I imagine that scholars and historians will look back on the first decade of the 21st century as a dark period in American history.
So far:
- The most divisive presidential inauguration in memory
- The 9/11 terrorist attacks
- Anthrax
- War in Afghanistan
- The Washington, D.C. sniper
- A space shuttle disaster
- War in Iraq
- Continuing economic recession
- Sexual scandal in the Catholic church
- Religious warfare
- The threat of nuclear proliferation from Iran and North Korea
- The second most divisive presidential inauguration in memory
- Seemingly unhealable political rifts
- Soaringly high gas prices
- Hurricane after hurricane after hurricane in Florida
- And now, the worst natural disaster ever to strike America
And that's not even taking into account the horrors going on in other countries.
This isn't intended as a political diatribe, or to be partisan in any way. I simply can't imagine that anyone can look at this list and think, "what a nice time to be alive!"
Article comments
1 - Al Barger
Au contraire, mon fraire. (Excuse my French, as I don't speak it.)
I could (and may) give a big counterlist of all the great things about being alive now. For starters, now is certainly the greatest time ever to have been alive if you are of a sickly nature in any way. We have SO much better treatments for so many illnesses, improving by the day.
Plus, we have computers and the internet. This stuff is GREAT. I think of the isolation I had in high school from access to music, what a big deal it was to get into the city to find a half decent record store vs all the cornucopia of music available for FREE sitting right in my bedroom.
Also, for all the bad things you're listing, put them in perspective. Hey, we've got Al Qaeda rather than Hitler. I'm sure glad of that. We've got pinkos mad that Bush was elected rather than a Civil War. It's relative.
2 - Bob A. Booey
Senator, have you seen "The 40 Year Old Virgin" yet?
That is all.