Do We Really Care?

What I'm noticing these days are the sayings on T-shirts in Bluenotes and West 49. As a parent of a teenager and a pre-teen, I'm shocked at the sexually explicit comments on the Ts. I'm not shocked that sexuality is a topic in teenage culture but I am shocked at the blatant statements and teens bearing these statements. I know that High Schools and middle Schools do ban students from wearing them. As a parent, I'm glad that they've taken this position.

In my effort to understand why, I notice that apathy is at the source of this. The apathy in particular I'm speaking of is that of parents themselves. There is an underlying tone in some parents that teenagers will be involved in stuff that's bad. The words I hear to describe this are, "they're experimenting - they'll get over it." But I see teenagers who repeatedly get caught into the slippery slope of deeper into drugs and deeper into sexual promiscuity. I'm wondering if they are doing this to catch our attention, except that our apathy is preventing them from catching our attention.

I say this because I think what's behind the explicit statements on Ts is an 'in your face' attitude by manufacturers and designers in taunting adults in their apathy. Students have caught on to this and I believe use it to see how far they can go without parents noticing. If this is true, then I think teenagers view adults as morons. [yes I know its strong but I think its true] I think they view adults as stupid and don't care. My question is, do we really not care about the condition of our teenagers? I also see parents that are concerned and involved in their teenagers life. My worry is that there is not enough of us concerned to turn the tide of youth problems in our culture.

At some point, as parents and adults, we need to step up and take responsibility for our teenagers. They will be our next leaders, shapers of culture, protectors of the common good. We are losing many of them to drugs, alcohol and sexually transmitted diseases. By not caring enough, we are forcing them into a state of insecurity that breeds the abuses. I dare say that if we truly start caring enough, we can provide an atmosphere where our teenagers feel secure about who they are, are supported in their hopes and dreams and are given healthy boundaries where they can party without hurting themselves and others and flexible enough so that it doesn't stifle their enthusiasm and energy.

If we are going to have an impact on helping our teenagers, we need to prioritize our lives so that we can give time to building relationships with our teens and supporting them in their learning activities and life goals. We need to provide the resources as well but time is what they're looking for. They're calling out to us - want us to notice them - and I fear we are continuing to ignore them and placing other things as priorities. For me, every teenager is important to our community and we can't afford to have them waste their lives and we can't continue ignoring them!!!

A Whole New Meaning to Irreverent

Nothing really surprises me these days. Take for instance the recent comments on the performance of John Stewart as the host of the Academy Awards Show. The oxymoron I heard mentioned how "irreverent" John Stewart was that night. Let me get this straight: people are upset that John Stewart was "irreverent." Well that's a big surprise! How dare John Stewart be "irreverent!" - and at the Academy Awards no less in front of all those "important" people.

I have to say personally that I found him quite funny. I'm speaking now out of my own appreciation for sarcasm and irreverence of those who profess to be "reverent." For me, the whole issue boils down to semantics and reality. The semantic issue is the unnecessary use of the word "irreverent." I'm mean really - does Hollywood demand the "reverence" of us peasants who buy the movie tickets to watch the movies that Hollywood produces so that actors, directors, producers and all other related professionals can sit on a hill of splendor and Lord it over us?

What at times makes me shake my head is the self-indulgence of Hollywood that is so clearly displayed at the Oscars. Us peasants need a John Stewart to keep it real and show us how ridiculous Hollywood truly is at times. I can respect someone who is good at their profession and I can also respect the need for art and film but I can't respect those who only demand respect and never give it. I know that I'm making a generalization but I have to think that $100,000 booty to every Oscar winner is truly unnecessary. Why don't they donate the money to a worthy cause on behalf of the winner? Why don't they take the same desire for integrity they impose on us by encouraging us to not pirate their films and hold themselves to the integrity of spending their resources [which they get from us anyway - we buy the tickets] to help humanity rather than create a mythical demi-god society.

I was so pleasantly surprised that "Crash" won the Oscar for best movie. Yes - there is a ray of light even in Hollywood! Rather than vote for the "avante guard" movie of the year that challenged societal phobia of homosexuality, they voted for a film that depicts the true "irreverence" dished out everyday from one human being to the other. I thought they made the right choice. Crash was truly the movie of the year as it portrayed how truly insane humanity has become. Yes - Hollywood does have a conscience! Thank you for reminding us that reverence belongs to every single human life - but please [this goes out to the media and to Hollywood] - do not use such semantics to comment on someone - who for the most part - tries to keep it real by reminding us not to take ourselves so seriously!

The future needs the "reverence" for human life to return to the social stage. Bravo to artists like U2 who can handle the fame and use it to raise the level of "reverence" for life reminding us that there are truly big problems in the world that we can conquer if we put our hands together and "reverence" what is worthy of "reverence!"

We'll Need Real Leaders in the Future!

Where have all the real leaders gone? Say what you will about our past Canadian Prime Ministers [Pierre Elliot Trudeau, Lester B. Pearson, John Diefenbaker] but I don't think anyone would contest that they were real leaders who lead our country in a way that gave it a sense of dignity on the world stage. After watching the political debates on TV, I wonder where all the leaders have gone? No real issues were discussed but rather each candidate was concerned about their performance and how well they could diss their opponents.

Available good leaders at present in Canada are at an all time low. The real leaders are lurking in the background. I don't know if anyone has been trying to recruit them or inspire them toward the political arena. All our candidates lack a certain something. The more I think about it the more I think they lack true intelligence that can be applied to giving our Country a sense of vision and purpose. I think of Trudeau's sense of a "just society" where people can live in a land that is void of the prejudices and social decay that presses in on people. We seem to be consumed these days about finances in general and nothing else in particular. Oh for a leader with intelligence, guts and determination - one who will stand with the people rather than the bureaucrats - one who will lead our nation into a place of distinction giving it a vision and something to look forward.

My present summation of what is available to us is the following:

• I appreciated Paul Martin as finance minister and the determination of the liberal party to be fiscally responsible and bring our government out of the overspending of the 80s and 90s but I've lost respect for a party that has been unable to maintain a consistent integrity as they govern our country. The more I hear Paul speak, the more I think he is trying to fulfill a dream his father had rather than lead by conviction and vision.
• Although Steven Harper and his party seem to hold similar convictions about morality and social behaviour that I do, he lacks a sense of confidence by his demeanor and past rumblings in his own caucus speak of dissension that is probably quiet now that they seem to be on the verge of winning an election but will certainly unveil itself in their term of power if they succeed.
• The bloc has never been an alternative since I live in Ontario. I respect the fact that we live in a country that makes it possible for the bloc to exist but their separatist leaning gives me nothing to adhere to or to build relationship with.
• Jack Layton and his party have fundamental roots in a sense of social justice that continues to be verbally conveyed but the party has always been too entrenched in the labour unions to truly attempt a viable platform for social justice. Memories of the Bob Rae government linger and so give me no confidence in this party and their leader.

Maybe we need another party? We certainly need reform of some sort. But most of all we need some good leaders. Right now, I sense a lack of true leadership. I think its time that we groom our children, our young people and young adults toward a sense of social leadership that will exude confidence in the future. Let's uphold the sense of virtue for public office by encouraging our young people to get involved and make a difference. Lets mentor them and coach them so that they may fulfill their dreams and bring a sense of stability and confidence in society that has been missing in the past years. We need more leaders like Hazel McCallion who exude a sense of confidence from their constituency because they care and they know the real issues that need to be tackled and fought for in the public arena.

There will be leaders in the future. What I pray is that the leaders of the future will be the kind who have conviction and are not afraid to stand on principle and lead Canada into the future with knowledge, integrity, courage and vision.