LEAVE IT TO PEEVER

 

13 Years of Peeves

 

Thirteen years of Peeves. As old Harry Caray would have said, ÒHoly Cow!" ThatÕs a lot of Peeving. As the years have passed, IÕve attempted to do my best to Peeve-off just about all of you. In the years ahead, IÕll get the rest. Many of you have stated that you appreciate the straight-forwardness and honesty of the Peeves. One of my original goals was to write what others might be thinking but were to shy or polite to say. You might say IÕm the voice of the messes.

So as year fourteen begins, may my Peeves be sharper and more irascible than ever. And may they fall on the eyes of those that need to see them. Thanks for hanging with me over the years. Its been fun, especially for me.

 

-People are getting all excited about the protracted Democratic primary and the friction that has developed between the candidates. Most of the hoopla is coming from the right-wing press. Apparently, all of a sudden, a party primary is suppose to be a hand-holding, ÒOh, letÕs be nice,Ó affair. Well, theyÕre making a grievous mistake. It will do nothing but help. Both candidates can sharpen up their positions on the various topics, theyÕll spit out all the negatives on one another before the Republicans get a chance, and the whole thing will keep them in the news. It wonÕt hurt if it goes all the way to the convention floor. That would make the convention more popular that ÒAmerican Idol.Ó McCain was a quick and poor choice for the Republicans. The right-wing press will be able to keep him in the news for a while, but the clamor will wear thin, real quick. McCain will end up being seen as an old, bitter, right-wing, BushWorld Republican, who can only offer of more of the same. Either Clinton or Obama will easily beat him by at least a million votes, although we may need poll monitors to make sure they donÕt steal their 3rd election in a row.

 

-Now that IÕm sixty, IÕm much more mature and wise. It happened very quickly. On April 3rd, I was young and dumb. On April 4, at about 11:35pm, I became mature and wise. The whole thing was a little scary. Now I understand what my old friends have been trying to tell me all these years: Young may look glamorous, but old lasts forever.

 

-My take on The Bible: If thereÕs a passage that diverts our attention away from charity and compassion, it should be removed. The same holds true for the Koran and Torah. It is recorded that Confucius said, ÒDo not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself.Ó Five centuries later, Christ taught the Golden Rule with similar words. That is the whole of it. Of the Abrahamic religions, not much more matters than the nurturing of compassion. Compassion is what brings you to God, not endless words, doctrines, creeds, or hatred.

 

-I see we have a new Armed Forces Career Center out at the Seminary Street Shopping Center. ThereÕs a wise use of taxpayer dollars. They should be housed in a shed out back. They donÕt need such a fancy place to spread all that bull. If I could afford it, IÕd put in a Center for Peace Studies right next to them. That would be a good one. And we should start countering their recruitment efforts at Galesburg High. While they have a right to be there through the ÒNo Child Left BehindÓ campaign, so do we! How about the ÒGive Peace a ChanceÓ campaign?

-The three presidential candidates, actually all of Congress, miss the point: All we hear about is the economy, the mortgage financial crisis, the war, immigrants, and numerous other serious, but not world ending, issues. The most demanding, most pressing problems of the time go unmentioned:

     1. We have got to get rid of all nuclear weapons. Starting with the U.S. All other countries must than follow. This is way too damn much of a risk. One mistake, one gung ho idiot jumping the gun, and itÕs all over.

     2. We have to stop global warming. There are no ifÕs, andÕs, or butÕs about this. Our reliance on fossil fuels has to end. Or we parish.

     3. Population growth has to be controlled. There are too many of us. Six billion and counting. Number two cannot be accomplished unless the population is controlled.

     4. We have to give attention to other environmental issues, like the oceans, the coral reefs, the forests, soil, right down to the flora and fauna. We cannot keep destroying these things in the name of profit and reckless consumerism. Our children, their children, and their childrenÕs children deserve better.

If we donÕt get these four things under control, and fairly soon. nothing else will matter.