Nimby Pimby

Not in my back yard. NIMBY. You know...those people who rail against, for instance, Walmart being located in their town, but have no problem patronizing it when it is located in the town next door.

This attitude is pervasive. What's isn't good for me is fine for you.

Wind Farms? No problem...great solution to the energy crisis we're in but don't even think of putting them where they may mar my view.

Disposal of nuclear waste? A much needed part of the effective use of nuclear energy. But don't bring it here! Don't even run the trains carrying it through my town. Put it over there and figure out another way of getting it there. OK?

Need more prisons? You betcha especially with foreclosures and high unemployment driving people to commit crimes. But if you dare build it in my town I'll just move depriving you of much needed tax revenue and the quality of life in this town will tank. Don't think I won't do it Bub. Just watch me!!

All over the place people live as if they are the only people on the planet. We purport to be a generous society one that cares for it's members, especially the downtrodden and helpless.

But from a distance and almost never face-to-face really. Sure there is the occcasional Good Samaritan...the rare person who will give you the parking space when you really arrived a few seconds after he did.

We love our kids and our folks and our family and our friends but the operative word in that sequence is "our." Not "your" too. Only mine. It's mine...all mine and you can't have any...as a matter of fact you can go to hell my friend.

What would it be like if we thought of the other guy as our brother, our family?

Would we then subject him to the abuses of society? Would we put the landfill in his backyard? Would we put the prison next to his kid's school? Would we pave over the farmland in his community and erect a big box store?

Or would we say "Wait a minute. Wait just a God damned minute here!"

Would we endeavor to find an equitable solution to our problem, whatever it was?
Would we take our neighbors into consideration when we made a decision that might have a negative effect on the quality of their lives?

I think we might.

I think we might not push legislation that could hurt the vast majority of the population simply because it will benefit some fat cat donors.

I think we might not manufacture products that could hurt the consumers that bought them.

I think we might not say some of the things that we say...about the people with whom we disagree.

I think we would be more loving and caring and sensitive.

I think if the Chairman of Smith and Wesson thought about the fact that his product has only one real application, which is to kill people, and that one of those people
could be his daughter, he might think twice about what he makes. He might choose not to make it. He might quit.

For example.

Now what are we to make of this? I suppose that one could say that we are doomed as a society. That we are through.

But maybe we'll pull it out at the last minute. Maybe we'll stop just short of the edge before we go over.

Stranger things have happened.

"It's the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded. The score is 5 to 2. It's a full count. The pitcher goes into his windup and delivers. CRACK! It's a high fly ball to left. It's going, going,................."