EPIPHANY OF THE DAY

 CHANGE

We hear old sailors speak of a sea change. We hear philosophers talk about paradigm shifts. We hear the malevolent talk of alternate facts. Old folks on the porch simply say, “Things aren’t like they used to be.”

People in their senior years have seen a lot of change. I only know about America. And here:

Time was a man could murder his wife for supposed infidelity and have a fair hope of acquittal.

Time was an African American family couldn’t enter a fine restaurant or sit in the main lobby of a movie theater.

Time was a judge, always a male, would award a man who had kicked a wife and child out to make room for a younger woman would set the child support payment at less than the cost of daycare.

Time was one could only marry the person they loved if that person was of the opposite sex.

Time was a company could work men in unsafe conditions for less than sustenance pay and have parks named after them for the profits they earned.

Time was we felt that bedrock slums were fine for families simply labelled as "those people."

Time was prominent pastors encouraged parents to beat their children in order to maintain discipline.

Ooops. That time is still with us.

Anyway … the point is this. When I hear someone say, “Let’s make America Great Again,” I want to know what America they are talking about.