Senseless Times

Just when you think that times are changing and humanity is making enlightened progress, one is confronted with current events that dispel all optimism. It is not often I feel compelled to climb up on the proverbial soapbox (there need not be any eye rolling here) but due to a seemly lack of public outrage, I need to shout out or bust. Just a few events that have recently incited me are:

1) An eight grader, named Larry King, because he is different (maybe gay) is killed by a fellow student.
2) Four white women attack a female reporter covering a homicide investigation. Another white reporter is not threatened. Bystanders do nothing.
3) Gay Iranian Medi Kazemi, who will surely be executed if he returns to Iran, may be denied asylum by the Netherlands and the United Kingdom because of some legal technicality.
4) Geraldine Ferraro publicly states that if Obama was a white man, he would not be in his present position.
5) Oklahoma Senator Sally Kern tells us that homosexuality is a greater threat to American than terrorism and that the homosexual agenda is destroying the nation.
6) To date almost 4,000 US military men and women have been killed fighting a futile battle in Iraq.
7) The American economy is on the brink of a recession.
8) The homicide rate in Philadelphia (my fair city) now stands at almost 60 for just this year. Last year reached the dubious distinction of over 400.

Again why is there no public outrage? Why is there no action being initiated to make the necessary changes. Why does the nightly news spend ten minutes on the benefits/dangers of Botox and three minutes on the Iraq war. Why is the story of Larry King's death followed by commercial on drugs to make you feel better? Why, Why, Why?

I recently read that remnants of various drugs have been found in our drinking water. Do those drugs contain bigotry, hate, apathy, discrimination, stupidity, lack of caring and self respect? If so, may I suggest that we stop drinking the water and wake up before it is too late. We live in a cold, uncaring world and it is up to us to build caring, warm fires.