Desiderata

Eternal peace and love between all mankind would seem to be the desiderata of the idealists among us. For me it is, more specifically, quality education for all children, medical security and health insurance for everyone, better roads and bridges, high speed city-to-city rail transportation, equal justice for all people, more generosity and love from the wealthy and, most desperately, kinder relations between people of differing faiths and religions.
by Charlie Leck

I am constantly amazed at how willing the conservative political movement is to give up on the creation of a much better America – to scoff at the dream! Their answer, of course, is that we cannot afford it. In fact, we can.

We are closer now than ever in history to the point where we can create the nearly perfect society for all in our nation. (Can’t you already hear the cries of commie?) Nonsense! I am talking about the pure capitalistic engine! The genius of modern man could, if it willed, build the nearly perfect society – and still make money at it.

Why, in a civilized society is adequate health care denied to some? Why isn’t a high quality education available to everyone? Why can’t one board a sleek and comfortable high-speed train in St. Paul (similar to those in Europe and Japan) and take it to Chicago – or St. Louis – or Dallas – or San Francisco? Why isn’t there equal justice for all people in all of America? Why, in such a wealthy nation, are our bridges and roadways in such horrid condition? Why, in America, are our prisons so grotesquely over-crowded?

For God’s sake (I mean it!), why are there so many people who cannot afford routine and ordinary health care?

Why do people, pretending to be servants of God, promote such hatred among the various peoples of the earth?

These are the nagging questions with which my mind wrestles in the twilight of my life? For, I am a dreamer!

“What is it you want, Leck?” The voice has such meanness in its tone! It is stamped with threat! Are dreamers no longer welcomed in America?

Here is my message to my grandchildren: Hold to the dream! As the famous Elliot Rosewater said: “For god’s sake, you’ve got to be kind!”

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Mississippi: The Society Still Closed
Last evening I was watching the news on CNN? (My wife always asks me why? She slid out of the room, declaring she could not bear to watch!)

Several years ago, a young, black man was walking along a country road in Panola County, Mississippi. He was a man of innocence, with no animosity in his soul, and no evil motives in his life. He was run down by a passing vehicle for no particular reason other than, likely, that he was black. The man’s family was told that justice would be pursued rapidly and efficiently. Ruby Burdette, the man’s mother, says she’d heard nothing from authorities in Mississippi for three years. CNN heard about the case and opened its own investigation. They placed some calls to various Mississippi law enforcement agencies. Just hours after those calls, a sheriff’s investigator drove to Ms. Burdette’s home.

"He came in and said he was the investigator," Ms. Burdette said. "He told me he apologized for no one coming out before now. And he told me that the first investigators they had didn't do anything." [Read the CNN Story here!]

I have a dream!

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