Family Traditions

I love being in the woods, always have.  There is something peaceful and natural breathing the fresh pine scented air of a wooded area.  My family has been content with simple things in life, one of those being walking around the local wooded area around our suburban water supply to collect pine cones for Christmas wreathes.  In this post 911 world though one year we were kicked out.
It was, we were told, a matter of “National Security”, by some idiot employee of (actually I have no friggin idea and he did not identify himself).  We were just “not allowed” to be there.  Somehow this strikes me as odd. 

As a resident of the community and recipient of the water therein contained in said water supply, did they not think said resident, and drinker of said water, would not report to appropriate authorities the pollution of previously stated water supply by turban wearing swarthy looking middle-eastern bearded men?
I then started my blogging over at Hannity.com with this incident.  I was dutifully told over there that collecting pine cones was not a specifically guaranteed Consitutional right.  I then related the incident of getting forever banned in under 48 hours from Hannity.com to dailykos.

Now though I have a one year old grandson who delightfully extends his arms everytime he sees me.  I showed him my wonder of the woods on a magical 4 wheeler ride this summer when we went to our vacation/potential survialist spot camping trip.  He now looks at me and says Vroom, Vroom as he asks me for a little fun, a little enjoyment in life.  He seeks the bonding with another human who knows how to love him and unconditionally does.  He finds it refreshing and different from his parents who are caught up mostly in the Satan inspired propaganda ministry know collectively as “American media” and also the collective soap opera foisted upon the twenty somethings of the current cannon fodder generation.

I want to show him the simpler joys in life, like collecting pine cones for Christmas wreathes but in teaching him that I have to show him also the Satanic side of humanity I’ve come to see all too clearly.
The “post 911 world”, the fallacy of a global war on “terra”.  In time I’ll have to explain why we could not go to the “old” location where there are lots of pine cones instead of this new place where the pine trees are much smaller.

His parents are basically tradesman types so I get to explain to him what Machiavellian really means.  That duty and responsibility allows me to get up in the morning even when I see the entire world as totally insane.  Should I also attempt to assess his capacity and willingness to accept truth or should I leave it up to the Matrix and let him decide for himself to fight Agent Smith or take the blue pill and lead the usual pod person life.

I happen to think he’s got the spirit, if he can pick me out of a crowd and can hold on to a wonderful memory two months ago as a one year old, he has my support.  Once I pick him up, it’s just about impossible to put him down.

 

6 comments

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  1. ive been a parent for 19 years, but my brother just had his first child last year.  so it feels like a whole new generation…

    and his daughter is just the most beautiful thing ive ever seen…(and i have 2 daughters)…

    but he and his wife are completely wing-nutty…our last dustup was over whether its wise to have an ez pass, as those records have already been used to substantiate infidelity in divorce cases, and to issue speeding tickets if you go through consecutive tolls in too short a time span…of course he comes at me with the whole ‘you have nothing to worry about if youre not doing anything WRONG’ bullshit…heh, define ‘wrong’…he fears for his safety, i for my liberty.  we’ll never see eye to eye…

    and i whisper secrets in that little girl’s ear every private chance i get…that there is a better way…that her parents might be wrong about some things…

    ordinarily i wouldnt take such license, but since he emails “liberals are retarded” screeds to my 13-year-old, i dare…oh, yes, i dare…

    • Pluto on October 6, 2007 at 04:24

    And certainly it’s those who knew a different reality who will be the most depressed.

    The “tiny” generation will grow up with the “big bad gov” and it won’t bother them.

    I diaried about this phenomenon on another unnamed blog — about zoos and animals who were born in captivity verses those who were captured in the wild.

    You can see it in the animal’s eyes. It’s heartbreaking.

    Be consoled that your grandson will never feel the pain of lost freedom.

    • Alma on October 6, 2007 at 05:12

    I often wonder what will happen to the kids of today.  And its not just the loss of rights.  I worry about continuing war from what Bush started, and how many years we will have such senseless killing.

    I think your grandson is in fine hands with you, and will listen and learn.  It sounds like you are a good teacher.  You have the best qualities for it.  Sanity, knowledge, and love.

  2. During Hurricane Floyd in 2000, the Dam just upriver from our village suffered some damage to the bridge and roadway, and was closed to traffic.

    After 911, the NY militia showed up and it was permanently closed for national security reasons.

    But here’s the thing: They still haven’t repaired all the damage from Floyd.

    So, I guess having my village washed out due to terrorism would be unthinkable…
    but having it washed out by the action of nature and inaction of man is an acceptable risk?

  3. The 9th Amend. of the Constitution basically says that there are other rights not mentioned in the Constitution, so unless it specifically “forbids” people from collecting pine cones (which it does not), you should assume you have every right to do that.  I don’t know what happens if you are trying to collect pine cones on private property and there are signs posted saying do not collect the pine cones.  Maybe a lawyer could help.

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