Advice from a Hot Head

As predicted, the wolves are out in force after Kanye West and Serena Williams and Joe Wilson…and rightfully so. I don’t know whether it is the pressure and tension created by our present society or what. But it seems to me that we are gradually losing our civility as a nation. While my colleagues debate whether or not an “off the record” comment by President Obama…calling Kanye a “jackass” should have been reported, I think the President was right. Kanye did act like a “jackass”. I do accept Kanye’s apology and hope he gets some help because he has not been the same since the death of his mother. I understand that, but he does need to get a grip. And Serena, with all her talent, skills and beauty didn’t need to lower herself to that level. As for Joe Wilson… well…he’s just wrong. Whether or not you agree with Mr. Obama, he IS the President of the United States and needs to be respected as such. I’m speaking from a position that I know well. I have a temper and over the years, it has gotten me in a lot of hot water. Now, I have learned to do some things to control that temper, even though it does have a tendency to creep up on me. I’ve learned to breathe and let some things go. I’ve also learned to not “get back” at someone, but to thoughtful “get even” if that is the right thing to do. What concerns me that that we are witnessing more incidents when people have no respect for each other. Just think of the “superman” girl last year whose harassment of an elderly woman aboard a MARTA train was blasted all over YouTube. That senior citizen just happened to be the mother of the head coach of Morehouse College. Let’s not talk about the antics of the “Real Housewives of Atlanta” who demonstrate that no matter how much money you have, you can still act like you live “in the streets.” We glorify that behavior with monster television ratings! What’s up with that? The ultimate expression of lack of respect is the high homicide rate in our community where the taking of someone’s life is no big deal. My boomer generation needs to take some of initiative to change all of this. Some of us were  that was too busy trying to pursue careers and other worldly pleasures instead of nurturing our children and teaching them the difference between right and wrong. NOW is the time for all of this to stop. We need to  show in our actions that there is a difference between making a scene and making a difference.