Conversation Stoppers and Other Basic Concepts

Gathered in our father's family room, the conversation turned to the state of our State. A common occurrence among those who have lived in Michigan their whole lives; and for those who are able to remember a more stable and prosperous time; the days before the auto industry began to choke and die, reaping the accumulated economic karma resulting from decades spent pushing inferior products. We spoke of neighborhoods that had once been healthy and vibrant, that now sit abandoned. Whole cities, like Flint MI, that have crumbled into extreme poverty, their communities having been abandoned by General Motors Corp.

Inevitably, the discussion shifted to crime. Understandably so, because there is so much of it these days. Due, certainly in no small part to the fact that Michigan currently has the highest rate of unemployment in the continental United States, and this translates into a huge portion of our local population having to struggle just to meet their basic needs. Given our situation, is there any surprise that crime is a topic of regular discussion? Things seem only to get worse as time wears on, and we are running out of viable economic options to turn the tide.

As everyone sat there sharing their theories on why things are the way that they are, and how it is that we, as a state, a nation, as a people have arrived at the point we find ourselves today, I decided to add my two cents. "I don't believe," I said, "that anything is a problem in our world, that someone, somewhere, does not want to be a problem in order to profit from it." Blank stares, and the conversation moved on as if I had not spoken. After some time, I saw an opportunity to interject my opinion once more, this time, in reference to crime. "You want to know how to get rid of most of the crime in our society?" I asked. "Universal health care, and free education." The room fell silent for what felt like minutes, until my brother glibly replied 'Man, that's way too deep for this discussion' and went on to change the subject.

I did not take issue then, because that would have been inappropriate for me to press my opinion on the group beyond my initial statement, however, I will take issue with it here, (lucky for you all, right?). So, for what it's worth... universal health care and free education?.... these subjects are not deep. Not even remotely. As I see it, these are basic human rights that we should be extending to one another, collectively. We need to be talking about this, and we need to do so now, as in yesterday! The reality that we all need to confront, as we move into 2008, is the reality of society as it exists in the now, the current state of affairs if you will. We all must open our hearts and minds, and understand clearly that any society in which health care is not free, in which education is not free; this is a society that either A.) does not give two craps about it's citizens, or B.) whose citizens are too lazy and/or afraid to demand they be treated with respect and human decency. So which is it? A or B?

About time we started seriously discussing option C.) if you ask me.