THOUGHTS...
THREE LITTLE THINGS...

There are many things in this world that weigh heavily on my heart.  I've written my thoughts below about three of them.
-- Tommy
 

THE FIRST THING:

We have come a long way in overcoming the ignorance of racism.  This is a great achievement, but we still have a long way to go. There are those who still cling to this old way of thinking; however, I believe they are slowing dying out.

Having said this, I believe we have forgotten something so obvious and yet so very important.

What about the American Indian?  They were here long before us.  They are the first true Americans.  You remember, those savages who had the gall to fight back when we slaughtered their women and children.  How dare them!

There was a lot of money to be made from those buffalo skins.  I guess they were not hip enough to take advantage of this.  They just couldn't get with the program.

There is not much of a difference in what the Nazis did to the Jews, and what we did to the American Indians.  We also kept them in camps and starved them.  People paid good money for their scalps.  They were systematically murdered until almost all of them were gone.

Our ancestors inflicted pain and suffering upon these people that we cannot even imagine.

I am about one-fourth Cherokee Indian.  My great-grandmother walked the Trail of Tears - when the Army made the Cherokee people walk from Tennessee to Oklahoma through blizzards that killed over half of them.  The Cherokee carried their own dead and would not take anything from the Army.  Doesn't this sound a little bit like slavery?  What if someone did this to you?  Would you call it justice?

Oh well, after all, they were given land.  What do they have to complain about, right?

Now they live in poverty on a dead land soaked in tears.

There is a great book I would like to recommend to anyone who might care about what really happened to these people.   It is called, "Bury My Heart At Wounded Knee."  It will break YOUR heart.

For a country hell-bent on equal rights, it seems to me we have things a bit lop-sided.  On the other hand, maybe it is just plain old hypocrisy.

Indians loved, and continue to love, this Earth.  They respected it.  They only took what was needed.  They were happy and content with life as it was.

I am not saying we should give back the country; that would be absurd.

What boggles my mind is the fact that no one gives these people a second thought.  It is just not the topic of today, I guess.

I think the truth that lies hidden is the fact that we are afraid to look at such things.  It would be too damn painful.  Still the truth lies somewhere deep inside of us.  It is like a wound that will not heal.  We turn our heads the other way.

My intent is not to offend.  The Truth is the Truth.  At the very least, we should face up to our past and acknowledge what has been done.  At least we could show compassion for these forgotten people.

THE SECOND THING:

Here is something I do not understand...

I don't smoke, nor do I like the smell of cigarettes.

However, I have a small problem with banning smoking everywhere.  This seems to be another "cause" (as if we did not have enough already?)  People are so wrapped up in these petty causes.  I do not get it.  For my sake, I hope they don't ban passing gas!

When I say petty, I mean petty in comparison to a problem much more serious...

Something like twenty to thirty percent of our ozone is gone.  No one is quite sure what will happen if it disappears.  However, it cannot be good.

Who knows?  Maybe we will all turn into strips of bacon, or all plant life could die.  Let your imagination run wild.

Have you ever seen Los Angeles or other large cities from an airplane?  Damn!  Talk about second hand smoke!

Still, you see joggers running through the smog.  By the time they get home, they have probably inhaled enough chemicals to equal two packs of cigarettes.  Nevertheless, they believe they are getting healthy.

I could name many more examples.  However, let us skip to the bottom line...

We are standing on the brink of an environmental disaster.  However, you know this, right?  What we are doing to the Earth and ourselves is insane.  I am amazed to see some people's reaction to this.  Either they do not believe it, or they do not care.

There is a deep angry rumbling in the Earth.  I am afraid it just might have had enough.  We pride ourselves in our victory over nature.  How arrogant is this?  It may not be such a good idea to pick a fight with the Earth.  We need it more than it needs us.

Maybe we are afraid to look at these things because it is too hard.

This is everyone's responsibility.  Both yours and mine.  I am as much a part of this problem as anyone else.

This is the most important problem facing us all.

Let's wake up!!!  It may not be too late.  Let's stop pretending the problem is not there.  Do not misunderstand me; I am not saying we should not try to be healthy...but when the house is on fire, we do not have time to take a nap.

That's all I have to say about this topic.  Please just think about it...

THE THIRD THING:

In the aftermath of Katrina, the American people responded with compassion and good will.  In times of crises, Americans come together and work together and are willing to give of themselves, whatever it takes.  This is one of the great virtues of the American people.  For this I am grateful.

However, there is something left that people seem to have forgotten.

I am speaking about the Viet Nam Veteran.

You can see them standing on the street corners, with their cardboard signs.  We pass them by, for after all we have better things to do than to help these ragged and dirty souls.  After all, we believe that they are responsible for being down and out.  They should fit in and get a job like everyone else.  Right?  Even if they have to drag their crippled and wounded body along with them.

In addition, that Viet Nam was an embarrassing war.  We do not want to be reminded of it.

I stop and talk to these soldiers often.  Their stories are similar.  They have tried for years to get the government to help them.  Finally, they give up.  Many are physically and emotionally handicapped, so we look at them as being weak.  You can see the despair and pain in their tear-filled eyes.  All hope is gone.  They cannot understand why they are not accepted like the men in World Wars One and Two.  No heroes here.  Just pests.

They were once young boys, who had dreams and plans of their own.  They looked forward to a life like yours and mine.  They had girlfriends at home,  wanted to marry, have children, and careers.

They thought they were doing something noble and good, when they went to fight for their country.  They endured a terrible war that made no sense.  It was without meaning.  Is it any wonder that so many came home mentally and emotionally destroyed...as well as physically disabled!

SHAME ON US.  Shame on us for our lack of compassion and awareness.  For our acceptance of their condition in such a cold and heartless manner -- for every time we pass them on the street and will not look into their eyes.  Same on us for leaving them behind as a part of a mistaken war.

This is something I feel very strongly about.  I will not forget them.  I salute them as the great warriors they were, and what they gave for this country.

Sometimes you have to step outside of the system to see what is going on inside of it.  This is awareness.

-- Tommy Shannon