What It Means To Be a HalfCenturion
What it means to be a Half-Centurion
As I listen to Donald Trump give his acceptance speech for the 45th President of the United States, I began having flashbacks to 1974. I remember being sprawled out in front of the big Black and White T.V, and then adjusting the rabbit ears, while Richard Nixon flashes his famous peace signs as he boards Air Force One for the last time. And, as the two words ‘Change’ and ‘America’ has swirled around my living room over a ten-month interval, I never considered how much change I have witnessed after 50 short years here in the United States of America.
Segregation in the early 70's
It has been a long time since Elementary School but I can faintly remember a day that the African-American children in our town starting riding the same bus as the rest of us. I heard adults whispering about it quietly although I was too young to understand the politics. But, because of all the chatter, I knew it meant something.
A memory forever marked as a real-life historic moment.
The Woman’s Movement
Not very long after this, Mom woke me up very early on Saturday morning to go shopping. In our day, Saturday mornings were the day we looked forward to most in our little, young lives. We set our clocks early to get up and watch cartoons and didn’t move until they were over. I relented because shopping instead of T.V was out of the question. Mom explained, ‘You are now allowed to wear pants to school so we have to go get you some new school clothes.’ Being the rebellious argumentative child that I was, I revolted, ‘There is nothing wrong with my dresses. And, I don’t want to look like the boys. Yuck!’
I thought I won my argument and headed back to the T.V. Apparently, it was a big deal to go get pants and look like the boys so we were headed out the door. Again, I had no idea the historical significance behind missing my precious cartoons that day.
The Cold War
Being a young child in the 70’s we did learn much more than how to Hustle, how to ‘Feather’ our hair, or how to wear Polyester clothes. War was a constant fear in the back of our minds.
For a few years during our youth, we would have bomb drills as a daily part of our school routine. Right after we would Pledge Allegiance to our Flag, that hung right beside the wooden hand- paddle, we would practice hiding under our little desks while being reminded, once again, where the nearest Fallout Shelter was located.Fallout Shelter Signs were as common as stop signs are today.
Although we were children, it is something none of us questioned and we all remained at attention when we heard the word, ‘Bomb.’
Social Change
Comparing the awareness of my generation compared to the youth of today, we were innocent to many things that were occurring in the adult world. Although, our parents would watch the nightly news, read the local newspapers, we were children and were sent outside to play and not come back until it got dark. We had no concept of the things that were occurring outside of our little cushioned bubbles. There was typically only one phone in the house, and we could not stay on it very long. And calling long distance was out of the question. However, I do remember watching Ted Koppel every night report on the Iran Hostage Crisis. It seemed like years they were held captive and we were right there with those poor people.
After this, the T.V. which once was for special occasions, like Elvis on Carson, The Peanuts, or Billy Graham, the television became a household member. The T.V. was turned on during the Iran Hostage Crisis, and then the Oil Crisis, soon after a famous movie star became President, and the T.V has not been turned off since.
Now, there is a ticker that beats with pulse of information from every corner of the globe thanks to the World Wide Web; especially, after terrorist threats began to be part of our existence, once again, soon after the Twin Towers fell. We all know it is there- it is unspoken language that we all acknowledge and understand. Not to mention the domestic threats that we hear about, daily.
Change is the heartbeat of America
Besides all the news worthy stories and historic events that I have witnessed over the past 50 years, nothing has changed more than the family structure and the change in family dynamics. I do not need a T.V. to see the real struggle occurring in our Nation. In the 70’s and 80’s, being divorced was like having a Scarlet Letter. Maybe it wasn’t that bad, but it was a different time. If someone would mention that so-and-so was divorced, it would be followed with the traditional Southern, “Bless her heart.’ It was not the norm to be a divorced person.
My Mother and Father were married 52 years when my Mom passed. My Dad was a three-time War Veteran and their married survived the worst of the worst. They survived the Great Depression, War World II, Korea, Vietnam and were tenacious, hardcore humans and they had other’s back. Dad taught me to work hard and Mom taught me to eat shit politely while being mindful of what the neighbors might think. It could have been worse.
Now, as the divorce rate approaches 50%, men wear dresses, and prestigious cosmetic companies launches their own exclusive men’s makeup line, it doesn’t matter who wears pants, anymore.
Almost everyone I know has been divorced a time or two. Single mothers are struggling relentlessly to keep their families together, trying to pay the rent and electric bill with no money, never mind buying wholesome food. And, of course the ridicule of getting State assistance while attending college classes in the evening, or working a second job; sometimes, both. And, as everyone voices their opinion about raising the minimum wage, I challenge anyone to try to raise a family on minimum wage because it cannot be done.
Although there is understanding in how much it would hurt small business to pay bigger salaries, along with benefits, it is still a man’s world and hard for women to get ahead in the corporate race.
So, this is the state of the Nation after my 50 years here and it has been nothing but change. So, Donald Trump is President and many cannot embrace the change. Read through the History books because America is the work horse of change.
We must try something new because the old ways have failed.
America was built on Change