Sunday Column #4

The Future Watches

As a young kid I grew up in the Flower Power era. 

Somewhere in the late 1960’s leaking into the early 1970’s. 

I wasn’t a hippie, I didn’t do drugs, my exploding hormones were all for the “free love” aspect of things… 

…I did though have bell bottom pants… 

…and… 

…fringe. 

I have over the years hid from this truth… 

…no freakin’ more. 

I did not protest, I should have. 

I did not burn the America flag, no matter the movement I will never do that. 

I did not have a bra to set fire to, I did burn a pair of my underwear briefs which unfortunately caught my friend’s mother’s rose bushes on fire… 

…I formally apologize for the Roses that went up in flame. 

My hair was long, my shirts were paisley, I had a jean jacket with a peace symbol sewn on the back and a switchblade in the right hand pocket. 

I smoked Marlboro’s. 

I drank Genny Cream, Budweiser or Vodka and Grapefruit Juice compliments of my fake ID. 

I lost my virginity to an older girl who smelled like incense and who protested the various issues by not shaving and eating only vegan meals…except for the occasional dozen Med-Hot chicken wings from the Anchor Bar.  I don’t remember her name.  Nor she probably mine… 

…doesn’t matter. 

I say all of this because in my formative years I was lucky, and let me repeat that, I WAS LUCKY enough to grow up in a time when PEACE meant something to fight for… 

…stand up for…

…believe in. 

And now fast forward and once again, we lack peace. 

Amongst us. 

It’s that age old divide and conquer sh*t, been working for centuries, ain’t nothing new here folks. 

Shouting does not bring about change nor does… 

…threats… 

…lies… 

…old men in new suits… 

…states vs states… 

…violence and murder. 

Bell bottoms possibly may work though.

As We Judge History… 

…make no mistake… 

…history will judge us. 

And they will know how it all turned out. 

Say three generations from now, google says that’s about 100 years or so. 

Perspective, so what was up a 100 years AGO… 

…Benito Mussolini’s Fascist Party took control of the Italian Government… 

…Mein Kampf by Adolf Hitler was published. 

We all know how those two things turned out. 

Is it a fair comparison, it is pushing the limit, will the results be the same, I hope not, certainly won’t be a global issue so I myself think it’s comparing apple to oranges… 

…but it should give us all something to think about. 

I worry that our Great-Great-Great Grandchildren’s history books cover America’s Civil War 2. 

We are writing history, now. 

What we say, what we do, who we listen to, who we vote for… 

…and how it all turned out… 

…will be read… 

…and we will be judged. 

As will our tie-dye shirts and bell bottom jeans. 

I Don’t Have An Answer… 

…but I do have a simple question, this… 

…WHY. 

When does civilization become, CIVIL. 

Through the ages we’ve never accomplished that, being civil, ALL OF US. 

So, I vote for Peace… 

…for all of us… 

…those who whisper… 

…those who shout… 

…those with bumper peace signs… 

…those with bumper confederate flag signs… 

…those who are poor/rich/doing okay… 

…those with skin color like me, and those who don’t… 

…and all those millions who will come after us because I believe there will one day be a better us.  There has to be. 

So, I leave you with a peace song with lyrics you may have never heard:

“I'd love to change the world
But I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you.” 

I'd Love to Change the World

Ten Years After

1971….

…and we still don’t know what to do.

db

637 words 32 mins writing over 2 days.