Is America going in the right direction?
by Attorney Joseph Meissner

Bes ure to read Part 1 of this column by Joe Meissner called Are you Enjoying the Delightful Infirmities of Old Age? continued here.

I can endure all and more of this. Cancers. Heart attacks. Lungs filled with fluids. Use of canes and wheel chairs. Rotting smells and pains from urinary and defecation systems gone awry. All of this we can bear if we see that our society has benefitted in some way from our short depressing lives on this tired planet. "We can take it" if our children are better off. As the world improves, we can rejoice that the future will be better and we have contributed to this. We can thank the Good Lord for our simple accomplishments and not mind as Death fast approaches.

But somehow our whole society and even the world seem headed in the wrong direction. If one road heads toward heaven and the glorious city on the hill, the reverse road goes in the opposite direction to hell and toward Lucifer's cheerless realm. That latter is the way the globe seems to be descending. On the internet the other day I came across this sad lament from one woman. Let me quote her:

"Yes," she wrote (her name is Helena), "Clearly our society is taking a wrong path. I have discussed this with my own sons. We are forgetting that our bodies are temporary dwelling places for our souls, which after our deaths will live on in another, mysterious way. This truth should give us a certain necessary humility in the face of our worldly successes, and a certain spiritual consolation when we face the loss of loved ones." This should be the approach of humility toward our own debilitating conditions. I am positive we could suffer all of these infirmities if we held the view that the world is going on the right bearing. Our lives would add to this momentum and we could face our Maker with calm, humility, and even joy.

But as Helena states, we are "taking a wrong path…"

Furthermore, my view is that we are traveling fast down the wrong paths, that is "paths" plural. We are going down the wrong lanes in many different spheres. I have listed Night Problem areas below. But I could easily add another twenty to these. (I have not even mentioned destroying our history by smashing the statues, or our filling our days by asking-really begging-- our doctors for the next expensive pain medications)

1. Children:

drive near any School entrance or playground. What do you see? Blobs and tons of fat. Our youth are not just large, not just still outgrowing their baby chunkiness. They are obese. One-third of our youth are obese. This number is growing. Of course, so many of our youth are great people, hard-working, dedicated, and kind. But what happens when they are obese at such early ages? They will probably live another fifty or more years. Will they ever conquer and lose all of this weight?

Consider also how they spend their time. How many endlessly troll their cell phones? How many sit for hours staring at game screens? "Couch potatoes" has become a well-known phrase to our endless watching of mind-numbing television. Where is the exercise creating "a sound body" in this? Where is any connecting with other real live human beings?

I have watched at what happens inside cars currently. The youth really could walk for most of their outings. Instead, they slouch over the back seat, each enthralled in their cell phones, instead of looking out the car windows, marveling at all they see, and perhaps playing our old games of license plates, numbers, and state symbols.

One more observation. Have you ever observed children now going to the grocery stores with their parents? In my time, we walked with our parents. We helped push the cart. We would run off down the aisles to get some items our parents asked us to find whether a jar of pickles or a loaf of bread. Today the children sit in seats while their parents wheel them about. They cry to stop at the stalls offering a sample of some new food items filled with salt or sugar or both, and more calories. When they emerge from the store exit, they have even added more weight. We must acknowledge our young people are headed in the wrong direction.

2. Women:

You have heard of the "me-too" hash tag. What is this all about? Women are complaining bitterly about the exploitive mistreatment they have received from overly aggressive and very insulting males. Often these were powerful males whose support was needed by young females for advancement in some profession. I get this. But then look at some women, how they behave and how they dress. You may wonder if I am about to blame women for their mistreatment But if you accept that males have a very animalistic and predatory side-including in their numbers rapists, thugs, and brutes--why should you needlessly provoke unwanted behaviors?

Let me cite one example. Earlier this year, I learned about "short shorts." These are really short pants, usually denim, then begin skin-tight at the crotch and then display a taut back part of the shorts climbing up the women's rear, even showing publicly parts of the buttocks. Not much is required by the imagination.

We might have hoped that #me-too would have led to a resurrection of such long ago virtues as chastity, moderation, decency, and purity. Instead many women seem to revel in slutty attitudes, use of fowl language, and sexual talk. Where is any real criticism of this? I understand men are quite often guilty of some of these behaviors, but their bad comportment should not be an excuse for such bad female conduct. Again we are headed in the wrong direction

3. Minority groups, especially Afro-Americans:

Our history si filled with such great people as Dr Martin Luther King, Malcom X, Soujourner Truth, Fredrick Douglas, and Booker T. Washington. With all of these inspirational people, we should have seen much progress and improvement in race relations generally and for minority groups But what do we see? There seems to be more poverty today among minorities even if there are a few such as sports figures and other Afro-Americans who have made great gains in the professions and accompanying wealth gains.

But as the gap widens between the minority rich and the minority poor, where is the real progress? Some think relations between the races have never been as bad with the prospect for even further worsening. Instead of NAACP, SNCC, CORE, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, we have groups such as Black Lives Matter and other extremists.

Of course, that is right that Black lives must matter. But all lives matter: Brown and White, Yellow and Red. Even worse, such groups seem based on a hatred of "non-blacks." These groups arise from false premises.

For example, all the protest in the city of Ferguson which turned violent in some instances, emerged from the actions of an individual who at the time was really a thug. Ferguson did have many problems which should have been corrected long before, such as altering their police force which had a composition over 90% percent white in a city with a large majority of people of Afro-American background. But to get back to the youth, some six feet tall and muscular, whose death sparked the protests and riots. I understand the incident began with his strong arming and bullying a store owner to let him steal some small item, then outside he proceeded to walk down the middle of the street. When requested by an officer to use the sidewalk, this grew into a physical altercation in which this young man tried to take away the officer's pistol. A shooting takes place and this young man is dead. Here is a tragedy, but how could the aftermath have been better handled by all?

Finally, the relations between a city populace and local police forces hardly seem cordial and cooperative. Police people have committed crimes and executed unjustifiable shootings while at the same time police have been shot down while trying to help civilians and their families.

Similar tragedies to Ferguson have happened elsewhere. Furthermore, on college campuses there seem to be demands and actions that hardly fit ideals of non-violence, of brother and sister hood, and of integration. Where are the spiritual descendants of Dr. King and Malcolm X? It seems unlikely that race relations are going to improve, but instead we are here also headed in the wrong direction..

4. Immigration

Currently we have in the United States eleven and a half million people who are "undocumented." Translated, this means they are "Illegally." Is there no resolution to this? What about especially young people who were brought here as babies and young children born in other countries, the so called "Dream Act children"? Despite being born elsewhere, these are "Americans" by their language, attitudes, hard work, and culture. Have we no way of finding a way to help them? I fault both sides of the aisles in Congress.

Another immigration fact. Under President Obama, alleged to favor immigration reform and help the undocumented, some 400,000 people were deported in each of his years as president. Think of all the families torn apart, and lives disrupted? Most of these are good people who work hard, obey the law, and send home whatever they can to help their families. (Are you aware of the hundreds of millions of dollars in remittances these workers send to many home countries in the world?) I encountered a group of illegals putting roofs on homes of Americans, damaged in a life-threatening storm. Never did I see people work harder. There were no hour-long coffee breaks, no loafing around eating extended lunches. They reminded me of my own Dad who worked so hard as a master carpenter on the roofs and home outsides until well into his seventies. We should be welcoming such people, not hunting them down.

5. Military personnel and national service

The number of people in our armed forces continues to decline, both in terms of overall numbers as well as in terms of percentages of people. Here is a quote from the internet: There were 1,340,533 active-duty troops in 2015 (including those serving in the U.S. Coast Guard). This marks the smallest active-duty force since 2001, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis of data from the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). In addition, the share of Americans serving in the active-duty military has declined marginally to 0.4% of the population in 2015 (down from 0.5% in 2009).

One of the strongest voices speaking about the need that our young people serve in some kind of capacity for national service has been General Stanley McChrystal, an Afghanistan war hero. This could be military service. There could also be various kinds of civilian service, whether in our large cities or areas needing help with the environment. Here is a quotation from his article dated June 20, 2017, summing up his argument. " Our civic landscape today is quite disturbing. Trust in one another and in key institutions are at historic lows. Our politics have become nastier; it's harder to get anything done. Meanwhile, most of the other indicators of our civic connectedness - volunteering, voting, joining voluntary and civic associations - are significantly down from previous years."

This is not the America we can be. ….We are a country defined by ideals now in need of rescue. America needs a big idea that plays to its strength. It should look to national service.

The General points out how such a national service could benefit our country: We should get to the business of providing at least one million opportunities each year for young Americans to spend a service year with peers who are different from them - by race, ethnicity, income, politics and religious belief. At this scale of one full quarter of an age cohort, serving together to solve public problems will build attachment to community and country, understanding among people who might otherwise be skeptical of one another and a new generation of leaders who can get things done. I saw these effects for 34 years in the U.S. Army. We need them in civilian life.

The echoes supporting the General's proposal have hardly been deafening. The Public debate has been less than supportive.

6. Media

Where to begin? There are so many instances of fake news reporting by all political sides. Let me point out two major concerns that should have been presented in depth but were not.

First are the on-going fears over North Korea and its reckless Rocket Man. Is North Korean dictator Kim Il Un a madman? Would he ever use his arsenal of atomic weaponry on other countries, including cities? Would he sell a bomb or two to the highest bidders, as part of a nuclear e-bay? Or is it all just a game?

One could be excused for saying it is all play acting. But the dictator has not displayed much kindness toward his own family. His uncle--a very powerful figure in the North Korean government--might have been more moderate in his views toward the rest of the world. His reward was being called out of an important government meeting and straightaway executed. The internet was filled with stories that his dead body was then fed to the dogs. That may be an exaggeration, but still here was Kim's flesh and blood, a relative, maybe even a moderate, who hardly received minimal due process before being eliminated.

Another instance was the plight and doom of Kim's half-brother. He was poisoned while visiting a massage parlor between air flights at an airport. The two young ladies who provided massage services to him thought it was all some kind of tryout for acting. Instead they had been dispensing a most deadly form of poison which only had to be applied to somebody's skin. To bring about death. Fortunately, the young ladies were wearing rubber gloves, but the half-brother had no such protection. He died in great pain.

So how does this play in the media? How should it be reported? My point is that our media--given Kim's stash of nuclear bombs--should be a major and constant subject for news discussion and analysis. It is not while Stormy Daniels and her ilk get extensive

A second story which received only the barest of exposure and then mostly insulting was the Tax Bill sponsored by the White House. This year we have seen major changes in a Tax Reform Bill. I wanted to learn about the bill's provisions which were many and covered many subjects. But throughout the entire time of the debate, I could find virtually nothing in our media which explained the bill's various sections as well as how these would affect us and the economy. Instead there was simply more invectives actually blocked necessary debate. Again our media had taken a wrong turn.

7. Media promotes porn

Does that sound overly blunt? Are you aware that over the message traffic on the internet is based on outright pornography; not the soft Playboy and Playgirl varieties, but the hard core, see all, reveal all kind? Here is a further expose of this "sexual abuse culture" as explained by noted author John Horvat II. He labels this as the "Other Sexual Abuse Culture that no one dares to mention."

This is the second sexual abuse culture that no one dares to mention. It should likewise be vehemently opposed. Unlike the first culture that is limited to individual actions against another, this culture victimizes anyone who watches it. Because the acts it portrays have no legal consequences, they are much more irresponsible and pervasive. We can be exposed to more sexual abuse and harassment in one evening in the second culture than a full year in the first. And yet, no one complains.

This second culture is defined by the plots and themes that degrade humanity. They are watched by everyone, male and female, conservative and liberal, old and young. We are flooded with images of these irresponsible and sinful characters that live in a surreal world, acting out their impulses and whims. They make sexual abuse look so easy and gratifying. Each deplorable and sinful act represents not a single episode but is multiplied by the number of times the film is shown. It is as if the same abuse is committed millions of times inside theaters, homes and mobile devices. Inside the minds of countless viewers (and abusers), these films send a message of validation and social acceptability

Author Horvat very explicitly names the enemies: The abuse culture in question is the entertainment industry. It is found on movie screens and entertainment venues everywhere. This culture broadcasts hyper-insensitivity (emphasis supplied) to violence, nudity, profanity and gratuitous sex. It teaches young people that all these things are normal and can be done without consequences. People are desensitized by a wide array of abusive and immoral behaviors that sets the stage for #metoo abuse.

The author in his writing the goes on to analyze movie after movie-many of them popular productions that make millions and millions of dollars-that are marked by their insensitivity and spread all types of harmful images and themes. Our entertainment world continues its downward path.

8. Decline and weakening of the institution of marriage

At Harvard Law School it is third year and our three years of legal studies are drawing to a close. I have been invited to a party. I attend but soon it becomes obvious something else is going on beside the usual chatter, dancing, and drinking. This is "a marriage party". What is that? A female friend at the party explains to me: "We are now coming to the end of our studies. A number of our women students had hoped to find husbands, but have failed. This party is possibly a last opportunity.

Can any of you remember our one time social traditions? Men and women got married for better or for worse, in sickness and health, for richer or poorer. This pathway to marriage called for a young man and young woman to fall in love, enjoy courtship, celebrate the moment of the proposal, rejoice in the marriage feast, then live and work together, have children, establish the family, and nurture their children to adulthood. Meanwhile the children received their educations, grew up in a home of love, found their own loved one, and started another new family which built on the strength of their prior family and upbringing.

But look what has happened. Here is one authority with his blunt assessment: NYU Sociologist Paula England is right. The retreat from marriage in America began in the late 1960s, took off in the 1970s, and continues to the present day. It concerns jobs - good ones - and their scarcity, especially for the less-educated men and women who have experienced the biggest declines in marriage. This is also tied into the declining status, both in jobs and income, for many lower income males. Here are some conclusions from our friendly author and another author:

We agree on plenty, starting on page 11 of my book, where I make it clear that "men are languishing when compared with women," in both higher education and in the labor force. As recently as October 2016, the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that over 11 percent of men between the ages of 25 and 54 - about seven million people - were neither employed nor seeking work. What are they doing, and why have they come to languish?

These authors go on in their discussion related to the decline in marriage. Males are failing to keep up with women. Why should they? They can get cheap sex without any penalty of a shot-gun marriage. The women themselves use "the pill" or other contraceptives, many by choice, others by pressure from their boy friends. If there should be "a little accident," why a quick visit to the corner clinic for an abortion resolves that. Often the women are not in favor of marrying these copulating males. The women want to preserve their own freedom of where they lives, their job choices and their professional development. They also may be hoping to find better mates.

So such couples often settle into "shacking up," both because it is usually more economical to share utility bills and other expenses while sex is readily available without very little cost. Socially there is little stigma and even close friends rarely ask, "Are you married?"

Our authors continue: In the sexual exchange model - which is and will remain social reality - men now need to provide less to their partners to access sex (because it's cheaper). And women require men's resources less than before because the pill has enabled them to finish college and have careers. What's happening is what we should expect when such a revolutionary technology is injected into the relationship economy. Hence, young adults can now avoid marriage without paying a sexual penalty. This, I hold, matters particularly for men, who are - on average - slower to associate sex with emotional commitments and love.

Where does all this lead? Speedy sex accessibility, little financial responsibilities, less and less social pressures, and easy ways out of these relationships. No messy legal divorce cases nor high-priced attorneys. Tie this with the high cost of having a "worthless" child and a burdensome responsibility lasting for decades or more. So the question: why have kids? They are not economically worth much, in fact far from it. All kids have problems, multiplied by today's drug culture, alcoholic availability, and expensive tastes in clothes, entertainment, and living styles. As for love and appreciation, even dogs may give more companionship.

The author offers this conclusion concerning sex. I see little that will reverse this. Sex is designed to be one of the most profound ways one person can connect with another, in the context of marriage. Mere consent has replaced commitment, and it has deeply damaged the ability to connect with and value our fellow human beings.

Our very effective technology of "the pill" and other devices, connected to changes for females in terms of professions and employment, male aversion to commit joined with easy access to sex: what does all this spell for our society. Furthermore, we have not even begun to discuss the ready obtainability of pornography (two clicks on the internet), mixed sex dorms in colleges, bachelor television shows complete with 25 females for one male, and easy one night pick-ups, and "quickie" no-fault divorces.

Does anyone think there will be a return to the past virtues of purity and chastity coupled with moderation and the commitments of marriage? I would point out that the one male in the Bachelorette television series who stated he was a virgin, was considered a real freak, if not a joke.

Enough of this gnashing of teeth. Let us return to the Harvard Law School marriage party that began this section. During the evening my female friend reported to me that some proposals had taken place. Success! So what was my role in all of this? I finally figured out that I was not one of the desirable males. Actually I had been summoned there to see if I could turn another individual into a jealous suitor and he would then propose to the woman who had invited him. Not wanting to be the bait, I eventually retrieved my coat, walked down the back stairs, said good-by to my friend, and disappeared into a snowy cold moonless Cambridge night.

9. Princely treatment of animals while humans die of starvation

I have heard that by this evening 40,000 more people will have died today on this planet earth because of famine, a lack of food, and malnutrition. Over 20,000 of them are children. Consider for a moment all the food that gets wasted in America and the other wealthy places on the globe. Think of all the fine foods that are thrown into the dumpsters behind McDonalds as well as from the restaurants and other fast food places. Think of how much we destroy unthinkingly from our own tables in our homes.

With all that God has bestowed upon us in terms of food, I do not see how He can overlook what we as unfaithful stewards have committed in terms of waste and gluttony. I hate to compare the poor creatures to us, but think how dogs and even cats are treated so well. They enjoy beautiful house interiors and apartments. They are guests in our own bedrooms. Their foods are made from the finest of ingredients. Today I heard that a dog needed two teeth removed. Dentist cost $500. Then there is doggy clothings, doggy jewel collars, and doggy pillows and blankets. One woman who makes a living walking dogs of owners too busy to walk their own dogs told me, "I can only walk the dogs for about half an hour. After that-compliments of their affluent life styles--they are too exhausted and worn out to walk any further."

So the bottom line is that people including children currently in large numbers die of starvation, famine, and malnutrition while dogs and household pets grow fat and live in luxury like kings.

10. Slaughter of the unborn

For many years I have considered myself to be pro-life. The unborn children are God's precious gift to our human family and we should treasure each and every human life as a sister or brother. Every human being has the right to life which should be legally protected. This legal protection should begin when each of us first begins which science states is when the sperm from the Father donor joins with the egg from the Mother donor. That is the beginning. Furthermore, our right to life should endure as long as we endure.

So what about abortion? I have always held the view that permissive abortion is wrong. It is a tragedy for the mother, the father, the unborn child, and the family including our broader human family.

The number of abortions in America alone is overwhelming. Since 1973 when permissive abortion became legal, America has seen almost 60 million abortions. That means 60 million tiny new human lives were sucked out, scraped out, sliced up, chemically poisoned, and even allowed to be born alive before being killed. President Obama went far beyond being prochoice when he refused to even criticize these "abortions" of babies born alive. He would never even allow any medical care for these human lives despite some examples of where such children have survived, thrived, and grown up.

I have always been concerned about pregnant mothers who have undergone abortions. I have thought that many of them were pressured into these abortions by their social or economic circumstances. In my heart I have prayed for these mothers. I have considered that eventually they regretted what they felt was necessary, especially as they grew older. I consoled myself that if I could not stop such permissive abortions, at least everyone including the aborted mother would recognize they had done something that was wrong and should not be repeated.

But then there were new statistics which showed that many women were having second and third abortions, and even more. Marilyn Monroe was reported to have had thirteen abortions. Are women simply repeating this Holly wood pattern? But worse is happening now. We have some aborted mothers who sing the praises of their abortions. They seem to experience no sorrow at all for the lives of their tiny children.

Here is a report from one female researcher who reported these reactions from women: There's nothing worse than hearing yet another story from pro-aborts, claiming "women's rights", while yet another innocent life is lost at the hands of an eager abortionist. Except for one thing - hearing these horrific words from a mother, before she authorized the slaughter of her baby. In fact, her words are chilling and show such a disregard for human life, it's absolutely sickening. This mother talked in a breezy matter about murdering her baby, as if she was describing a new clothing item she purchased from the store.

She penned a letter as if she were talking to the child she murdered, mixed in with "I wanted to be a mom, really" type of language, but then admitting she was ultimately too selfish and wanted to live her life, and because she murdered her child, she had that chance. Truly, selfish to the core, this woman carries out in a rant how she wanted to stay home and party and really just wasn't ready to be a mom.

Scary Mommy reported: "I wanted to live my life. I was just starting my career, I'd just turned 21, and honestly, your father and I had been having problems in our relationship, arguing over the fact that I wanted to party and he wanted to stay home, all the time. He was older, more mature, and I guess, ready to be in love. I was a rebellious kid intent on playing house but incapable of handling the boredom that came with it… You weren't the catalyst, in the end; you became the excuse I needed to get out. I'm tired of punishing myself for letting you go. Of being guilty for not feeling guiltier. For the sense of relief I felt. For being sad. For the incomprehensibly mixed emotions I've carried. The tears that I've cried and the numbness that enveloped me, and the life I've managed to live because you didn't."

While this letter is horrific to read, it reveals the truth behind what happens with so many abortions. To put it simply - pro-aborts view babies as an "inconvenience", instead of a blessing from God. If this woman didn't want to have a baby, she could have placed her child up for adoption, and given her baby the chance at life. But instead, she wrote a twisted sick story, actually describing how she felt her child inside her, and what he must have looked like. Scary Mommy continued:

"I want to say that my world shifted until all that mattered was you. That I imagined you to be a precocious little thing, sucking on your thumb constantly the way I did, or so I've been told, till I was five. I'd like to say that I thought you would have gotten your father's gentle kindness and my wild rebellion. That you would have inherited both our senses of humour and sarcasm (poor thing), and that you'd be a cookie monster, just like your father.

It's sickening, as this mother was placed on the abortion table, she actually imagined her child sucking his thumb, and dreamt about what he'd look like. And while some post-abortive mothers later go on to regret their abortion, this mom clearly has a different take. She has the audacity to say, she is "not sad" she murdered her baby, and she would have resented her child, had she kept him.

Scary Mommy continued: "I mourn you, but another facet to this truth, is that I am not sad I let you go. I would've resented you had I kept you. I would rather feel guilty for being a bad person by letting you go, then by being a bad mother and screwing up your life and your perspective of the world by keeping you."

This woman murdered her baby and did so without hesitation. And instead of grieving her life-altering decision, she writes as if though she'd do it again if given the opportunity. This woman's story should have never seen the light of day. But of course, being the leftist outlet that they are Scary Mommy decided to further the post-abort agenda by showcasing this story, as if readers should feel sorry for this woman, or agree with her decisions.

But even more sickening news is coming. The abortionists are selling ice cream in order to promote their agenda. That's right - NARAL and other abortion groups aligned with the left think that murdering babies is something to be taken lightly. That it should receive no more consideration than choosing what outfit to wear each day. Their new campaign advertises a partnership with an Oregon ice cream shop, What's The Scoop? and Pro-Choice Oregon with the introduction of a new ice cream flavor for August - "Rocky Roe v. Wade." The special flavor will be sold in pints for around ten dollars, with half of the profits going to support NARAL's anti-life programs. They've taken to social media with colorful images of ice cream cones with a background of a sunset, saying, "Order yours now and help defend reproductive freedom!"

WHERE ARE WE IN THIS PAPER OF MINE? Let us sum up.

We have explored some of the many infirmities that burden our elder years. I admitted my view that all of these would be worth their pain, sorrow, and burden if I perceived the world was even a little bit better off because of all these sacrifices. But we have now discussed ten major ways in which America seems headed backwards. In summary, these are ten signs that our beloved country of America is speeding quickly in the wrong direction in many different areas. Actually, I could add another ten major additional areas where we are headed toward disaster.

I do try to be sensible about this. In the past many from an elderly generation have criticized younger generations. The old have always preached disaster just ahead because of the faults and misbehaviors of youth. Usually, the old people were afraid of change and were often wrong in what they complained about. Am I in that category-just an elder citizen who cannot accept and appreciate changes?

I do not think so, although I am always open to somebody pointing out my defects, especially if I am a cranky elderly nut-case. Let me defend myself.

The ten areas which I have briefly discussed are crucial to our society. One-third of our youth obese; forty percent of our adults are obese. How many handicapped parking places will we need? Will the parking areas simply one huge, mammoth handicapped space? How many large electric go-carts will we require in our stores and shopping malls? Furthermore how will our young people ever take care of infirm parents and elderly? Will they actually be able to serve as our nurses in the nursing homes and assisted living apartments? Moreover, who will take care of them as they age and become less and less mobile?

Who will defend our country as less and less volunteer for the military? How will the young learn sacrifice, working together and achieving together if they fail even to discuss the merits and implementation of a national service program?

As for women, will we turn into Hollands where you walk down the street and pick out your hour companion from live offerings in the windows? Will this all lead to stronger marriages where couples pledge for life?

Will our media continue to show only what titillates our sex glands? Will they avoid the real issues?

Finally, what happens when abortions outnumber live births? What happens when our pets take over the spaces meant for children? What happens to a society that can grow plump and not even worry about 40,000 people including 20,000 children who daily perish from hunger?

Suppose therefore I am right about all these anxieties? Is there any possibility that this can be changed, that we can recover the right pathways? But who is going to do this? Can the sick cure the sick?

So I do not have much hope about " our" future. Perhaps we should consider who are the "our"? Maybe that is not us at all. Maybe it is the strongly religious Muslims. Maybe it is billions of Chinese. Maybe we are the dinosaurs and it is our turn to join the other extinct creatures who no longer live on this planet.

A few last words: Recently my daughter Betina and I again visited Ireland which was the First Homeland for my Mother Norah. Ireland has just confronted a terrible referendum in which the very prolife Eighth Amendment in its Constitution which explicitly protected the rights of unborn children was repealed thru a well-fund propaganda campaign by abortionists abetted by a very pro-abortion general media. The pro-aborts won by two to one. Should we end our prolife labors?

Here is the answer. On our last day in Ireland, we attended Mass at a local Church in Limerick. The priest gave a fine sermon with three recommendations for all of us.

The Third Recommendation is that we must continue to hope. That is excellent advice for all of us whether in Ireland or America. I fervently believe there is something after our suffering on this earth-whether physical as I initially detailed above or spiritually from my list of Ten "Wrong paths" in our society on this earth.

Secondly, I believe we shall all meet everyone again. That includes all the unborn children killed in America in permissive abortions. I hope to tell them that we did our very best to save them "so they could come to know, love, and serve God in this world" and we attempted to help their pregnant mothers and families. I think it was Mother Theresa who said, "It is not whether you are successful here, but did you try?"

In conclusion, never lose hope. It is our Irish patriot (?) Winston Churchill who said, "Never give up, never give, never give up."

Read the beginning of this column by Joe Meissner called Are you Enjoying the Delightful Infirmities of Old Age?