discussion that requires one's undivided attention can frequently have disastrous consequences.  Granted, it is helpful to have the time to mull over critical issues and then respond.  On the other hand, it is quite possible to send messages that can be misinterpreted and then you do not have the opportunity to clarify things immediately.  Some individuals are masters of the "short answer".  They send one-word responses: yes, no, ?, LoL, WTF, SMH, :).  God forbid they should have to clarify anything.  Personally, I am the master of the "excessively long" text.  I try to remove the potential for misinterpretation by being overly clear...thereby typically confusing the reader just as much in the process.  Another significant pitfall to the serious texting discussion is the fact that one cannot hear inflection or distinguish other, perhaps nonverbal, cues via text.  In other words, texting might not always be the best forum for the serious discussion.

Has this ever happened to  you?  You send a "cute" text - nothing significant, just something to make the other person smile, or to let them know you are thinking about them, whatever.  You expect a reply.  Fifteen minutes go by and...nothing.  An hour passes and again...nothing.  You begin to wonder: are they okay?  Did something happen?  Did the text go through?  Are they that busy?  Did I offend them?  Suddenly you are inside your own head.  Should you send another text?  Next thing you know, you are getting a little frustrated and perhaps even a touch on the miffed side.  This is particularly true if you  know the other individual is as surgically attached to their cell phone as you are.  You come to the realization that you have been relegated to the ranks of the unimportant.  You feel, at best, snubbed.  All this just because you were thinking of the other person.  On the other hand, and I know that this drives my parents insane, you are having a "live" conversation with someone and you get a text.  Out comes the cell phone, you read the text and, while still engaged in the first conversation, reply to the text you just received.  My parents think that I have relegated them to the ranks of the unimportant for a brief second, even though nothing could be further from the truth.

Though I am no Emily Post, I suggest that we have lost some of the "common courtesy" that we would afford other people in any other situation simply due to the impromptu nature of the medium.  Though the content of every text message varies with the personalities, moods, and preferences of the individuals involved there are still simple things we can all do to show that we respect each other.  Herewith 10 simple steps towards "Textiquette":

1. Say hello.
2. Acknowledge that you understand that the reader may well be busy and that you have no wish to bother them.
3. Never ignore someone who has taken the time to send you a message.
4. If you are sending a text to which you would like a response, say so.  You never know if the reader assumes that he or she does not need to reply.
5. Acknowledge that you have received a text.  If you do not have the time to send out a completer answer, say so.  The sender will likely understand if you need to get back with them later.
6. If a conversation becomes overly intense, or too convoluted, put the conversation on hold and try to finish the conversation when you have the opportunity to give the correspondence your undivided attention.  You might also want to consider switching to email, or possibly even speaking to the other person. 
7. If you are an avid texter, check your messages frequently, but don't pounce on texts when they come in.  It sounds silly, but scheduling time to respond to texts keeps you focused on the tasks at hand and allows you to focus your attention on responses when the time comes.
8. Do not pester someone who hasn't sent you a reply.  They may not be able to talk to you.  They may not want to communicate to you.  You may not be as important to them as you thought you were.  Take the hint.
9. Don't leave conversations hanging.  Say goodbye or otherwise indicate that your conversation has come to an end.
10. Bottom line - respect the person you are sending a message to enough to acknowledge that you may be interrupting their busy day, but also respect the person who sent you a message enough to acknowledge that you received their message.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

I have been accused of thinking too much and being a bit of a dreamer.  Guilty as charged.  I consider neither attribute to be particularly detrimental.  The problems of the day must be solved with action, sure, but only after some careful thought has been given to the matters at hand.  Good thinking is a process, a deliberate act that requires practice.  Granted, some thought comes in a flash of insight occasionally, or in an otherwise entirely unexpected manner, but to take a problem, evaluate it, analyze it, and generate potential solutions actually requires effort.  When I was in grade school, my teachers would talk to my parents and tell them that I had a tendency to daydream.  This observation was usually surrounded by phrases such as, "he can DO the work" or "he just needs to apply himself."  The message that dreaming is an inherently bad thing, reserved only for the REM sleep stage, got through...and was ignored.  Where would we be without dreams?  Dreams contain the seed of hope.  There is nothing impossible for one who dreams.  We would not have any modern conveniences - cell phones, computers, modern medicine, Disney World - without the dreamers who conceived of these notions and failed to accept "no" as an answer.  Hence, if I am to be accused of being a thinking dreamer, then I gladly accept my fate.

Writing is therapeutic for me.  Staying awake at night, staring at the dark walls while ideas race through my brain and being frustrated that I can't give a voice to my thoughts is not an uncommon event.  Whether I nudge my spouse and tell her about what's on my mind, or I call a friend to do the same, tends to be a little upsetting when the conversation takes place after midnight.  Thus, I took to writing down my ideas, thoughts, stories, etc.  My notebooks and legal pads tend towards the ADD end of the spectrum, as I can flit from one idea and mood to another quite quickly, much as Elizabeth Taylor did with her husbands.  I know that I had at least three legal pads going at one point, all with different topics in various developmental stages.  The thing is, writing is a way for me to develop an idea or simply to let it go so that I can finally go to sleep.  It's a way for me to rage against the challenges of the day, or life in general.  Writing allows me to express my hope for the future and to find a way to make tomorrow better than today.  Sometimes, I just have the compulsion to write and there's no way to circumvent that impulse.                                                                                                                                  

I have no idea where this blog will go.  I don't know what I will write, or when I will write it, for that matter.  I don't even know that I have anything to say to anyone that might be relevant or of interest.  I will write as the inspiration comes.  It may be part journal, part novel, part autobiography, part commentary.  Who knows?  The muses all had a specific purpose, though generally speaking, they served either the comic or the dramatic side of life.  My particular muse is ADD, and I have no clue where she will take me.  I hope that you - whoever you are - will enjoy reading this blog as much as I will enjoy writing it.  I once told a woman whom I intended to marry that I didn't care so much where we went, as long as we went together.  Adventures rarely STAY adventures when they are a solo effort.  With that in mind, please don't hesitate to provide feedback as you see fit and join me as I move forward.  Thanks for reading this much!