Over the last couple of days, this country has been discussing, dissecting and commenting vehemently about two stories: deflate-gate and the killing of a lion. We seem to be enthralled by the pounds per square inch of a football and the pounds of an animal that lie dead in Africa (personally, humans hunting animals for any other purpose besides food makes no sense to me and doing it for sport seems a bit much, but I'll get over it). The media, politicians, and even our friends have told us in 144 characters on Twitter or posts on Facebook or Instagram pictures to be careful what you say or you will be vilified through any and all social media outlets. In other words, be on our side or risk the fear of public and social media retaliation.
My sense is that stories like these capture the fancy of society because they allow it to voice its opinion without the fear of offending someone. Doesn't everyone hate the Patriots? Who really is for the senseless murder of a lion anyway? Moreover, I believe that that the reason that these two aforementioned stories are so very popular is because they allow us to escape our reality for a time-being. And after that short time passes and we move onto another story, these two stories will have zero effect on our lives – that is the attraction. We become passionate about an issue and doing little to solve the problem other than voicing our opinion to stoke the fire of other like-minded individuals' minds. Does strength in numbers come to mind?
Take our own Pennsylvania government. Thirty days have gone by and no budget. On a side note, please tell me why we need a budget if the government still is operating? All the D’s and R’s do is send out propaganda vilifying the other. To my own legislators – please stop telling me how bad the governor is and instead, give me sound solutions to the important issues facing us, like paying the unfunded pension debt. And, please stop boring me on why the privatization of the state stores is a deal breaker. I’m digressing here, but did you know that the state of PA has not contributed their share of the employee’s pension contributions since the early 2000s (both parties to blame), which has been a major contributor to the pension mess in the first place?
The killing of Cecil has turned into a battle between Planned Parenthood and the Pro Life movement. How many of the Lion lovers will actually get involved in helping to limit the illegal poaching of animals in Africa? How many of the Pro-Lifers will get down on their knees and pray (every day) to reduce abortions in this country? Very, very little is the answer to both questions. However, the comments and vitriol will continue to be spewed by each side at the opposition. I am staunchly pro-life; but pro-lifers - mostly Christians - who are writing, "Americans care more about lions than babies" are doing a disservice to the movement. Do you really think that a FB post like that will convince someone to become pro-life? Not on your life. How about start praying for their change of heart instead -- OK, off my soap box and back to this post. I bet donations to each cause (planned parenthood & pro-life) rose exponentially over the last several days. Lost in everything is the lion. No one really cares about the lion --- the lion was used as pawn by both sides to bring other issues to the forefront, just as the budget is being used as a pawn to increase donations to both political parties.
I am convinced that both sides of the budget impasse do not want to immediately solve the issue because it keeps the money flowing into their coffers. In the end, the citizens of this Commonwealth are suffering and being held hostage by arrogant, self-absorbed toddlers who are throwing tantrums because they aren’t getting their toy in the playpen.
Moreover, citizens don’t really care about the budget issue because they can seemingly do nothing about it. Most people reading this post will yawn at its content and will navigate to another blogger's post about shutting down the dental practice of Cecil’s killer. When the practice is shut down, they will take pride in that they had something to do with it. It's sexy to brag to your friends about helping to crucify an animal killer. However, helping to solve government impasses is not sexy at all. Who wants to brag to your friends that you helped to resolve the education funding issue even though that issue affects all of Pennsylvania's citizens? Yawn. "Bring on the next sexy story so I can escape reality for while" they say. This is why we will never escape the governmental quagmire we are stuck in today - it's not sexy.
Believe.Act.Serve.
#standwithrand
My sense is that stories like these capture the fancy of society because they allow it to voice its opinion without the fear of offending someone. Doesn't everyone hate the Patriots? Who really is for the senseless murder of a lion anyway? Moreover, I believe that that the reason that these two aforementioned stories are so very popular is because they allow us to escape our reality for a time-being. And after that short time passes and we move onto another story, these two stories will have zero effect on our lives – that is the attraction. We become passionate about an issue and doing little to solve the problem other than voicing our opinion to stoke the fire of other like-minded individuals' minds. Does strength in numbers come to mind?
Take our own Pennsylvania government. Thirty days have gone by and no budget. On a side note, please tell me why we need a budget if the government still is operating? All the D’s and R’s do is send out propaganda vilifying the other. To my own legislators – please stop telling me how bad the governor is and instead, give me sound solutions to the important issues facing us, like paying the unfunded pension debt. And, please stop boring me on why the privatization of the state stores is a deal breaker. I’m digressing here, but did you know that the state of PA has not contributed their share of the employee’s pension contributions since the early 2000s (both parties to blame), which has been a major contributor to the pension mess in the first place?
The killing of Cecil has turned into a battle between Planned Parenthood and the Pro Life movement. How many of the Lion lovers will actually get involved in helping to limit the illegal poaching of animals in Africa? How many of the Pro-Lifers will get down on their knees and pray (every day) to reduce abortions in this country? Very, very little is the answer to both questions. However, the comments and vitriol will continue to be spewed by each side at the opposition. I am staunchly pro-life; but pro-lifers - mostly Christians - who are writing, "Americans care more about lions than babies" are doing a disservice to the movement. Do you really think that a FB post like that will convince someone to become pro-life? Not on your life. How about start praying for their change of heart instead -- OK, off my soap box and back to this post. I bet donations to each cause (planned parenthood & pro-life) rose exponentially over the last several days. Lost in everything is the lion. No one really cares about the lion --- the lion was used as pawn by both sides to bring other issues to the forefront, just as the budget is being used as a pawn to increase donations to both political parties.
I am convinced that both sides of the budget impasse do not want to immediately solve the issue because it keeps the money flowing into their coffers. In the end, the citizens of this Commonwealth are suffering and being held hostage by arrogant, self-absorbed toddlers who are throwing tantrums because they aren’t getting their toy in the playpen.
Moreover, citizens don’t really care about the budget issue because they can seemingly do nothing about it. Most people reading this post will yawn at its content and will navigate to another blogger's post about shutting down the dental practice of Cecil’s killer. When the practice is shut down, they will take pride in that they had something to do with it. It's sexy to brag to your friends about helping to crucify an animal killer. However, helping to solve government impasses is not sexy at all. Who wants to brag to your friends that you helped to resolve the education funding issue even though that issue affects all of Pennsylvania's citizens? Yawn. "Bring on the next sexy story so I can escape reality for while" they say. This is why we will never escape the governmental quagmire we are stuck in today - it's not sexy.
Believe.Act.Serve.
#standwithrand
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