Butch Wonders…What Happened to America?

Life used to be simple. There were MEN, and there were WOMEN. There were HEROES, and there were VILLAINS. There was GOOD, and there was BAD. There was RIGHT, and there was WRONG. There was NORMAL, and there was WEIRD. I was brought up to think that way. But in today’s world, my way of thinking has become outdated. The lines have been blurred. When a Supreme Court justice cannot even define what a “woman” is, you know our society is in trouble. The TRUTH has become what anyone wants it to be at any given moment according to their own beliefs and politics. Our society, our government, and many citizens in our country seem to have no common sense. Joe Biden is lost. I don’t hate him. I just feel sorry for him. “Hope and Change” Obama is in his $15 million house, counting his money. And Hillary, I’m sorry, but you just need to go away, and you can take Michael Moore and Whoopi with you. And to all you die-hard Trump fans, despite what you believe he may have accomplished, it’s doubtful that he will be elected again.

I just read Sen. Barry Goldwater’s 1960 book, “The Conscience of a Conservative” for the third time. He stated, “Like so many other nations before us, we may succumb through internal weakness rather than fall before a foreign foe.” President Ronald Reagan, a devoted believer in Goldwater’s view of government and “the self-made man,” had his faults, but in my opinion, was a great leader and down to earth. Here are a few of his quotes:

“We must reject the idea that every time a law is broken, society is guilty rather than the lawbreaker. It is time to restore the American precept that each individual is accountable for his actions.”

“You won’t get gun control by disarming law-abiding citizens…Disarm the thugs and criminals, lock them up, and if you don’t actually throw away the key, at least lose it for a while.”

“With regard to the freedom of the individual for choice with regard to abortion, there’s one individual who’s not being considered at all. That’s the one being aborted. And I’ve noticed that everybody who is for abortion…has already been born.”

“Our leaders must remember that education doesn’t begin with some isolated bureaucrat in Washington…Education begins in the home, where it is a parental right and responsibility.”

“If we ever forget that we’re one nation under God, then we will be a nation gone under.”

“Free enterprise has done more to reduce poverty than all the government programs dreamed up by the Democrats. The best possible social program is a job.”

“With freedom goes responsibility…We might start with the Ten Commandments. If we lived by the Golden Rule, there would be no need for other laws.”

“Just believe in those values that made our nation great and keep them: faith, family, hard work, and above all, freedom.”

LBJ’s “Great Society” and the “government is the caretaker” philosophy has become an abject failure, and the cancel culture inhibits free speech and criticism of anyone or anything. No hard lines are drawn. Something has to give. So here are a few suggestions:

Every person who is physically able to work and refuses to accept a job offer shall receive NO welfare benefits. Hollywood and TV celebrities, and professional athletes who hate America shall be deported to Iran for one year where they can converse with fellow haters. A convicted drug dealer of meth or fentanyl, proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, shall be provided a one-way ticket to North Korea. Anyone who kneels during the National Anthem or anyone who burns the flag in protest must visit a Veteran’s hospital and apologize to all veterans who suffered injuries while fighting for our country. Any politician or celebrity who wants to ban guns or promotes the “defunding of police” shall not be allowed to hire any armed personal bodyguards. Any politician or celebrity who promotes “carbon-free Green energy” will not be allowed to own or drive any gas-powered vehicle or fly on any public or private airplane. No biologically-born male shall compete in any women’s sports events, and the use of pronouns other than “he” or “she” shall not be allowed. Any male caught wearing their pants down below their waist down to their knees, subsequently showing their underwear in a public place, shall be sent back to school to repeat kindergarten. White supremacists and skinheads will be made to attend church, and recite the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule each day. All public high school students, along with college professors, must pass a test on the U.S. Constitution and amendments. All national politicians will be limited to two 4-year terms and will receive no pension or benefits.

I know these may sound a little harsh, but as Ronald Reagan also said, “When you can’t make them see the light, make them feel the heat…We are not, as some would have us believe, doomed to an inevitable decline…With all of the creative energy at our command, let us begin an era of national renewal.”

Don’t let the politicians, power brokers, tech giants, America-haters, left-wing nuts, socialists, lazy citizens, celebrities, race baiters, and those “strange” people you see at the mall define our nation. America is still the greatest country on the face of the earth….Let’s not lose it. We need to speak up for the country we love.

John “Butch” Dale is a retired teacher and County Sheriff. He has also been the librarian at Darlington the past 32 years, and is a well-known artist and author of local history.