Good Manners Thursday... Why We Hate Us..

When I don't have a good book on tape to entertain me during the hours I paint, I turn to NPR. Yesterday, I was listening when Dick Meyer was interviewed about this book. At first I thought, "What a terrible title. I'm not going to like this guy." However, he had a few really great points and I'm thinking of checking this out from the library.

The book is about the over-reach of the media... the very liberal (in the bad way) media if you ask me... the media of few and waining and almost no moral virtue. It's the media that idolizes the Paris Hiltons of the world and practically ignores the Mother Theresas. It's the angry and out of control tempers of political pundits on both sides of the debate. It's the cartoons like The Simpsons that get confused for children's fare and have our children acting and speaking like ignorant brats rather than kind and polite young people. It's the overly sexual and violent programing that we simply get used to instead of what we should do.. protest with feet, remote control and mouse. Dick Meyer made the case that too many of us are being controlled rather than controlling the media at our disposal. I couldn't agree more.

One of the things the media doesn't do that it should is to seek out and find the selfless, the kind, and the courageous in our society and put them forward to be admired. Let me tell you a story that went un-reported in the main stream media.

According the national media, our good soldiers are incredibly discouraged and military morale is at an all-time low. And yet, this photo taken on July 4, 2008 is a picture of the largest re-enlistment ceremony in U.S. Military History which took place at Al Faw Palace in Baghdad. A pizzeria in Chicago had 2,000 pizzas prepared by volunteers, frozen and flown over for what has to have been one of the largest pizza parties ever. Thank heavens for these brave men and women and for their commitment to liberty.

You know, if you look around just a little, you will find what the news does not report... the kindness, the generosity and even the greatness of everyday Americans. While I was waiting to pick up a pizza myself, the other day, a young man approached the counter asking for a job application. That's a tough thing to do, I think. I've done it many times and never felt very comfortable about it. Instead of tossing an application at the kid, the other young man behind the counter took a little time to tell him about the job, the manager and how to reach him. Then, he held out his hand to shake and told the applicant that he hoped he would be successful. I was so touched by this really small act of kindness. Who knew one could make pizza with such grace.