Bye-Bye Boomers

If anyone tugs at my heart more than Thomas P. M. Barnett on the subject of Boomers ruling the world, it's thoroughly escaped my attention. Tom's column today focuses more succinctly on this than anything I've read by him so far.

I'm a Boomer. I'll turn 60 in December. But I hate what my generation has become.

Throughout my life, I've seen my generation go from one of hope and promise, to a generation of reckless self-indulgence, to a generation of complete and utter corruption on the national stage. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are the two Boomer generation Presidents that have pimped the excess of the boomer generation to the point of ruination.

Slick Willy and Dubya represent an entire generation of politics and public service gone wrong. (As Tom points out, all the real talent from my generation went into the private sector.)

My generation had good political leaders in front of it, though, men who gave us hope for the future, and the promise of a better life in this world, ...but they were killed.

When I was 12 years old, a very great man spoke these words:

"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans—born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage—and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this Nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

"This much we pledge—and more."

Less than three years later, he was murdered in cold blood.

But my generation did not despair, because we were coming of age only a short few years later. The inspiration of JFK and others like him gave us more hope than anyone had ever dared to even think of.

But our hopes were, ultimately, dashed into the ground. And when it comes to the idea that anyone can possibly turn the rising tide of evil and corruption in this world, my generation has quite obviously given up and given in...

Tom's spin on it may be a bit different, but that's because he's post-boomer.... but then, that's why I look up to people like him... His optimism and strength of spirit, and his heart... have not been broken.
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