Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Responsibility... Anyone?

I read an article in the paper today in regards to parents being punished for their teens drinking alcohol in their own houses. I mention this not because of the bullshit nature of this article, but because of how I feel this is dichotomous to our own national situation. It is amazingly similar to the one that exists today throughout all of America.

This is a bullshit article because, quite frankly, who cares if a kid has 3 or 4 beers in his own house? I don't even care if a kid gets shitfaced in his own house. The issue of underage teenage drinking is dismissive simply due to the fact that kids have always looked to drink and that's been a preteen taboo for quite some time; every known culture has taken a drug of some sort.

The issue isn't the kids drinking; the problem is that many of these parents are getting penalized legally for the actions that their kids have taken. These are the same parents, leaving home themselves to get blitzed on "business trips" on Friday and Saturday night, joining MAAD on the weekdays, and then making their children "promise" to not get drunk and let their friends drive, while the parents themselves are either absent or apathetic to the situation. The core problem is this; no one wants to accept responsibility.

I use this topic as a backdrop. Responsibility is easy to pin on someone, but hard to take yourself. Almost like that sickening cherry cough medicine mother made you take as a child; you could barely get it down, but once the gag reflex calmed, a sense of accomplishment was felt, along with the relief that was so desperately desired. Responsibility is something like that.

I look at the leadership of this country and I see a lack of responsibility. I look at the Bush administration, who declared that Saddam Hussein had stockpiled WMD's... which was proven wrong. What responsibility did Bush and his cabinet face? None. In fact, America as a nation reelected him. Anyone else, any other CEO in any other business would have had to resign as per that near trillion dollar gaffe.

After 9/11, a man like Jerry Falwell was recorded ON LIVE TV, saying that we were attacked because of God's revenge, due to our acceptance of gays and lesbians, and the work of the ACLU. Did he even apologize, or at least acknowledge ignorance before he died?

On a side note, shouldn't all religions apologize for thinking they are better than the
one that came before them?

Pre- 9/11, Condi Rice was given a memo in regards to "Osama bin Ladin determined to attack the United States." No penalties for her, or for others like CIA leader at the time, George Tenet? To a degree, don't they have to answer for their lack of action on the subject?

I can't speak upon all the red tape and government intricacies, but everyone, EVERYONE from Bush, to Mike Brown, and all local and state government agencies should be tried and convicted for their complete screw up, which was known as Katrina. I'm a 27 year old kid who watched the Weather Channel, and I knew what was going to happen. How could they have not? I'm sorry, but saying that some people deserved it because they didn't, or couldn't get on buses... not acceptable.

I could continue, but I won't. I'll end by saying this; there is nothing truly harder to do, than to say "I made a mistake." It is one of the core elements of being responsible. Most politicians won't do it; and the one's that do are often looked down upon as weak (that's you John Edwards, John Kerry and Hillary Clinton). The others, who won't apologize, and don't accept responsibility, are typically seen as stronger or "standing for something" (Bush and Cheney). I'm not sure who to blame for this; our ignorant selves, the politicians or the media, but I know this; responsibility comes back to haunt you, and it is truly the good people in the world (if "good" is truly a subjective ideal) who are willing to accept their mistakes and learn from them, to become better people and more talented leaders.

Or, you might just get mother in trouble. It's rough when there is someone watching you from above.

1 comment:

Danielle said...

Mike -

This is absolutely amazing! You're so right. Weren't we made to accept responsibility and blame as kids? Now that shit has changed, and its ridiculous.

It's good to know, that maybe, just maybe, someone else out there agrees with us.