I’m Back, Embarrassed, and Angry

I haven’t posted here since January, and I know my reader has missed me. I love writing, but will readily admit that posts will come sporadically over the next couple months. With three teenagers, one of whom is headed to college, I don’t know that there will be a “regular” week in the near future.

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Back in the day, when Dennis Miller led Weekend Update on “Saturday Night Live”, he would frequently say, “I don’t mean to go off on a rant here, but…”  His voice echos in my ears today.

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In New York, a 30 year-old man was recently evicted from his parents‘ house. He has no job. They had given him money to help find an apartment, but he admitted he had used that money for other things. Ridiculous and embarrassing. And here’s the thing.  There are a lot of young people who are overwhelmed with student loans and cannot afford to move out on their own. They are doing everything they can to be independent, but need more time to do so.  Stories like this overshadow the real struggle many young people have and they invite older people to lump all Millennials into a singular group looking to be taken care of.

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Kevin Federline, the ex-husband of Britney Spears, is suing for more child support, because the $20K/month he is currently receiving is apparently not enough.  He is doing so because his name is not in demand the way it was in 2008 when this settlement was created. His name is not in demand the way it was in 2008?  My name is Patrick Day.  My name is in demand one day a year, and in my early 20’s I could trade that name for a few free green beers.  Other than that day?  I got a job.

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Two years ago, I had an opinion about NFL players kneeling during the National Anthem. I thought it was their right, but it became about something it wasn’t about.  It was not intended to show disrespect to our military, but it became about just that. This week the NFL announced a new policy regarding the anthem. The policy permits players to stay in the locker room during the national anthem,  but requires them to stand if they’re on the field.  I say I had an opinion on this two years ago because I am so over this.

I am embarrassed that a 30 year-old thinks his parents should still take care of him.

I am embarrassed that someone would try to live off his more successful spouse, because his name isn’t what it once was.

And I am angry that we would spend so much energy arguing over a symbolic gesture to our veterans, rather than making real gestures to honor them, like adequate healthcare, mental health resources, and employment opportunities.  I will start caring about people kneeling during the anthem the day the term “homeless veteran” is no longer part of our vocabulary in this nation.

And to those of you who have put on a uniform, thank you.