The Worst of Times?

Homelessness. Income disparity. Mass shootings. Unending wars. Imprisoning refugees who seek asylum. Polarization. An egotistical, arrogant, belligerent, hateful president.

I've heard people bemoan that our country is in terrible shape; things have never been this bad.

There is a lot I don't like about my country and what is happening now, but I don't agree things have never been this bad.

I remember the Vietnam War years. The country was extremely polarized.

I vaguely remember the Cold War years and the McCarthy era. I've read a lot about that period. It seems half of the country was terrified of Communists and the other half was terrified of being accused of being a Communist.

The kidnapping and enslavement of Africans is nothing to be proud of. Neither are the Jim Crow laws.

During Colonial times, there were the Salem witch trials; a pretty horrible situation. People were flogged for not attending a specific church. Quakers were executed for being Quakers.

As for egotistical, arrogant, belligerent and hateful elected leaders, I'm appalled and ashamed of our current POTUS. But reading about previous presidents, vice-presidents, senators and other elected representatives, he's not much worse. Even the leaders who did great things (think Lyndon Johnson and the Voting Rights Act of 1965) had their dark sides.

As bad as many things are, I don't think these are the worst of times. They are the times.

That does not mean I'm complacent. There are things I can do to improve the situation and I do all that I can. I'm realistic. I doubt I can end homelessness or the current war, but I can support organizations working towards those goals. I can support the people around me. I can be kind.