It's a ponderance. A question. One of seriousness, I believe. This last weekend was Presidents Day weekend. (Since we magically manage to have the "Federal Holidays" fall on either Monday or Friday, I call them weekends, because that's what they are.) I love Presidents Day, it's a day that should be steeped in history. Looking back at where we've come from. Remembering our great leaders of the past and what they taught us, as well as learning from the mistakes of the foolish few. I see the office of President to be a noble, ordained, and almost holy calling. A man (or woman) is called upon by the people, for the people, to lead us, guide us to a better and brighter future. These men are not perfect, but then, neither are we as a nation perfect. We, as a nation, have been fortunate, though. Through our darkest moments, we have been lead out, back into the light of a new era by our elected officials. These people deserve a day of remembrance. But I think we've forgotten that.
I can understand, slightly, when we have a current administration that we all are currently praying we survive, much less that we are tolerating. It is one thing to be thought a fool, it is another thing to open your mouth and prove everyone right. Unfortunately, that is what this President seems to be doing. I do not know what the history books will say of the time of G.W. Bush. I know that time is forgiving, and looks back oft with rose colored glasses. That being the case, maybe much of the childish antics of this President and his officers can be seen as just one trial that we endured and made us as a nation stronger.
I doubt he will be remembered as Washington, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, or FDR. Sadly, though, it's been brought to my attention that there are too many of the nation that don't know who Washington, Lincoln, Teddy, or FDR were, much less Polk, Adams (either of them), or Jackson. This is inexcusable. Presidents Day has become not a day of respect, ponderances, remembrances, and introspection on the nation. It's become a day of car sales, movies, and now... Star Trek? Let's get back to that. Let me explain a little about Presidents Day.
When Ronald Reagan (Yes, the former actor who became President, and died recently. I cried when I heard he died. I didn't cry when Ford died, but then, I don't remember his Presidency. Still, I felt loss when he died. When ever a great man dies, one should feel at least some loss.)... anyways... when President Reagan combined the holidays of Washington's and Lincoln's Birthdays into one day, it was to serve two purposes (I believe).
First, instead of focusing on just two of our great leaders from the past, we would have one day to honor all the Presidents. This was a day to look back, see where we've come, and where we are going. A day to understand that (most) of these men were not seeking greatness. To remember that the office of the President is not a dictatorship or elected kingship, but that the President was a servant of the People. President John Kennedy said, "Ask not what you country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." While poignant, and meaningful, I believe now days it is misunderstood. Yes, we should not be asking to be coddled by the State but neither should the State should not be coddled by us. We are all in it together. The President should be an extension of the People. He (or she) should be working as our voice, our representative to the world. He should embody the best of what the People want. He should not be a self-serving greedy potentate, that seeks to keep power above all else. Sadly, we have had these Presidents. G.W. is not the first, and I fear he will not be the last. I look forward and see too many candidates that do not speak for the People, but that speak for themselves, for their special interests, and for the "status quo". There are reasons I wore "Lex Luthor for President" buttons a few elections ago. It's become a vote for a lesser evil, and I don't see that changing. This is sad because the second reason for the combination of holidays was meant to mark change.
The Second Reason, to allow for the nation to remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The sacrifice of one holiday was meant to provide the opportunity for the Nation to come together in the spirit of brotherhood, and unity. Now, sadly, not every state has adopted the holiday as their own. Or they have named it differently. That's okay. I'm fine with that. The point is, that they take a day and remember that we are all brothers and sisters, children of Uncle Sam and Lady Liberty. It doesn't matter if you are white, black, tan, red. Have we, as a nation, done some terrible things? Yes. Have there been crimes committed against our fellow man? Yes. Have we seen past our errors, and looked towards that green valley of brotherly love that Dr. King spoke of? I would hope so. We are still human, though. We need reminders. We need to remember that which we did not live through. We must learn from the mistakes of those who strode here before us, or we will be doomed to repeat it again and again. If I'm wrong in my understandings, let me know.
Do we take these opportunities that have been provided for us? The fact that the History Channel aired "The Presidents" in conjunction with "UFO Files" and had "The Final Frontier" Star Trek 40th anniversary shows in place of... oh... I don't know.... HISTORY! Rassellfrassel... I love Star Trek, maybe not as much as Firefly and Star Wars, but I don't think pop culture is history.
I come before you a sinner. I will admit it. I spent most of Presidents Day weekend watching things about the Majestic 12, the Star Trek auction, and how William Shattner changed the world (That was rather funny.). Still, there really wasn't much else to watch until Heroes came on later that night. That isn't fair. I should of been able to watch something, somewhere about the Presidents of the United States. On the Discovery Channel? Nope... Futureweapons (Though they did have some cool booms) Biography, History International, even? Nope, nope... How about a Law & Order marathon? Oh... no... wait... every one's gone out shopping, or apparently abducted by aliens. There are times I wish I would be abducted by aliens. If only to escape the idiocy of Corporate America. Of course, they'd have to abduct my wife with me. Oh! And Kieth Olberman and Joe Scarborough... two of the few sane news show types out there. I think they could use a break from all the madness as well. The guy from Hardball I don't think I want on my interstellar abduction vehicle... he seems to get a bit of the OCD of the mouth at times, but that's my personal opinion. I have OCD of the keyboard at times (looking back on this segment of rant that is just waaay too long...).
Needless to say, I think we should get back to roots at times. Maybe that's just because I'm a storyteller at heart. I think it'd be great to sit around the fire at night and listen to stories, as opposed to sitting around the TV and wondering if Donna is ever going to win James back from Kelly... Blach! That's not storytelling... that's drivel.
What is storytelling, though, is Heroes! OMFG! Oh, my frelling goram!!!! If you did not see it last night, you are reading this blog in error! Repent ye, repent ye, and get thee to thy freinds or neighbors DVR, Tivo, or other some such contraption (does anyone other than my Father still use VHS?). That's all I can say about it right now... still trembling from shock when I think about the guns... and the bullets... and the dying of the... WOW! And the Ando and Hiro... and the time thingy... and I think Ando does have a power. I think he's got Luck, karma, joss, fortune... really good juju. That's my speculation.
Take a deep breath. Mantra time... restore balance.... Ooohhhmmmm what a loon I am....
Much better.
Anyways, so since this last weekend was Star Trek weekend (apparently, since the history of the United States is so not good for the ratings). It's gotten me thinking. I think I know why the Star Trek franchise has gone kaput. I think they lost Gene Rodenberry's vision. I know the world's going to hell in a hand basket. I've said it myself more than once. That being the case, I don't think that means that Star Trek should. When I turned on Star Trek I wanted to see humanity overcoming that which is worse in our natures... not reveling, filtering back and forth, in those aspects of things. I think that what Star Trek fans want to see is "Hope". Hope for the future. Hope that no matter how bad things get, there is always a chance that things can get better, and that things will get better. I don't know about anyone else... but I like seeing a light at the end of a tunnel. Isn't that we join a faith?
Lately, TV has tried to hard to create the grim and gritty future... and those shows fail. (Well, except for Battlestar Galactica... which was supposed to be grim and gritty from the beginning.) Sci-Fi needs to go back to hope.
We need to go back to hope. As a people. We had hope when we remembered where we came from. Where we really came from. No offense, Mr. Shattner, but yes, you changed the world... but those changes are being... used... for evil... purposes.
Now... how do I write to Paramount? I have a story I want to pitch...
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