Oblivious

By Tammy Derouin

My weekly political breakfast club fell on September 11.  Jim, a good friend of mine, had been gazing at his watch and then announced that thirteen years ago; the first tower had been hit.  Memories shifted the conversation.  He suggested that we each say a little something about where we were and how we found out about the attack.  The general consensus was disbelief.  No one could believe we were under attack.

Sadly, I can’t say there would be disbelief if something similar should happen again.  Look what we have allowed to take place since 9/11.  The government has not only grown in size, it has authorized itself to overstep its boundaries.  Fear has been used in the name of security.  The “I want” mentality of our president has all but eliminated our system of checks and balances.  This system was put into place to prevent the abuse which is taking place in this administration. 

After a violation, it’s human nature to clamp down on security.  After some time has passed, level heads prevail.  Living in fear is no way to live.  At some point you find middle ground.  You don’t barricade yourself inside a house, nor do you leave your home wide open, begging intruders to remove everything which makes your house your home.

In the real world, or what used to be the real world, you don’t befriend the intruder.  An intruder has one goal; take or destroy what is yours.  You don’t reward his crime by lavishing him with gifts.  The neighbors would think you were crazy.  They may also begin to get a little concerned about how this will affect the neighborly relationship they have with you.  Trust becomes an issue. 

Just how ridiculous would it be to hear that your neighbor befriended an intruder?  Yeah, did you hear Mr. Oblivious found an intruder in his home?  Evidence indicated that after all valuables were removed, the intruder was going to destroy him and what was left of his home.  Get this, instead of calling the police and having him removed, Mr. Oblivious opened up his home, giving the intruder full access to all of his possessions.  He is providing him with a room and all the benefits of being a member of his family. But wait, it gets worse.  Mr. Oblivious is now working so he can support not only himself and his family but the intruder as well.  The intruder is now demanding health and educational benefits.  He is encouraging his family members to join him. I think it was called living the Oblivious Dream. 

I tell ya, just when you think it can’t get any worse, it does.  Now he’s got more intruders coming in and they’re demanding an equal say in how he runs his home.  Mr. Oblivious has now altered how he speaks and what he teaches his children. When the intruders don’t get their way, they picket on his front lawn.  They claim that even though they illegally entered the house, Oblivious owes him a lifestyle.  Oblivious, who worked for his possessions, is told he is a racist because he no longer wants to provide the intruders with a home and more benefits than are available to him.  Mr. Oblivious is informed he can no longer call the intruders, intruders.  It may hurt their feelings. To add insult to injury, the colors of his home, the home providing all the benefits, are now offensive to the intruders.

In what reality does this make sense?  It doesn’t, yet this has become the reality of the United States.  I think it’s also fair to say that anyone who would hire a security company to protect their home, would fire the company for leaving the doors wide open and giving away the possessions of the home owner.

While Americans debate intruder benefits, our security company is using it as a distraction to shuffle extremely dangerous individuals into our home.  Home owners throughout the neighborhood are arguing about compassion while the one who is supposed to be protecting the entire neighborhood conspires to destroy it. 

No one would behave the way Mr. Oblivious behaved.  Yet, we allow our president to welcome intruders into our home and take that which is ours.

“The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

John F. Kennedy