Late last week, a college friend and I enjoyed one of our frequent telephone conversations about the state of the world, or more accurately put, the state of things from our particular points of view.
In summary, we expressed our mutual vexation at the violence, vitriol and vilification so commonplace today in virtually every community -- large and small -- here and across the globe.
We concluded this animated exchange with a roster of things we felt contribute to many of today's ills:
• Greed.
• Lust for political power.
• Ignorance of history.
• Self-aggrandizement.
• An egregious lack of civility and respect.
While some, if not all of these factors, have certainly played a role in how past societies have comported themselves, it seems that they are now being taken to the extreme, giving many in this modern-day culture free rein to assail anyone who urges caution, restraint and common sense.
Just hours and days after my friend and I vented our frustrations, several news headlines bore out our concerns:
• "Florida senator resigns after unleashing racial, profanity-laden rant at two other lawmakers."
• "U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions refers to Hawaii's federal jurist as 'judge sitting on an island in the Pacific.'"
• "Attacker kills officer, hurts two others in shooting on Paris' Champs-Élysées."
And then there was this one from Monday's edition of The Sentinel-Record: "Bomb threat made to city director's business."
The news story's lead paragraph quoted District 5 City Director Rick Ramick as saying that a bomb threat called into his office Friday "may have been the latest attempt in an ever more brazen series of stunts to force his resignation from the Hot Springs Board of Directors." For several months, Ramick's residency qualifications have been at issue.
So is individual intimidation the current and preferred means of resolving governmental disputes? Has thoughtful public discourse been totally subjugated to mean-spirited acts? Are tough-talking bullies going to rule the day?
And what about some of our nation's board rooms and one influential media outlet where misogynists continue to put at risk the personal, professional and financial well-being of women? The oft-stated presidential mantra of "Make America Great Again" appears to disregard much of the nation's working population. Females still earn 80 percent of what their male counterparts are paid, per the American Association of University Women's Spring 2017 report. And a recent CNNMoney survey showed that only 14.2 percent of senior S&P 500 executives are women.
Fox News recently fired host and commentator Bill O'Reilly amid reports that he or the company paid $13 million to settle five sexual or other harassment cases. O'Reilly purportedly will receive a $25 million payout from Fox -- hardly "fair and balanced" treatment from the perspectives of past and present Fox employees who were demeaned and belittled.
Of course, however troubled we are about what happens on the home front and abroad, we are required to stay the course. Regardless of our angst, we must hold fast to the values that are known to be right and true.
We can whine and opine and try to divert our attention in any number of ways. But, no matter how piqued we are, it's best to be aware of what is going on around us. No news is not good news. Better yet, we should stay engaged wherever we are and commit ourselves to purposeful activities that do make a difference.
It helps to have a good sense of humor. Laughter is the best panacea for whatever ails us. It's especially meaningful when you can share it.
Editorial on 04/26/2017