Where Did the Good Humor Man Go?

I can still hear the jingle of the Good Humor ice cream truck going by my house growing up in Tulsa. At least in my mind. Those were idyllic times for me. No, we didn't have much money, but we were a close family with love and guidance and trust. My favorite was the banana popcicle and then to go to our backyard where my folks would be sitting on lawn chairs under the shade of two big trees. My sister and I would throw sticks and stuff into the air and watch the fruit bats swoop down at them. Such a simple yet lasting impression in my mind.

At that time Tulsa had great public schools, strong local churches and caring neighborhoods. People still trusted their government. It was a government of, by and for the people. But that was 40 years ago.....

Now there is extreme cynicism from the citizens about our local government. It probably goes for the State and Federal government as well, but lately its focused on local government. But we elected these people! And they are our fellow citizens. Why is there such a spirit of distrust and cynicism? To see what I mean, see this link on the Tulsa Zoo Controversy.

Now I can't lay this at the feet of just one or two things. That would be naive. But let's look at one cause (self-centeredness,)flying under the multiple banners of tolerance, diversity and multiculturalism. No one would argue that these are good qualities for individuals to have up to a point. This has resulted in part in a lack of willingness to work together for our common good. Instead, government has had to focus on satisfying the self-centered wishes of the people demanding tolerance and diversity. Government is now not looking to the common good but the good of a few groups who at their core are selfish. This lack of focus on legitimate government responsibilities (public safety, economic development, infrastructure) has further polarized the majority of constituants. Most simply have dropped out altogether, washing their hands of the situation. We see this with such low voter turn out in elections. This has set up and perpetuated the "good ole boy" network that now has controlled our city for decades. A few would like to see this change.

We have lost the spirit of cooperation for our common good that even our parents generation demonstrated in the 20's and 40's. People who survived the Great Depression had a can-do attitude and even in the midst of poverty and despair looked out for the needs of others. There is such a difference between you demanding your needs and you demonstrating how to meet someone else's needs.

I fear we are in a delusional period in our nations history. The foundation stones have been removed one by one and now the house is about to fall down. There may still be time to right the wrongs but our current government lacks the will to even keep us safe with a price of policital expediency (I'm speaking of illegal immigration). How cynical it is for our Federal government on the one hand to create a new Federal agency for Homeland Security, significantly increasing the size of government, yet unwilling to defend us from the relentless onslaught of illegals entering through our borders.

Now, my neighborhood is silent. There is no ice cream truck that goes by with that familiar jingle. Now I hear silence. Its the silence of selfish resentment by the multiculturalists and the silence of apathy and indifference by the cynic.