Drowning Synchronized Swimmers

Thought for today: If one synchronized swimmer drowns, do the rest have to drown too?

I'm basically a conforming non-conformist. Meaning I tend to stick to the norm of what's around me in the physical world - jeans, t-shirts, neutral clothes, modern but un-funky hair. But in my head, I questions the whys and wherefores of everything. I don't want to be a synchronized swimmer and drown in the sea of apathy that seems so rampant in our society toda. We are mired down in the muck with a bunch of people who just can't seem to give a damn about life beyond the next keg.

A for instance? I went to a ballgame last summer and the game, of course, opened with the national anthem. There was a woman sitting at a picnic table who had a truckload of kids, and I have three so that's not an exaggeration. Maybe they weren't all hers, I don't know, but there was a freaking boatload of the little nose miners. The littlest one had a diaper on and the oldest was probably pre-teens.

When the announcer asked us to stand for the national anthem, the mother groaned, but stood up. One of the kids followed suit - the rest stayed seated and looked bored. The oldest one pulled his ball cap down over his eyes, slouched even further down, and proceeded to hum along. The mother did nothing. I had the urge to reach over and knock the hat off the kids' head and drag his sorry butt to his feet. I restrained myself because, really, he's probably never been taught any better.

That just ticks me off. The woman was my age or older and couldn't find enough respect to teach her kids the reason for standing during the national anthem? We're from the same generation - I know better than that, why doesn't she? Considering the state of affairs in the world, we're pretty freaking lucky to be able to go to a ballgame and drink some beer and just kick back. The least we can do is stand up, take off our hats, place our hands over our hearts, and show some respect for the soldiers who are dying in a dusty, hot country to protect our right to enjoy an evening at a ballpark. Or how about a little respect for the men and women who died in 9/11? Or the Oklahoma bombing? Or the policemen and firemen who've died in the line of duty? When that song plays, it's not a burden for you have to stand up and be silent for 2 1/2 minutes.

Whether or not you agree with the leaders of our country or condone Bush's actions or think the government is screwing you out of your tax dollars, who cares. Get off your butt, teach your kids to get off their backsides, and show some respect. That song isn't bout politics or laws or semantics or religion. It's about the men and women thorughout the history of this country who died while serving others because they believed it was their duty to do so. They believed that our basic liberties, the ones that this mother probably never considers but freely abuses, are important enough that they are willing to die if necessary. They don't set out to die in battle or service, but there's the chance that it will happen and they do it anyway. So show a little respect and give those people two and half minutes of your undivided attention and send some good thoughts to the men and women who are serving us now.

Don't be a bunch of drowning synchronized swimmers.