Many of you will know that I'll be 70 this next birthday. My dear wife is always saying that I should create or update my online wish list so that people will know what to get me for my birthday. Truthfully, I am so fortunate and already have everything I need or want, but I got to thinking about her suggestion, and I do have a wish list this year after all. Here it is, and I apologize in advance for all the wordiness and for some preachiness.
Caveats: I'd be delighted to receive any of these things should you care to make them available to me. They are not in any particular order, but you can probably tell that some are more important to me than others, although all are seriously important. None of you will likely appreciate them all, but I hope most of you will appreciate most of them. Some of you may be surprised or disappointed by some of them, but I hope you will not find me disappointing as you consider the list. With all of these caveats out of the way...
1. Term Limits for Elected Officials, Especially U.S. Senators and Congresspersons
Too many of our elected officials stay in office beyond their effective shelf life. Also, too much of their time is spent worrying about how to get reelected, while they fail to represent us and do our bidding. Maybe such a change can help to get some of the money out of politics and more good, noble work back into politics.
2. Enactment of Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' Proposed Constitutional Changes
Originally, I was simply going to suggest repeal of the 2nd amendment, but Justice John Paul Stevens has trumped my idea with an even better proposal. If you have not read his new book, Six Amendments: How and Why We Should Change the Constitution, you should go out and get a copy right away. His proposals address: gun control, gerrymandering, campaign spending, the death penalty, states' enforcement of federal laws, and state sovereign immunity. You will find lots of opinions about these recommendations, both pro and con. They may need some work or refinement, but I believe all touch areas we absolutely must address, most especially those related to gun control, gerrymandering, campaign spending, and the death penalty. Just for the record, I dislike the NRA and what it stands for, but I won't bother you with examples of their ludicrous stands on various issues and proposals.
3. An End to Racial Discrimination and Prejudice
Let's just stop all the hate! Intolerance makes us do all kinds of crazy and often violent things, and it stops us from hearing others and working with them. Witness the recent news about the LA Clippers owner! I am convinced that most of the "Obama bashing" I see and hear is a result of racial intolerance. My gay friends know too well the downsides of prejudice. Our Native American neighbors are continually faced with discrimination. Our immigration policies and failures seem to prejudice us against Hispanic persons. There is also too much prejudice deriving from social status and level of wealth. Our government is too white and too male. I suppose it trite to ask why we can't just all get along, but really, can't we just all get along?
4. Exposure of the Koch Brothers and Americans for Prosperity for What They Really Are
The wrong-headed Supreme Court decisions that allow money to be considered speech and the related opening of the flood gates for campaign contributions have these knuckleheads and their far-right, greedy points of view influencing elections in completely inappropriate ways. They will influence elections and votes for issues for which they are not themselves constituents. "Americans for Prosperity?" Really? All that sounds like to me is intent to influence outcomes so as to benefit big business and the wealthy.
5. Acceptance of Individual Rights to Beliefs and Faith Coupled With Decreased Emphasis on Religion
As I've grown older, I've become more concerned about all of the horrible things being done or justified in the name of religion, and I mean all religions. And honestly, my own beliefs have strongly landed on an atheistic base. I'm fine with allowing individuals the freedom to hold whatever beliefs they may wish and to worship as they may choose. However, I also strongly believe in separation of church and state. I believe that all religious texts were written by men and are to be thus understood as flawed and often self-contradictory. And, I do not care for evangelistic practices. Let's be tolerant of each other's rights to their beliefs. Let's appreciate the goodness that can come from our respective beliefs to influence the ways we act as individuals and towards each other, but let's avoid justifying wars, policies, and discriminatory practices on the basis of misguided beliefs. Also, by the way, the U.S. is not a Christian nation. It may be dominated by those of Christian belief, and it may have historically been influenced by the best of those same beliefs, but I understand our constitution's first amendment to mean that our's is not a theistic government, albeit one that respects and allows for its citizens to practice religion as they wish.
6. Acceptance of the Facts of Climate Change (And While We're At It--Appreciation for and Acceptance of Good, Reproducible, Scientific Work)
I have little more to say about this, although I can say more if you have questions. This item on my wish list comes in green only!
7. Purchase of FOX News Followed By Their Subsequent Elimination From the Airwaves
This one speaks for itself. Wouldn't it be fun to see FOX News being purchased by NPR or PBS or maybe even MSNBC?
8. Republicans Like the Kinds of Republicans My Parents Were
My parents were Republicans. Heck, lots of the rural Iowans around whom I grew up were Republicans. However, they were also kind, compassionate, caring, thoughtful, and not greedy. Republicans today seem to me to be so far to the right and so conservative, that all I hear when they speak is intolerance and greed. My parents would have supported social good, humanitarian programs and education. They would have been tolerant.
9. A Requirement That All 7th Inning Stretches at Baseball Games Use the Song Take Me Out to the Ball Game and a Companion Banning of the Use of God Bless America
This is actually the most important of the items on my list (just kidding!). It was fine to temporarily involve God Bless America after the 911 tragedy, but we do too much flag waving anyway, and it is time we got back to tradition, having fun, and singing the song that was meant to be sung during the 7th inning stretch.
10. Peaceful, Happy Lives for My Children, Grandchildren, and Other Descendants
On second thought, this is the most important of the items on my list. Given the evolution of my religious beliefs, I want to say that I have never been able to comprehend the notion of a life hereafter. The only hereafter I care about is the life that will continue to be here on earth after I am gone, and I'll be happy if this wish list item is achieved and I can live on, at least a little, in the hearts and minds of those I've been so lucky to have called my family.
11. Whirled Peas
I nearly forgot this one!
P.S. I do have other suggestions that I'll save for the future!
4 comments:
Passion and wisdom. Gotta love this man!
I'll get right on it, Dad!
Oh, would that I could, Bill! I would grant you every single one of these birthday wishes. So eloquent!
Pretty Heavy Stuff Bill. Perhaps if we just get you a big stick and you can sort them out yourself. By the way I googled "Whirled Peas" and Got ....
"Whirled Peas is a surf music band formed in 1992, in Austin, Texas. They took their name from a bumper sticker reading "Visualize World Peace", which they twisted into "Visualize Whirled Peas". Wikipedia" guess you meant the vegetable vortex though. Have a good one.
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