Post Memorial Day Reflections and Realizations

This Memorial Day, I happily watched my sons man the grill, enjoyed the sun and the spring breeze. There were the traditional parades, national ceremonies in Washington D.C. and a lot of great television programs about wars past and present, I always feel that we miss the point of the holiday and are more concerned with our menu, libations and games. I’m not a wet blanket. I believe you should spend your day off any way you’d like to. However I would like us to take a little time out to remember the sacrifices our servicemen/servicewomen and their families made in the past and continue to make everyday. Goodness knows they deserve it. 

For some reason this Memorial Day I found myself thinking about our government on the whole. I went back over the last month’s worth of headlines to gauge just how dysfunctional and vitriolic our democracy has become. Naturally, we blame the politicians but I’m sorry to say that we have to shoulder some of the blame for just how crazy Washington politics have become. We can’t lay the blame on the right wing or left-wing, conservatives, liberals, Republicans, Independents or Democrats. Believe it or not this is completely non-partisan. The fact is we are suffering a national case of selective ADD. At this moment there are a lot of things going on in the government that we aren’t paying attention to despite Fox and MSNBC’s constant biased loops. To be fair, Fox has a host that seems to break away from their usual formula. MSNBC has programs and hosts that truly bring in varying and often opposing views. Yet the overall focus of the current “scandals” with the exception of the AP issue (I am a writer after all) is on things that don’t affect the American public. Now I know you’re thinking what about the IRS? Isn’t that something I should worry about? The actual number of regular folks that get audited is rather small considering the number of returns that are filed yearly. This IRS flap has to do with social welfare groups being scrutinized because they get a tax exemption on the money they raise under 501 (c) 4. Was it wrong to target conservative groups? Yes. Although the groups in question didn’t raise enormous amounts of tax exempt money other groups like them have. The problem is this money is supposed to further social education. Yet many of the larger groups (conservative and liberal) have distinct political agendas to further. Whether you’re a Democrat or Republican it should give you pause. Once you’ve filed your taxes or applied for an exemption or earned income credit both you and your accountant qualify to be an acrobat for Cirque du Soleil for all the twisting and turning you had to go through. 

The deficit has decreased and people in D.C still want to cut essential programs. In fact, they are cutting them as I write. Why isn’t anyone paying attention? Stand on any checkout line and you will get your answer. Snooki has a smoking hot post baby body. Kim Khardashian is upset that her feet are fat and she’s gained weight as a pregnant, recent divorcée. One of the teen moms did a sex tape for 1.5 million dollars. Katie Holmes is getting too skinny because she’s scared of Tom Cruise’s influence on their daughter. Naturally she is one of a few scary skinny celebrities. I didn’t have to turn on the television to get this information. I read it in line. Though it’s true I could get the same information watching the scroll on the bottom of the news broadcast. We are more interested in reality television personalities than we are in our lives and the things that can actually affect how we live. Don't get me wrong, I believe the movies saved so many people during the Great Depression. It gave them the chance to escape from the harsh reality of their lives. The truth is reality still bites and we do need a diversion. Entertainment isn't the problem.In fact, its doing its job quite well.

That said, having our attention diverted is different from being in a coma. If you love the Real Housewives, watch it without shame.

 

This isn't a fire and brimstone condemnation of our society's "guilty pleasures" (I know you hate that term Michael) After all, I’m a wedding and romance author. There is nothing I like more than writing books for readers to escape and enjoy on a park bench or at the beach. I think we should exercise the freedom our military has protected for us and if that means watching Big Brother, The Voice, Duck Dynasty, Dance Moms or reading the latest Harlequin, Cromwell, Patterson or Grisham then have at it. John Lennon said “Whatever gets you through the night. It’s all right.” I only ask that we devote as much attention to the real drama in the world as we do the latest television cat fight, NBA playoff game, French Open, US Open and The Hangover Part Three.

My boyfriend, Michael B is an intellectual. He loves to read. He cannot stand reality television. He’s not alone; my father doesn’t like it either. However, both are sports lovers and delight in political and current event debates. It gets them through the night so it’s all right. They’re demonstrating the true meaning of what it takes to be fair and balanced in real life.