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Dec

A Mix of the Old With Some of the New

Categories: 1960's, Bestest Intent, History, Television, The Home Front and Venting

So, I went to the Veterans Affairs Hospital today for the first time in my life to both get enrolled into the system and to see about an old injury (yes that is my HMO, another post about health reform coming soon). Funny enough the first person I bumped into was a professional football team’s cheerleader. She was there at the hospital doing her caring part by spreading the holiday cheer to all the vets. Not knowing any better, I asked her for the directions to the administration’s office. The thing is, I couldn’t help but notice that her attitude and demeanor change from treating me like I was some young lad hanging out at the VA for the day watching over my dad to “holy shit we have veterans this young” or “eeww why is he at a VA? I guess he can’t afford real health insurance.” It kinda pissed me off, and made me feel like I was some second class citizen. A citizen that for some reason I had to be treated different. Sure I wasn’t some million dollar football star, or some three figure professional photographer that could snap a shot of her and make her famous. I wasn’t even in the same class as some slick greased hair back sports agent or big time exec. Nope, I’m just a regular dude that’s entitled to free health care for the next five years since my time of discharge. I can afford real health insurance (and after the day I had at the VA, I just might get some) but I’ve chosen not too.

So I continued to stroll down these long maze like hallways. Most of the workers I saw were young, healthy, good-looking people that for no reason at all would not look one in the eye. I wondered why? Maybe the eye thing is just a downtown urbanite thing that I’m not used to. I’ve noticed to stop and look someone in the eye and say hello in New York is enough to get mace sprayed in the face. Anyways where was I? Oh yeah and of course walking down these hallways, I saw all the various war veterans who were assigned to the hospital. Most I noticed were from the Korea and Vietnam War era. A few from Desert Storm, and a couple here and there from my era. It’s funny, if you know what to look for you can spot the differences between each generation of vet. Korean War vets usually dress old dude casual. Almost like a golfer from the early eighties. A lot of shorts and tube socks while sportin low top vans. Kinda what Mister Rogers dressed like, minus the Cardigan. While the Vietnam Vets are usually all sporting tattoos, Harley Davidson shirts, black boots, and jeans, while wearing goatees and beards. A lot of pony tails and longer hair. Almost every one of them carried a knife or leatherman tool. You can usually spot the Desert Storm guys because they’re the youngest of the old. Usually around their mid to late forties. They’re the funniest ones though because they got to experience the military when the old ways started changing into a newer more politically correct time. They’re usually seen enjoying the fun of reciting event by event the shenanigans they all got to pull off before the military changed its reputation to the choir boy act. The “sharp but naive shoulders” work here motto! (Using best Gomer Pile voice—”What’s a hooker Sarge?”) And finally there’s us. The Afghan and Iraq War vets. The newbies. We’re the ones that are listening to our IPODs while waiting in line, or possibly reading a college mathematics book while waiting for our number to be called. Were the one’s that instead of a walker or cane, our guy’s have got the aluminum prosthetic legs or arms from all the road side bombs over there. I say guys but I mean that in a collective way, cause I am not for a minute forgetting about the women vets out there or the ones that I saw at the hospital today.

It’s funny while I could hardly get any worker to look me in the eye today, every vet that I passed did. Minding my business, a bunch had striked up conversations with me. I even watched for one’s number to be called while he and his buddy went out side to grab an ice mocha frappochino from the Starbucks stand (I’ll tell you there’s nothing funnier than seeing two badass biker dudes drinking such a drink). The conversations were everything from the war, to Obama’s address to the nation last night, to Britney Spears and Lindsey Lohan.

"Hey dude, can I get a shot of Jack with that Carmel Mochiado?"

It’s funny cause as normal and abnormal as some of these guys were, I couldn’t help but feel that most of these fellas have drifted into a void in America that has long been forgotten. Now I love my country so I’m not going to go on a rant about this great nation but I couldn’t help but feel a familiar feeling that I had felt six years ago. I was stationed in the south finishing my paramedic certification by doing ride alongs with the local EMS. Those weeks we spent most of the time shuttling around the poor, the despaired, and the forgotten (mind you in this country poor and forgotten pretty much go hand and hand). Our daily routine was to pick up a certain old lady from her “retirement” home and to take her to the hospital for her dialysis. Every time I went to that old folks home, I couldn’t help and notice the understaffed nurses, the horrible smell of unwashed and unchanged people and sheets. It smelled like people dying in there, not necessarily death mind you because there is a difference. Now I am DEFINITELY not saying that is what it was like today at the VA but I couldn’t help but I couldn’t help by thinking about these workers I saw remembering that it was hard for me to look a lot of those folks directly in the eyes back then too. We got in and we got out. I think that was mostly because deep down inside I was ashamed that this was how we treated our elderly in our society. That families were actually leaving their parents to die ignored, alone, and forgotten.

Which brings us back to why the look the other way? I believe it’s the same reason people steer clear of a homeless man on the street, or why during times of economic crisis and a losing war we care more about Tiger Woods and his marital problems than what the President said last night during his speech (for all you that didn’t know we’re surging 30,000 troops to Afghanistan).

It’s a need to look the other way. A distraction from what’s right in front of you. To coin the fictional character Don Draper from Mad Men when he gives the secret to advertising, “it’s an escape! An escape from our daily lives. It’s a way of telling ourselves that no matter what your doing……..it’s O.K. ………. You are going to be O.K.”

It’s either that or maybe I’m just really paranoid from all the PTSD!

Vagrant

****DISCLAIMER—-Note while I mention the Korean through the Afghan and Iraq war, I do not discount nor have forgotten World War II Veterans nor Veteran’s of conflicts such as Grenada, Panama, Kosovo, USS Cole, Kobar Towers, Somalia, or any foreign skirmishes where our nation’s troops were engaged in ground, naval, or aerial combat classified or unclassified.—–DISCLAIMER****

Still waiting on that free Health Care

Nov

46 Years And Counting

By vagrantjack 2 Comments

Categories: 1960's, Bestest Intent and History

Do you know what last Sunday was? It was an anniversary. Though definitely not an anniversary any country nor anyone ever wants to celebrate. This anniversary of course was the 22nd of November 1963 marking the 46th year since the JFK assassination. It was a day that had only rivaled the Japanese attack of Pearl Harbor in its degree of shock and horror that our nation had felt that day. Just ask anyone from that era and they will tell you exactly where they were on that terribly tragic day. Say what you will about JFK (yeah he got around with the women quite a bit, the bay of pigs didn’t go so well either, and yeah his dad peddled booze with the mob during prohibition) but a great man he was, and an exceptional leader as well. That day not only the death of a great president took place also the death of a nation’s innocence.

After the JFK assassination the country spiralled into a most turbulent time, rife with violence and change. The Vietnam war through LBJ doubled almost overnight. The peace movement (those dang hippies) was born. The top billboard musical hits that year such as Sugar Shack by Jimmy Gilmore and the Fireballs were becoming eclipsed by musical revolutionaries such as Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix. The Lava lamp was invented for Christ sakes! And despite the tragedy of watching a nation’s president fall, the country would yet still see more assassinations of its nations brightest and daring young leaders and activist. (RFK, MLK, Malcolm X, Megar Evers).

This country’s older generations have seen and experienced some truly hard times and profound changes. They were not shy to speak on matters that concerned their nation back then. So what’s the fucking deal with today’s generation? This country used to have people with some balls! People that would stand up in the street pissed off when things were not going the way they liked. Maybe because T.V. wasn’t such a brainwasher back then (many people didn’t even own a T.V.) and people would actually go outside and do shit unlike the present. Thomas Jefferson said that one of the conditions for a successful democracy was for an educated and well informed public and a nation that was neither would not produce a nation of leaders that could be held accountable.

In today’s world there are more than enough topics to get people royally fucking pissed off enough to go out into the streets and fucking say something! We have a chance to give health care to the entire nation, but the bill is so watered down now that it won’t be worth a shit to anyone but yet we will all pay for it one way or another. Why did it get watered down? Because the insurance companies have too much influence in the political process to just be edged out of the process. There is another civil rights movement going on, funny enough not very popular, the gay and lesbian civil rights movement. Yeah most people don’t see this as important as the civil rights movement of the 50′s and 60′s but why not? The Gay community has had hate crimes committed against them. They have been discriminated against! It’s enough to make one twitter to their gay ass (oops) Facebook account. How about the unemployment rate? Fucking outrageous! Isn’t it fucking pathetic that because we have become a nation of spenders and consumers that there’s no fucking jobs anymore!! Funny how when a country stops building and creating shit, there’s less jobs around. Oh by the way that fucking stimulus ain’t working either. And last but not lease, did I mention that this country IS AT FUCKING WAR!!! A war that unlike Vietnam, WILL have global ramifications when we leave. Why not it did the first time!

Whether you agree or disagree you’d have to be blind by not agreeing that this country cares more about the death of Michael Jackson (look at how much California taxpayers spent on his funeral but there isn’t enough money to keep the teachers fucking employed?), or what the fuck that douche and his eight kids are up too. I know we all need an escape from the world of our woes but this type of dedication of attention to being lobotomized is why its possible for idiots like Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, the Glen Becks, and yes even dare I say it the do-gooding, blindly naive Anderson Coopers of the world to steer and allow a country that elected a Democratic house and the Executive into office; only to slip in the polls back towards the Republican side, only to remain silent while a lame Senate minority allowed a greaseball insurance company friendly bill for health care to finally make it into the proposal. You wanna know how this all happens? I’ll tell you, it comes down to leadership. Leadership from the top on down. Leadership from your bosses, and supervisors, and each other. Most leaders understand success and change comes at a price of sacrifice and risk. Ask yourself when was the last time your boss went against the status quo and red tape and actually took a fucking risk that yes if it failed, he was responsible for it. When was the last time you did? If it’s recent than good. I applaud you and must say you probably don’t work in the Government sector.

How bout our leader today? Many people have tried to make comparisons between BHO and JFK. I must strongly disagree. Other than Obama has a great speech writer, and he’s got a beautiful family in the White House, BHO does not remind me of JFK. Mainly because among all the speeches and celebrity hoopla, he has yet to either unite this country and move forward or to say fuck the opposition and move us all Americans forward. Maybe once he has done something like that he might have some people stand up and start making some noise and caring again. Because at the rate he’s going……it is just the same old political partisan bullshit. When JFK was killed, he left a void in the oval office. A true American leader has yet to fill it with his capacity. Can BHO do it? I don’t know but it’s getting close to a year now and something has got to fucking happen!! 46 years and counting….

Jack

Famous JFK Speeches:

But I think the American people expect more from us than cries of indignation and attack. The times are too grave, the challenge too urgent, and the stakes too high – to permit the customary passions of political debate. We are not here to curse the darkness, but to light the candle that can guide us through that darkness to a safe and sane future. As Winston Churchill said on taking office some twenty years ago: if we open a quarrel between the present and the past, we shall be in danger of losing the future.

Today our concern must be with the future. For the world is changing. The old era is ending. The old ways will not do.

Abroad, the balance of power is shifting. There are new and more terrible weapons – new and uncertain nations – new pressures of population and deprivation. One-third of the world, it has been said, may be free – but one-third is the victim of cruel repression – and the other one-third is rocked by the pangs of poverty, hunger and envy. More energy is released by the awakening of these new nations then by the fission of the atom itself.

Meanwhile, Communist influence has penetrated further into Asia, stood astride in the Middle East and now festers some ninety miles off the coast of Florida. Friends have slipped into neutrality – and neutrals into hostility. As our keynoter reminded us, the President who began his career by going to Korea ends it by staying away from Japan.

The world has been close to war before – but now man, who has survived all previous threats to his existence, has taken into his mortal hands the power to exterminate the entire species some seven times over.

Here, at home, the changing face of the future is equally revolutionary. The New Deal and the Fair Deal were bold measures for their generations – but this is a new generation.

A technological revolution on the farm has led us to an output explosion – but we have not yet learned how to harness that explosion usefully, while protecting our farmers’ right to full parity income.

An urban population explosion has crowded our schools, cluttered up our suburbs, and increased the squalor of our slums.

A peaceful revolution for human rights – demanding an end to racial discrimination in all parts of our community life has strained at the leashes imposed by timid executive leadership.

A medical revolution has extended the life of our elder citizens without providing the dignity and security those later years deserve. And a revolution of automation finds machines replacing men in the mines and mills of America, without replacing their incomes or their training or their needs to pay the family doctor, grocer and landlord.

There has also been a change – a slippage – in our intellectual and moral strength. Seven lean years of drought and famine have withered a field of ideas. Blight has descended on our regulatory agencies – and a dry rot, beginning in Washington, is seeping into every corner of America – in the payola mentality, the expense account way of life, the confusion between what is legal and what is right. Too many Americans have lost their way, their will, and their sense of historic purpose.

It is a time, in short, for a new generation of leadership – new men to cope with new problems and new opportunities.

All over the world, particularly in the newer nations, young men are coming to power – men who are not bound by the traditions of the past – men who are not blinded by the old fears and hates and rivalries – young men who can cast off the old slogans and delusions and suspicions.

For courage – not complacency – is our need today – leadership, not salesmanship. And the only valid test of leadership is the ability to lead, and lead vigorously. A tired nation, said David Lloyd George, is a Tory nation, and the United States today cannot afford to be either tired or Tory.

There may be those who wish to hear more – more promises to this group or that – more harsh rhetoric about the men in the Kremlin – more assurances of a golden future, where taxes are always low and subsidies ever high. But my promises are in the platform you have adopted. Our ends will not be won by rhetoric and we can have faith in the future only if we have faith in ourselves.

For the harsh facts of the matter are that we stand on this frontier at a turning-point in history. We must prove all over again whether this nation, or any nation so conceived, can long endure; whether our society, with its freedom of choice, its breadth of opportunity, its range of alternatives, can compete with the single-minded advance of the Communist system.

Can a nation organized and governed such as ours endure? That is the real question. Have we the nerve and the will? Can we carry through in an age where we will witness not only new breakthroughs in weapons of destruction, but also a race for mastery of the sky and the rain, the ocean and the tides, the far side of space and the inside of men’s minds?

Are we up to the task – are we equal to the challenge? Are we willing to match the Russian sacrifice of the present for the future, or must we sacrifice our future in order to enjoy the present?

That is the question of the New Frontier. That is the choice our nation must make – a choice that lies not merely between two men or two parties, but between the public interest and private comfort – between national greatness and national decline – between the fresh air of progress and the stale, dank atmosphere of “normalcy” – between determined dedication and creeping mediocrity.

All mankind waits upon our decision. A whole world looks to see what we will do. We cannot fail their trust, we cannot fail to try.

JFK Quotes:

A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today – and in fact we have forgotten.

A nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.

A child miseducated is a child lost.

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.

Do not pray for easy lives. Pray to be stronger men.

Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.

For time and the world do not stand still. Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or the present are certain to miss the future.

I don’t think the intelligence reports are all that hot. Some days I get more out of the New York Times.

I look forward to a great future for America – a future in which our country will match its military strength with our moral restraint, its wealth with our wisdom, its power with our purpose.