A Letter To Middletown, And Therefore The World…

A Letter To Middletown, And Therefore The World…

By, From, Brian E. Clark

Dear People of Our Community,

Heed the warning, because it seems with the jumble of journalistic prose, people don’t have a bloody clue what anyone’s actually talking about. Seriously, journalism is one of those things like Pro Sports. Where you play your game to the best of your ability, but you also read everyone else; At least your favorites. There are times where I’ve found myself 1200 words deep in a story, and look up, puzzled, not knowing what it is I just read! I know I’m not alone here, and what do we do? We go back and finish it off, in the end being dumber for having read whatever it was. Hey, we can’t all bat a thousand!

My original point is we are screwed as Americans. It’s not a Donald Trump problem, or

Hillary Clinton problem, or whoever else you want to pin it on. Sure. We have our leaders, and they have made and instituted the issues and problems we face, but take a good hard look at where you’re pointing that finger… It’s not the finger you point, it’s the three pointing back at you. We created this problem. And the definition of the word “problem”, is so vast that there would never be enough time in any of the Lifetime’s of the Insider’s Staff Members, to cover it all. But, I’m going to take on 3. Three topics that we as Americans f-ed up so bad, something needed to be said.

1.) The Sexual Harassment BS Going Around. Stop, right there, shut up and listen. Harvey Weinstein certainly started this, and he absolutely took advantage of many women because of the power he was in. But, then it turned into any man or woman who happened to be famous, or had 15 minutes of fame; Everyone was sexually harassed, assaulted, raped, talked dirty to, and the list goes on, and on. I’m sure there are some valid cases sprinkled in there, but for those people that came out 30. 35, 40 years later, for the express purposes of ruining someone's life? I’m 38, but I’m quite sure there were phones and Police Departments back then. Why wait until 40 years later, when the man is running for office and has a family of his own at that point.

We have a hard enough time prying our kids away from their phones to go actually have interpersonal relationships, and what are we teaching them? That saying hi to a girl, or boy may lead to criminal charges? Good grief, people!

2.) Guns. We’ve had them since this country was formed, and in fact, this country was formed on the basis of the right to bear arms. I’ve heard the corny blow-back, “Well our Founding Fathers meant muskets, not AR-15’s!” Production, development, and advancement was not a new concept back in the 1770’s, and maybe the rifles we have today not what our Founding Father’s had thought of, but they sure never thought about cars, blenders, or running for exercise, either. But, everyone is up in arms about the “Look” of guns. How AR-15’s are “People Killers”. So here’s the breakdown on this: All guns, in the hands of the right (or wrong) person, are lethal. Guns, in their simplest form, chamber 1 round. And fire that round. Semi-Automatics repeat that, where a single shot needs to be reloaded. How “scary” a gun looks has zero bearing on the lethality of the weapon. It is why every Marine is foremost a Rifleman, and every Police Officer is proficient with the weapon he carries. Just because some nutjob buys a scary looking gun. Doesn’t mean he knows how to use it. And the last word on “bump stocks”. All those are is the packaged add-on a store can sell on their shelves. People have been “modifying” weapons for years, it just took some tools and patience. The answer to safer communities is more properly trained, armed citizens. It’s a fact. Ask Vermont how they’re doing?

3.) The “Black Lives Matter” movement. Originally started as a protest when George Zimmerman, the man who murdered Trayvon Martin, was acquitted if Florida. I’m a Catholic, so I believe that God uses everything for good according to His purpose. Only he knows if that’s what’s going on here, but a lot of black men and women are dying senselessly, and I attended a Symposium on African American Culture last year, and I finally got the Black Lives Matter Movement.

I was of the opinion where I brushed aside the BLM, saying “All Lives Matter”, because indeed, All. Lives. Matter. That remains true, but I then learned the key reason why the Black Lives Matter movement exists, and the key point on which gives them validity little others (groups) have. The Black Lives Matter movement exists because as a society, Black Lives Matter LESS. Tell me I’m wrong, and then really think about it. It’s true. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 went into effect, but besides removing white/ colored toilets, water fountains, segregation at schools- what did it change? In 2017 we are a racist/ sexist society, and we’re so f-ing stupid we can’t see it!

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (*1) I was really rocked by the statement that Black Lives Matter…Less? Really? So I did what one would do when an epiphany comes upon them, press the rewind button on 37 years of my life, and what I came up with is the following: (Keep in mind this is my opinion of what I see going on in society) We can write and draft legislation, or say one thing in front of cameras, and that’s the extent of it…..Because at the end of the day…in fact, at the end of every day, the fact of the matter is Black Lives do matter less. Women’s lives matter less. Gay LGBTQ lives matter less. Homeless lives matter less. Mentally Ill lives matter less. Disabled Lives matter less. Autistic Lives matter less. (Sadly) Veterans Lives matter less….

We may not agree about much if anything, but this “One Nation, Under God, INDIVISIBLE, with Liberty, and Justice for all!” How much of those 11 words are true? We are divided against each other, and our Liberty and freedoms are being stripped away. Justice is a farce. It may as well say, “and a Plea Bargain for All!”

Long before these heinous acts have taken place, I go to Church at St. John’s in Middletown, and I have a dear dear friend who is a Sister of The Apostolate of the Sacred Heart Of Jesus but is based locally, Sr. Jerilyn Hunihan. A Sister all her life (I don’t ask a lady her age, but let's say she’s been serving over 50 years) She possesses a wisdom that surpasses the highest scholars but can relate to anyone, on any level. Very, very wise. I’ll end with a quote she’s repeated many times:

“Each Day, Try To Hate A Little Less”

*Authors Note- The true friends I have had said I’ve been cryptic lately, and taking steps that a normal person wouldn’t. And it’s true. I’ve taken steps for reasons I’ll keep personal. But to my readers and friends, my email no longer exists, also my cell phone number, gone. Any correspondence to me, such as death threats, or thank you notes, can be mailed to the Insider email, middletowninsider@gmail.com