Traveling Iowa’s Bingo Roads

 

Summer in Iowa brings heat, humidity, and road trips.  Iowans travel long distances to visit relatives, try a new burger joint, watch a ballgame, or attend a county fair.  Road tripping is big in our state, and it can also be an adventure if one chooses to go on the back roads, or as my family calls them, the Bingo roads.

Bingo roads sound like the squares on a Bingo card – D-46, M-27, B-50.  They run north and south, east and west, all across Iowa.  I have driven on many of them and learned a few things along the way.  In June, for example, I made one of my many trips from Okoboji to Denison the visit relatives.

A Google map search will direct you on #71 most of the way.  Being an Iowa native, I know better than Google that there’s a shorter route via the Bingo roads – shorter, quicker, and with less traffic.  However, that day I decided to take state highway #71 to avoid well-publicized road construction on #20 near Galva. Big mistake.

I was cruising along fine until south of Sioux Rapids where I saw one of those dreaded ‘Detour’ signs.  Even worse, it was a detour sign with an arrow pointing east and Denison was southwest.  I knew I would encounter a delay in my arrival time and had to make a split-second decision because of cars behind me.  I could go as directed, traveling east on an alternate hard-surfaced road.  Or, I could turn west into unknown territory on gravel.

I’ve made that second choice – gravel – a few times, and it usually ended in disaster.  For one thing, as every Iowan worth their salt knows, driving on even a quarter-mile of  an unsurfaced road will coat your car with dirt and dust.  This choice would also slow me down because all Iowa drivers know how to drop their speed to under 50 mph on gravel rather than risk sliding into the ditch.  Even more troublesome was the fact that Iowa’s gravel roads tend to do funky things.

For example, they may look like they are heading west, when all of a sudden there’s a curve in the road and you’re heading north.  Or, you may unexpectedly come to a T-intersection and must choose north or south, neither of which is in the direction of your destination.  I’ve encountered rivers, woods, farm places, and packs of large, overly-protective, and agitated guard dogs at the end of what I thought were public roadways but were actually long private lanes.

Considering all the pitfalls of driving on gravel, I chose to obey the detour sign and head east on #10, certainly out of my way, but most likely safer.  A glance at the map – a real, tangible, paper map – I saw that Bingo road, M-50, was only a couple of miles east.  Maybe this detour wouldn’t be so bad, after all.  Or maybe not.  As I slowed down to turn south on M-50, I saw another, more sinister, road construction sign:  Bridge Out; Road Closed.

At this point, I had no choice but to continue on #10 to the next Bingo road, M-54 south of Marathon.  This would be eight miles out of my way!  Add another eight miles for the return to #71 and that made sixteen miles of driving out of my way because of a detour.  I could have taken another shortcut on gravel, but I was still leery because I knew from experience that unsurfaced roads in that area can end unexpectedly at the river, or even change suddenly from gravel to dirt.

I had no choice but taking M-54 south a few miles, and then heading back west on C-25 to hook up with #71 again near Rembrandt.  Eventually, I made it to Denison a few minutes late meeting my cousins for lunch at Cronk’s.

Returning home, I decided to avoid the Sioux Rapids debacle and take my usual shortcut home, going north on #59 to Ida Grove and staying on Bingo roads the rest of the way.  I was still concerned about a possible delay near Galva because of road construction on the #20 four-lane, but Bingo road M-25 crossed #20 into town, and a detour sign simply directed traffic east on another Bingo road, D-15.  In a couple of miles, I was able to continue my trip my usual back roads – the trusted Bingo roads I often take home: M-34, A-22, M-27, and A-34 right to the end of my lane.  Bingo!

 

A Nation of Worry Warts

 

 

When America was in the depths of the Great Depression, FDR rallied the nation by telling suffering Americans they had nothing to fear, but fear itself.  Oh, how far we’ve fallen since those lofty words of President Roosevelt.  Simply put, we’ve become a nation of worry warts, fearing everything, including fear itself.

I’m not talking about the big stuff – North Korean nukes, climate change, terrorism, and the sorry state of American politics.  I’m more concerned about our national state of perpetual anxiety due to a steady drip, drip, drip of dire warnings on TV and social media.

Amazingly, we all survived another holiday season.  Thankfully, no children swallowed razor blades hidden in their Halloween candy, or disappeared into a neighbor’s house, never to be seen again.  Thanksgiving came and went with nobody dying from an improperly thawed turkey or leftovers that set out one minute past the two-hour limit.

And then there was Christmas which, thankfully, came and went without any scandalous headlines.  We made it through the season with no talking dolls repeating subliminal  occultist messages, or other toys that scarred children for life because they were not age-appropriate according to Pinterest guidelines.  Even so, plenty of decorators worried that their color schemes weren’t up to Hallmark movie standards of perfection.

Now, with the beginning of a new year, we return to the everyday anxieties of modern-day living.  We have strict guidelines to follow regarding our food, health, parenting, and life in general.  As if all that helpfulness isn’t enough, we also get a daily dose of dire warnings from social media.

Women, for example, are in constant danger.  Constant.  This is a fact because stories shared on Facebook warn of nefarious characters lurking about and following women in malls in Cedar Rapids, Minneapolis, Rapid City, and other communities around the country.  I know this is true because I saw it on Facebook again this morning and it happened to Susie’s cousin’s neighbor’s aunt’s daughter last night in Kalamazoo.

Even leaving a store and getting in your car can be hazardous.  Whatever you do, don’t get into your car and then get back out to retrieve a piece of paper tucked under your windshield wiper.  Doing so will leave you vulnerable to the nefarious characters from the mall who have now moved outside to continue lurking.

Drivers are also cautioned to be aware of scam artists. The usual cautionary scenario warns motorists about stopping when they happen upon an infant in a car seat by the side of the road. If you see this, DO NOT STOP!  Just keep on driving. It’s a trap.  Bands of thieves are using babies buckled in-car seats as bait. Any erstwhile good Samaritan is in grave danger of being robbed if he or she pulls over.  Please remember this the next time you see a baby in a car seat on the side of an Iowa blacktop.

You can also stop using antibacterial soap – and detergent – and floor cleaner – and baby wipes!  For years we prided ourselves on taking cleanliness to a whole new level because our products were anti-bacterial.  Now, another batch of experts swoop in and declare anti-bacterial soap verboten.  New studies show the antibacterial component, triclosan, not only make us more vulnerable to illness because we’re losing our ability to fight germs, it’s also harmful to the environment.  Not clean enough?  Too clean?  My head is spinning.

If you worry about foods causing cancer or high cholesterol, please stop.  (Don’t necessarily stop eating the food, just stop worrying about it.)   Whatever the experts say, give it a few months and another study will come out reversing the advice.

Take eggs for example.  The poor, innocent egg.  For years, it was thought to be the primary cause of clogged arteries and recommended intake was limited to one egg per week.  Low and behold, researchers now discover what our grandmothers instinctively knew – eggs are good for us!  We can eat as many as we want and even feed them to babies because of the high nutritional value.

The story’s the same with butter, coffee, and numerous other ordinary foods that we enjoy.  One day they’re killing us and the next they are helping us live longer.   By the way, you can stop gagging while drinking those final eight full glasses of water every day.  The most recent data show that earlier researchers neglected to add liquids found in foods and other beverages to the daily total of fluid ounces a person needs.  Bottom line – drink water when you’re thirsty.

As we begin a new year, let’s take a collective deep breath and resolve to lighten up.  Let’s stop being a nation of wimps.  Away with this ‘sky is falling’ mentality!  Common sense usually tops expert advice – and warnings on social media, as well.

Don’t complain about farmers with your mouth full

There’s an old saying, “Don’t complain about farmers with your mouth full.”  This always makes me smile because I’ve heard many complaints about farmers.  Most of them are unwarranted.

Having been a farm kid and a farm wife, I’ve seen farming from the inside.  Agriculture is in my DNA and I know how much hard work, sacrifice, and dedication go into producing crops and raising livestock.  When people badmouth farmers, I get my dander up.

Some of the most outrageous accusations today surround GMOs.  Critics vilify farmers and accuse them of poisoning the food supply with genetically modified crops.  Ironically, the things that concern critics actually improve food and the standard of living across the globe.

Genetically modified organisms through cross-breeding have been around for thousands of years.  People only became concerned recently when technology allowed the mixing of genes from different species.  Even though numerous respected scientific bodies have declared them safe, GMOs are widely viewed as creations akin to Frankenstein – oddities unfit for human consumption and detrimental to the environment.

Rather than fearing them, we should celebrate GMOs for the advances they’ve made in the quality and quantity of food.  GMOs have increased yields, reduced costs, and made food more abundant and nutritious.

Biotechnology has created plant varieties that are disease and insect-resistant.  This has reduced the need for farm chemicals (herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers) by millions of tons.  Drought-tolerant varieties  made it possible to plant corn in marginal areas.

GMAs (Genetically Modified Animals) are used to grow transplant tissues and organs for humans.  For example, heart valve replacement patients are at less risk of rejection when receiving new valves from genetically modified hogs.  Third-world countries welcome a decline deadly diseases because of the introduction of genetically modified insects.  Sterile mosquitoes stop the spread of malaria and tsetse flies carrying GMO bacteria are used to combat dengue fever.

GMOs miraculously ended famine in starving countries on several continents.  Dr. Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize winner and World Food Prize recipient, was a pioneer in genetic mutation of plants.  Dr. Borlaug was a leading supporter of biotechnology and saw it as the only way to reach world-wide food security.  His work with wheat led to the ‘Green Revolution’ and saved many countries in Asia from catastrophic food shortage.

Even so, in spite of the many positive outcomes, some still to refuse to accept GMOs and view the ag-community as spreading something nefarious.  They seem to forget that farmers also eat the food they produce – and it is doubtful that they would be feeding anything less than the best to their own families.  Besides, nobody is forcing anybody to eat GMO’s.  There are plenty of alternative choices, including organic and natural foods.

Admittedly, there are some legitimate concerns among the controversies swirling around GMOs.  Some contend that GMOs will upset the balance of nature, create antibiotic-resistant genes, and biotech labs will refuse to share products because of patent rights.

These concerns are valid, and experts have no definite answers as to how this will all play out. Scientists, bioethics experts, and government regulatory agencies must be alert to potential problems in the future.  However, that should not keep us from building on past successes of GMOs and GMAs.  The benefits to humanity cannot be negated.

In the middle of this debate, one thing is clear. This spring, when American farmers return to the field, they will be working the ground and planting crops based on the best scientific evidence provided to them by reputable labs world-wide.

Dr. Borlaug: “Civilization as it is known today could not have evolved, nor can it survive, without an adequate food supply.”  As the world’s population continues to increase, an expected 60% increase in food production will be needed by 2050. The world’s farmers will be expected to meet the demand. GMOs will make this possible.

Indeed, naysayers shouldn’t complain about farmers with their mouths full.

Keep It between the Ditches (A Political Analogy)

Longfellow’s eloquent line, Sail on, O’ Ship of State, certainly doesn’t fit the state of affairs today.  These times are anything but smooth sailing.  This is more like a road trip in an over-crowded vehicle with an unknown driver behind the wheel.  Some see it as a shiny new Corvette with a savvy NASCAR driver.  Others view it as a clown car, aghast that the clown is driving.

The type of vehicle and our opinions about the driver matter not.  The main point is this: we’re all on this ride together, and it’s in everyone’s best interest that we help the driver keep the car between the ditches.  For the sake of this analogy, think of our American experience as a ride on a bus.

It’s been traveling for two-hundred-and-forty years, and forty-four men have taken turns driving.  The road has been bumpy and dangerous at times, but for the most part it’s been an incredible journey and the passengers were safe.  On Inauguration Day, we gave the keys to a new driver named Donald and began the next leg of the trip. It will last four years.

One month later, we find ourselves stuck in an out-of-control vehicle, hitting bumps and dodging oncoming traffic while swerving back and forth across the center line.  Passengers are yelling at each other and hurling insults at the driver.  Donald throws insults back at the them while he steps on the gas.  His friends enter the fray and cause even more problems.  People who are supposed to be reporting the progress of the bus watch from the shoulder of the road.  They have their own agendas and add to the chaos.

Passengers on the left side of the bus are angry; very angry. They hate this driver and can’t accept the fact he’s driving instead of the woman they expected to get the job.  Some of them yell obscenities while waving signs and throwing things.  Others retreat to ‘safe spaces’ because they can’t handle the trauma.  All of them criticize everything the driver does and scream hysterically whenever he signals a turn in the road up ahead.  Some plot to throw Donald off the bus.  They don’t seem to realize this will not get them their woman driver.  Donald will only be replaced by another driver from his side of the aisle.

Passengers on the right also add to the problems on the bus.  They are quite smug because their guy got the job, and they refuse to listen to anything coming from the left.  They fight among themselves and with the driver.  They disagree with the way he laid out the map and argue about the stops he plans along the way.  Several are back-seat drivers, constantly pointing out Donald’s every mistake instead of helping him navigate the road.  Like passengers on the left, many on the right don’t like Donald and hoped for a different driver.  Some hold grudges; some think they could do a better job.

More shouting can be heard outside the bus where reporters are screaming at the driver and at each other.  The air is filled with insults, lies, and name-calling.  Donald is especially irritated with this bunch, and takes his hands off the wheel to open the window and hurl insults at them.

The driver’s best friends sit behind him and urge him to drive faster.  Steve likes to insult all the passengers and reporters.  When Kellyanne tries to calm things down, she misspeaks and makes things even worse.  Sean tries to whip the reporters into shape by barking new orders, but he’s mercilessly ridiculed for his attempt.  Reince is tasked with keeping things under control, but his voice is lost in the din.

In the midst of all this, Donald is supremely self-confident and relishes the chaos about him.  He’s having a grand time driving the bus and dishing out insult for insult, along with disparaging remarks about those who disagree with him.  Even though most of the people on the bus supported him when the journey began, several have tired of his bravado and want to see a more appropriate demeanor in their driver.

The majority of people on the bus stand in the middle aisle without causing any trouble. They are non-partisan and non-political and simply want the public’s business handled in a way that allows them to go about theirs. They are fed up with all the racket and want everyone to calm down. Most Americans understand that we all need to work together to keep the bus between the ditches.  If it crashes, we’re all in deep water.

Fairy Dust

Even before our first grandson, Timothy, made his appearance in July of 1999, I was searching garage sales for baby items .   The first treasure I found was a crib, which I acquired from another grandma moving on to the next stage of grand-parenthood.  After the crib came baby blankets, stuffed animals, rattles, baby shampoo and bath toys.  Eventually, we added a changing table followed by the infamous “potty chair” to our expanding collection of “things for the grand-kids.”

When it became obvious that our old antique high chair was no longer serviceable, it was replaced by a bright yellow and blue booster seat.  This was followed by toddler sized plates, spoons, forks, and a variety of colorful sippy cups.  Since Timothy’s arrival, eight more wonderful grand-babies joined the family.

“Baby” Timothy is now seventeen and the others range in age down to the youngest being four years old.  Gramma’s house is still a magical place for all of them and they will find age-appropriate toys and activities when they visit.  We left the infant/toddler stage a few years ago, with those items being sold on garage sales and replaced with old school desks, footballs, board games, and art supplies.

A variety of toys and activities have appeared over the years.  A favorite activity, for all the grand-kids, like kids everywhere, has been tent-building. Card tables with a supply of old blankets are always ready for that adventure. These tents grow to room size during a day, with multiple rooms and entrances.  Over the years, long forgotten toys have been taken out of storage in the basement. The grand-kids are always awe-struck whenever I tell them their mothers played with a ‘new’ toy they discovered in the play room.

Even though an upstairs bedroom has no beds in it and is designated as The Play Room, toys seldom stay there.  Whenever grand-kids visit, toys make their way downstairs, and our living room floor gradually becomes covered with trucks, balls, blocks, books, and menagerie of toy animals and Barbie dolls.  These inanimate objects come to life when the kids and Grandpa create wonderful imaginary worlds, understood only by them.

Our grand-kids have been coming to Grandpa and Grandma’s house ever since they were newborn babies.  In their minds, our home exists for the sole purpose of their entertainment.  They are as comfortable here as in their own homes.  From the oldest to the youngest, they still love to do sleepovers at Grampa and Gramma’s house.  On a really-special sleepover, there will be cousins staying, as well—and Swedish pancakes for breakfast.

When they were toddlers, my heart melted when one of them came running into the house and exclaimed, “Grandma!  Are you happy I’m here?”  Am I happy?  Oh, yes, I’m so happy you’re here!  As a matter of fact, I’ve reconsidered the statement about grandparents sprinkling fairy dust.  I think the author has it turned around. Now, I truly believe grandchildren sprinkle fairy dust in the lives of their grandparents.

The Sky is Falling….or Not

When the acorn dropped on his head, Chicken Little’s anxiety issues led him to conclude the sky was falling and the world coming to an end.  In his panic, he ran around telling friends who, coincidentally, also had rhyming names like Henny Penny and Ducky Lucky – but I digress…  The point is, the little chicken and his pals believed the world was ending and, in their terror, lost touch with reality.  This lapse of judgement ultimately led to their unfortunate demise at the hands of yet another name-rhymed character, the evil and cunning Foxey Loxey.  A similar, and far from humorous, doomsday scenario is playing out in real time in this country today with the inauguration of President Donald Trump.

Rather than celebrating the grand American tradition of the peaceful transfer of power to a new President and a different political party, millions are wringing their hands and screaming that the world is ending.  Words like ‘racist’ and ‘NAZI’ are used with abandon.  Worst case scenarios playing out in the blogosphere and social media would have one believe we are entering an era of mass deportations and 21^st Century concentration camps.  While a peaceful, bipartisan ceremony celebrating the new administration was taking place at the Capitol, protesters were destroying property and threatening supporters in other parts of DC.  The following day, millions of women across the globe took to the streets in protest out of fear that they are about to become second-class citizens in America.  President Trump, his administration, and voters (which count as half of the country) are being characterized as the most hate-filled, vile people ever to inhabit planet Earth.

What is fueling this hatred?  What is the source?  Much of it started before the election when it became clear that Trump was going to become the Republican nominee, but since the election it has escalated to the point of the absurd.  No one can deny that Trump has a less than stellar past and some of his comments and actions are inexcusable.  Yet, Trump easily won the electoral vote – the only vote that really matters under our Constitution – with two-thirds of the states supporting him.  Seriously, would that many people vote for someone they believed to be a white-supremacist, homophobic, Islamophilic, misogynistic oaf?  Hardly!

There seems to be a disconnect here.  With that many voters supporting the new president, why is there so much loathing?   Part of it can be blamed on ‘fake news’ that seems to be popping up everywhere.  Some of this fake news, like the infamous ‘Russian Dossier’, is truly false and put out only to discredit the new president.  Much of the so-called fake news is actually faux fake news’, verifiably true, but labeled as ‘fake’ simply because it goes against the reader’s core beliefs and therefore, cannot be true.  For example, Trump-haters refuse to believe he is a compassionate individual, even when stories abound of his charitable giving to people in need and his being awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 1986, along with Rosa Parks.

Hollywood and the media continue to fuel the fires of hatred.  The endless parade of stars lining up to mock and delegitimize the new administration has become tiresome.   From boycotting the inauguration and threatening to leave the country, to calling for outright anarchy, they have been spewing their hatred nonstop since Florida and Ohio were called for Trump.  The mainstream media, is blatantly showing disdain and continue to deride the current administration by reporting only the negative side of new programs and proposed legislation.  When President Eisenhower warned of the Military-Industrial Complex, he could not have foreseen a far more dangerous threat to democracy coming from the collusion of Hollywood and the news media for dissemination of misinformation.

While half the country suffers from collective anxiety about the new president and his plan for our future, the rest of us have accepted the fact that Donald Trump is our President, duly elected along with a majority of Republicans in the House and Senate, state legislatures, and governors’ seats.   Whether this turns out to be a good thing or not will be evident during the next four years.  If their programs prove to be good for the country, they will be reelected.  If not, voters can give them the boot in the next election.  Unlike Chicken Little and his buddies who let their angst lead them into the fox’s den, our Constitutional system clearly provides a way for us to turn things around when it seems like the sky is falling.   It’s called the electoral process and if this country is to survive, we need to let it play out as the founders intended.

Unopened Gifts

 

When the Christmas party is over, the space under the tree is empty with all the gifts replaced by torn bows and scattered shreds of wrapping paper.  Children are delighted with their new toys, but also sad to realize there are no more presents waiting for them.  They peek under the tree, just to be sure, but no unopened gifts remain.  Christmas is over for another year.

A few years ago, I had the unique experience of taking classes with a group of young teachers the age of my daughters.  It was interesting to hear them talk about their lives—their husbands, children, homes, and parents.  From the unique perspective of having done these things, their comments sounded like something I might have said years ago.

“I don’t know what to do about Nathan.  He grabs everything off the Christmas tree and turns it into a missile!” “My dad kept the kids yesterday. He let the baby take a four-hour nap!  I didn’t get her to bed until midnight!” “We’ve decided to go ahead a build.  Our house just isn’t big enough anymore.”

Hearing all of this, I realized I’d already traveled most of those roads.  I’ve moved in—and out—of many houses over the years and often felt that our family was crowded into unbearably small spaces.  I survived the terrible two’s—three times! —and watched those same kids go through school, graduate from college, become established in their careers, and start their own families.  I’d long-since bid a final good-bye to the loving grandparents who babysat whenever I needed someone to watch my girls.

Listening to these young twenty-somethings, I felt as though I’d turned on a video of my life.  This encounter reminded me that life is a gift.  All of it!  The days spent raising young children, the plans for making a home, the time shared with aging parents, the steps along a career—every single minute is a gift.

At this stage in my life, I’ve opened many of the gifts the young people in my class were just receiving.  However, unlike Christmas morning when all gifts have been opened and there are no more, life, as they say, is the gift that keeps on giving.  Each new day is a gift!  Every stage of life is filled with wonderful gifts!

Graduating from college and starting a career is exciting and leads to unexpected destinations.  Marriage and raising a family present new challenges, but along with that comes blessings that far exceed the amount of work involved.  Middle age is a wonderful time as many of life’s earlier responsibilities have lessened and we have more time for career-building, volunteering, or exploring new areas of interest.  Retirement presents its own array of new gifts – time for friends, hobbies, travel.  This is a short list of the myriad of gifts we find at every stage as we advance through life.

The gifts we’ve already opened are precious memories.  The unopened gifts that remain are new opportunities. Resolutions tend to focus on self-improvement, thereby implying the need for changing a negative trait—hence the reason they are usually short-lived. This January, instead of spending time compiling a list of silly resolutions that will soon be forgotten, think about possibilities.

Begin 2017 by thinking about the positives instead of focusing on the negatives.  Each of the 365 days in the New Year is a gift waiting to be opened.  What surprises are in store?  What challenges will arise?  What new things will we learn or skills can we develop?  What would we try if we knew we could not fail?  Let’s make the New Year a new beginning with the excitement of a kid opening the next Christmas present.

The Case against Christmas

Soon, the PC police will once again be cracking down on Christmas—nixing nativity scenes, renaming Christmas trees, and changing “Merry Christmas” to “Happy Holidays” in an effort to protect the sensitivities of those upset by any public reference to religion.  Having followed recent societal trends, I agree—we must stamp out Christmas!

Start with the great Christmas icon—Mr. Claus, a sorry role model for children, indeed.  That jolly old elf, so chubby and plump, is hardly someone kids should emulate when their government is banning obesity-causing potatoes in school lunches.  Speaking of lunches, just how much trans-fat does Santa consume on his round-the-world cookie-eating binge?  As if Santa’s off-the-charts BMI were not enough,  consider his flaunting the law regarding non-discriminatory practices in his hiring of height-and-ear-challenged minorities, confining native antlered species in spite of wildlife protection ordinances, and failing to obtain permits to fly around the world—around the world, mind you—with eight methane-emitting reindeer.  The industrialization of the North Pole with that little toy shop in such a remote location causes one to wonder if he filed an environmental impact statement regarding the pollution of the ecosystem.  Oh, yes, ‘tis time for Santa to hang up the red suit and retire.

Frosty the Snowman is another Christmas idol whose persona begs reconsideration as an example for our children.  Not only does he smoke a corncob pipe that defiles the atmosphere and his snow lungs, one must wonder what, exactly, he’s smoking in that pipe if it makes him laugh and dance around.  They say it’s the magic in that old silk hat he found, but we all know there is no magic in the hat.  It’s just another garment shipped over from a sweatshop somewhere in China.  The children innocently follow Frosty right down the streets of town as he thumps about with those eyes made out of coal, no doubt mined without concern for carbon emission standards.  Even though he knows they are following—after all, he has been taunting them with, “Catch me if you can”—he leads them right up to the traffic cop!  Any responsible adult snowman would model proper behavior while children are watching, but Frosty runs right past the law enforcement officer even after he hollers, “Stop!”  Sadly, it is quite evident that Frosty, like Santa, must not come back again someday.

In another affront to our PC sensibilities, the treatment of Rudolf by his peers is a classic case of bullying, if ever there was one.  Not only did they refuse to let poor Rudolf play in any reindeer games, all of the other reindeer used to laugh and call him names.  It appears that none of them knew the Three R’s of Bullying as they mocked him and refused to accept him for the reindeer he was because of his peculiar red nose.  None of them showed any concern for Rudolf’s loss of self-esteem.  Thankfully, Santa needed a light so bright to guide his sleigh one night or who knows how much harm would have been inflicted on Rudolf’s psyche.

Christmas has become a federal holiday celebrated totally outside the boundaries of political correctness.  We hang mistletoe to encourage sexual harassment and hand out candy canes to mock the disabled.  We constantly sing about being home for Christmas with a total disregard for the feelings of the homeless.  Non-organically certified Chestnuts roast on non-permit-approved open fires emitting toxic chemicals.  Perhaps the most troubling of all is the tendency to make the season bright, a time to be happy and generous.  This lack of concern for the sad and miserly among us is appalling.

Yes, we must stamp out Christmas!  Not only is it the politically correct thing to do, it would appease those tender souls offended by the sights and sounds of a religious celebration honored in countries throughout the world for centuries to celebrate the birth of Christ. Christmas has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1870.  May it continue to be filled with all the grand traditions that make it the most wonderful time of the year!

Putting a Target on My Back

I’m excited to announce that I’ve become a ‘regular opinion columnist’ for a local paper: The Hartley Sentinel/Everly-Royal News. My columns appear on the first Thursday of every month.  At this time, the paper is not digital, but I may be sharing pieces on this blog occasionally.  Below is my first column which went to print in August, 2016:

Putting a Target on My Back

Opinion pieces always put a target on the writer’s back.  They are a public statement of personal beliefs and can draw fire from those who disagree.  An opinion is just that—an opinion—a belief that cannot be proven.   The dictionary definition of opinion is, “A belief or judgement that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.”

Even so, some opinions are so deeply entrenched that it would be easier to extract a tooth than pull a misguided belief from the mind.  Leon Festinger, Stanford University psychologist, once commented, “A man with a conviction is a hard man to change. Tell him you disagree and he turns away. Show him facts or figures and he questions your sources. Appeal to logic and he fails to see your point.”

People tend to put forth their opinions as truth, even when facts contradict them.  To use a farming analogy, beliefs are like fence posts in the mind.  Just as fence posts hold tightly strung wires together, our beliefs hold our world together—how we think and the conclusions we draw.   To admit that an opinion is wrong is to shake our entire belief system to its foundation.   Consequently, when presented with factual evidence contrary to a deeply held belief, people may respond illogically or become overly emotional.

However, it’s a measure of maturity to be able to consider opposing points of view, weigh the pros and cons, and come to a logical conclusion by either agreeing or disagreeing with the new information.  This scenario used to be the norm, but is becoming rare today in the age of internet and instant communication.

It’s no longer necessary to verify facts and civilly debate opposing viewpoints.  Opinions not considered politically correct or contrary to current social and political trends, immediately become the subject of internet lynching.  Vile comments and personal attacks spontaneously combust online and in the media.  Falsehoods and slanderous memes fill the news-feeds of Facebook.  They receive thousands of ‘shares’ without verification.  Bloggers watch the latest news threads and their screens light up with unsubstantiated facts, accepted simply because they fit the current spin.

Few people like putting a target on their back to subject themselves to name-calling and worse. Stepping into the fray to ask questions or point out errors is akin to waving a red flag in front of a bull.  That’s why most choose to remain silent rather than risk the becoming a target.  Society is the loser.  Freedom of thought and expression is necessary in a free and robust country.  The founding fathers added the First Amendment to ensure that all sides of all issues always have a voice not silenced by government or private entities.  Thankfully, in spite of numerous court challenges, this guarantee still stands 240 years later.

Having said this, readers may ask why I’m excited to share my opinion pieces with this paper’s readers.  Simply put, I enjoy it.  As a news junkie and freelance writer, writing op-ed columns is a natural fit.  Several of my pieces have been published in newspapers across the state and online.  Some draw fire from those who disagree, but many more have produced words of encouragement.

A journalist friend once told me to ask myself this question before publishing anything controversial:  “Is this the hill I’m prepared to die on?”  Hopefully, it doesn’t come to that, but I have taken her advice to heart and always weigh my options before writing about any debatable topic.  In the coming months, you will see my opinions on a variety of issues in this column. Interested readers are encouraged to respond with their comments, both pro and con.  The goal is polite dialogue between people to open minds to new ideas and possibilities—without anybody feeling like they have a target on their back.

 

The Groupthink Trap

The Groupthink Trap

Ducks are delightful creatures that entertain us and simply live their lives by following in whatever direction the flock decides to go.  If one duck decides to eat bugs, the entire flock waddles about in search of them.  If one splashes in the pond, they all splash in the water. Ducks never make independent decisions. They are creatures of groupthink.

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon in which all members of the group support an idea, not necessarily because they agree with it, but because they are unable, or unwilling, to disagree.  It happens when belonging is more important than to risk rocking the boat by expressing a different point of view.  Members avoid raising questions that could lead to disputes, and it is assumed that the group is working with a consensus when, in fact, it is not.

You leave a meeting wondering how the group could have possibly reached that conclusion. You chastise yourself for failing to say something that may have led the group to a better decision. You talk to other members after a meeting and learn they shared your views, but also failed to speak up.  If this scenario has happened to you, you have experienced groupthink.

Groupthink can be as innocuous as a teenage fad, or as odious as the Jonestown cult.   It can have devastating consequences for the nation, such as the Bay of Pigs and the Vietnam War.  Each of these resulted from top presidential advisors going along with the group rather than considering information that could possibly have thwarted disaster.

We are currently facing another national disaster.  Our country is dividing into numerous factions, each of which seems to be in a perpetual state of groupthink.  Be it politics, social issues, environmental problems, or a myriad of other subjects, we see groups claiming the moral high ground.  With the internet, social media, and other forms of instant communication, excessive verbiage flies at us from all directions and plenty of ‘expert sources’ can be found to validate any point of view.

People aligned into like-minded groups listen only to information that supports their point of view.  They are caught in a groupthink trap—which brings me back to the aforementioned ducks. When we raised ducks on the farm, they followed the same path down to the pond every morning and back up to the barn every evening.  They did this every day, all summer long, until one fateful afternoon in October….

On the path from the pond to the barn, the ducks had to walk through a small foot gate that was always open.  One day during harvest, they were traumatized when they waddled all the way back up the hill only to find the gate closed.  This had never happened before!  The poor ducks simply could not cope with the change and tried to get through the closed gate.  However, no matter how hard they tried, the gate remained closed.  They could only continue to quack and pile up on top of each other against the closed gate.

Finally, one duck stepped back from the group, looked around, and noticed a wide opening.  This gate had been closed all summer, but that day it was open for harvest equipment.  One duck, acting alone, calmly led the others through to the safe haven of the barn.

In our current political and social climate, we have divided into hardline factions with little in the way of give and take.  Intransigent thinking rules and no one is willing to hear opposing points of view.  All parties are operating in a groupthink trap. Group members who may hold a differing point of view choose to remain silent rather than speak out.  Perhaps it’s time for everyone to take a step back, breathe, and be like the duck that finally saw the open gate.  At this critical time in American history, people must find the courage to step out of the groupthink trap and be the voice of reason.