Sometimes I think we, as humans, tend to look back at the past through rose-colored glasses. We don’t see the wars and the crimes and the uncertainty. All we see is nostalgia. All we remember are the good times when we were safe and how our nation prevailed over Evil. We beat our chests and think, “Oh, if only the men today could be like that. They were men of honor. Why can’t today be like then?”
Then every once in a while someone gets the idea: maybe we can. Get rid of the bad stuff of today’s times and we will have honor again. Get rid of the cursing on television, the pornography, the homosexual lifestyle that many flaunt now, all those gangs on the streets. Rout them all out and it will be like before. “I’m not a bigot, I’m a man of honor,” they think. “It’s for the children; the future generations. I owe it to them.”
But I cannot seem to wrap my mind around this. Don’t they see that all that bad stuff was there back then; it has always been there right along with the good? Even in individual people the good could reside right along with the bad. We had brave, selfless men in the military — but many made sure to visit the foreign brothels. I had two sweet, caring grandfathers — but they could cuss with the best of them. We had a great governor — he just happened to fight for segregation.
I’m not saying that nobody is honorable; of course people are. But being so noble does not keep you from being dogmatist in other ways. In looking back at the past, we somehow shield our minds from seeing those past ideals that would be considered extremist now. We just see the honor and become despondent when we think now there is none left.
You can try, Mr. Sheriff, but you aren’t going to be able to turn our culture back fifty or sixty years. I seriously doubt we’re all headed to Hell in a handbasket. People have been voicing that opinion since the dawn of time, yet we’re still here happily forgetting about those past anxieties.
Yes, we lock our doors at night now. It’s a shame, but we do it now. Did you know many in Canada do not? Yet they have the same movies and television shows as us; eight of Canada’s regions even allow same-sex marriages. How can we pin the faults of our society on such issues as this? Why do you cast blame?
Times change. Ideals change. And looking back into yesteryear to pluck out those dated ideals just to thread them into today’s society will do nothing but piss some people off.
I read your letter, Mr. Sheriff. I laughed in disbelief. I debated with my peers. I yelled at the walls in frustration. Then I sat down to write. I’ve now said my piece.