Index

Flip flops

A lot of the changes we fought for in the sixties are still controversial today.  Some of the most controversial rights that we wanted back then:

• The right to choose to not fight and not kill
• The right to choose not to have children without giving up on normal, human sex drive
• The right to choose what moral compass to follow.

These rights are still being fought over, with the Republican rear-guard still trying to put the genie back into the bottle - a doomed attempt, but one that has caused considerable upheaval and fractiousness as they pulled out all the stops.  They have used the entire arsenal of economic and social weapons available to the rich and powerful, everything from social engineering to blatant fraud and abuse.  For some of us, their obvious violation of all of the principles they claim to be upholding is enough to make us dismiss them as hopeless cranks and lost to reality, were it not for all of the destruction their attempts are causing.

But what is the fight really about?  How can these lost causes still be on the table at all?  They are obvious necessities to some of us, and as basic as any other rights that are already guaranteed by law and custom.  Where do these nut jobs get the support they have for their side of this losing battle?  The same people that fought for these rights “back in the day” are now either standing aside and watching, or actively working to have them destroyed, and I have spent several years wondering how and why this happened.

For me, the key to this is that these are all rights to make choices.  When the baby boomers were young, these were important to them, as matters that strongly effected their lives.  They were at the physical age where they could make these choices, as well.  Many chose to make choices that disagreed with the established wisdom and authority, causing a degree of social insecurity and upheaval.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot.  The boomers are the established authority.  They made their own choices in these matters many years ago, and learned something in the process, or think they did..

But here is the crucial point: They are also in a place where they no longer have choices to make in these matters.  Their children (that they chose to have) are grown and gone. The boomers are too old for military service, and therefore safe from the grinding maw of politically-created wars. They have long ago chosen what moral compass they follow. They are perfectly willing to dispose of “rights” that they no longer have.

Those that have no stake in the choices being made cannot be allowed to dictate to those that live with the results without destructive results in the long run. Letting those that can no longer make choices dictate to others has never worked - that is what gets our kids and grandkids killed in “politically expedient” wars, and creates suicide bombers and terrorists.

It is time to grow up, settle these issues once and for all, and move on to things that effect the future of the whole planet.