Happy New Year.

Well let's thank heavens that crisis was averted, eh?

My wish for this new year is a wake-up call: that all those leaders and intellectual elites surprised at the overwhelmingly negative response to 'more war' recognize this as a new reality.

You see,
if hurt people hurt people,
then it's also true that to fight for somebody else's cause, one expects some support in return. Nobody likes being played for a sucker. If you take, you gotta give.

We've pretty much crapped on 'the People' for the past decade. We've rewarded the rich risk-takers, who played and lost; we've bailed out others with no return, except to reward our biggest losers; we've had more and more of our natural freedoms taken away, all in the name of a security that really only blankets the top tier.

The more we provoke, the more independent People here at home are at risk. Their pre-existing problems are suddenly on our plate to gag down, and we never even got to sample the enticing appetizers, nevermind the fancy wine courses and desserts.

No mas.

Our new demographics here at home point to more pressing problems. Do you think Mexican immigrants, for example, have the Syrian situation on their Top Ten list of concerns?

Immigration;
realistic healthcare cost control;
jobs, Jobs, JOBS.
Decent education, for those with kids;
competitive career tracks, once those educations are earned;
less elite connections, more opportunities open to all who can compete on the same playing field... that's how you build a better country for all.

The problem with all these wars, under both administrations, isn't so much the destruction that we caused, and then necessarily abandoned when we finally realized the military is not properly in the missionary or rebuilding business...

It's the destruction we caused here at home.

Ignoring important issues that will need to be addressed, saddling our future generations with the cost of our choices, crippling our economy and pretending that we've all recovered...

Finally perhaps,
those comfortably cocooned are realizing that it really isn't right to leave more than half the country behind, while the folks who are never called upon to do any heavy lifting continue in their quest, always, for more.

Hurt people hurt people, afterall, and continual ignorance of the needs of others in our shared country likely means you're likely not going to be able to count on unconditional, all-giving hearts in your own time of need...

Pick up the pace, wealthy America, of addressing our needs here at home, and you're much more likely to create a class concerned with others outside our own circles...

Fight for us, fairly, that is,
and when the time comes, we're much more likely to help fight your battles for you. Otherwise, get used to the risks that come to those who would stand alone.

------------------------------

PS. Who's this Judy Collins?,
 all the new kids in America want to know... ;--)

Generation translation, please.