In picking up a book early this AM I realized that lately most of the books that have come home from the library all deal with a family crisis of epic proportions. A parent missing. A child missing. A long and often fruitless search. And while there are other types of books, just what is going on. And I realized that what is happening is that a mood is pervading the earth, the world turning to the sad, the demented, the epidemic in a bad way.
So why is that? Well, I am not a shrink for the masses, but take a look around. It appears to be that the woes of the world have truly impacted our private and personal lives and we are almost helpless in its grip.
Take the announcement by the CIA today that it expects ISIS to hit the USA next or soon. How long have we walked thru the airport thinking aloud how who needs to pass thru security to do harm? Just look at the crowds in the check-in lobby! Just look at the massed people around the carousels. And that is what was done in Turkey. It appears that to be safe or rather less exposed, the world needs to adopt the Israeli method wherein no one gets into the airport unless you pass the checkpoint. Windows must be opened and questions answered, documents shown if there is the slightest suspicion and you know what? I think it is great. And that is why whenever we fly to Israel we go El Al, never mind that they are more expensive or they squoosh people in! I do not want a stopover in Turkey or Greece or somewhere in the Ukraine or wherever or even Paris or London.
But look at the rest of the world. Explosions, attacks, crazy people chanting and actually even running for office and this morning we wake up to the awful report of a talented 13 year old dancer who just performed in Jerusalem the night before and went to sleep in her own room in her own home, and was stabbed to death by a Palestinian teenager who decided that this was what he needed to do for whatever perverted reason or thinking. So all that remains of Hallel besides the memories of her family is a blood soaked room. See if the NY Times reports that or if Obama will send condolences to the family!
See if anyone will remark on the fact that 9 Israeli citizens who wished only to break the fast, to have Iftar with some people in Ramallah, had to be rescued by Israeli soldiers and some PA police, pulled out of a flaming car set afire by Molotov cocktails. Such are the ones we are to make peace with? Dream on, sadly enough.
And closer to home we now have a state of Florida that is just about on emergency status. Martin and St. Lucie county are already there and remember, many of us go there quite often. Palm Beach County discovered blue algae in the canal by Lake Worth, all part of the South Florida Water Management System. Our own canals and lakes here are inundated with green algae and here we stand with bated breath rotating on our thumbs, lacking in a serious search for an answer. The algae is dangerous, especially the blue stuff. This gunk can cause serious respiratory illness, skin infections, noxious odors. People are talking of taking baths with bleach in the water!!! And we have more of this stuff coming down the line from Lake Okeechobee as it reaches flood stage. And we have yet to have a storm or hurricane that will overwhelm our water system.
And here we sit in the Village doing nothing. So someone says we should find a volunteer who will go out in a boat and rip out and gather the algae. Really? David, are you volunteering, setting an example of public service and sacrifice? This is not a job for amateurs. This gathering of the algae should have been done long ago, but our UCO and WPRF turned a blind eye to it and only of late have they turned to other methods, all not doing so well, are they? So instead of talking of Broadband, instead of talking of moving courts for the umpteenth time, instead of spending money on flora that will be poisoned anyway by the water we spray on it that is infused with algae , instead of all that we need to spend that money on finding the best experts in the world to solve this issue for us and how to avoid it in the future or how to prepare for it. If not, say goodbye to the Village and its lifestyle.
This contaminated water is the stuff that showers us as we walk thru it when it is spraying. It is the stuff sprayed on our buildings and walkways. And how does our drinking water rate in this mess? Who the hell knows and who knows when we are getting the truth. So if we do not want to tack a note on the gates that tells the last person out of the Village to turn off the lights and lock the gates, then we MUST do something. Put aside all else for if we do not get a handle on this, the entire South Florida, if not the whole state of Florida will be empty. Our tourist destinations, our diving and snorkeling - not in good shape. No money in, no money able to go out to the citizens and who will want to live in a place where one must wear a hazmat suit and mask to stay alive?! Exaggerated a bit - yes and no. No one knows where this ends if we do not act upon it immediately and learn that one must nip things in the bud not ignore it and think it will go away,. This is not peek-a-boo with a baby but real life with real consequences.
We are not alone in this. Perhaps we might form a union of communities of South Florida that are all facing the same problem. That will give us more funding to use to find help. Just an idea, but better than the rowboat and volunteer. There are companies that will provide this service and we should have used them way before this, but at least let us approach them now. I, and others, have been calling to do something about this algae for the longest time.
And in the meanwhile, let us look towards the good in life, the family, the friends, the smile on a grandchild's face and the touch of their hands as we walk holding hands. Let us exercise our right to vote, register and connect that arrow! And I think that today I am going to the library to find a feel good book! And perhaps even today we will find someone in the world who has an answer, but in our desperation we must not turn to the dictator, the despot who will only harm. This is a time fraught with danger. We must acknowledge that, keep our families close, be careful and safe and try to our utmost to help improve this world.
Oysh! Think I need a piece of chocolate!
No comments:
Post a Comment