Perfect Spring is what I am experiencing as I sit at my table on the Writing Porch. The temperature is not too hot nor is it too cold…it is just right. Mylo is clearly content with the semi-outside vistas of the Screened area. We look toward Holy Week and remember the suffering of Christ at the hands of the religious elite of his day.
Russian President Putin has not been satisfied to wage war against Ukraine in order to regain what he believes is part of Russia…he has slaughtered thousands of Ukrainian civilians in the process. This was done out of a total lack of respect and acknowledgment of the Ukrainians’ humanity. The viciousness of humans toward other humans is unfathomable. Ukrainians are being tortured and raped and killed for sport in an act of genocide.
Forgotten people are all around us. We see them begging on our street corners with handmade signs that explain their financial emergencies. Our homeless shelters are bursting at the seams…but these are not the only forgotten people. There are dilapidated houses in every town in Southern Illinois…I noticed many that had reached a sore condition of lack of repair and maintenance in Eldorado when I visited recently, and often we say…’Surely no one lives there.’ But, there are indeed people that live in these houses. If the children did not receive breakfast and lunch…and at times dinner…at their schools…they would go hungry. The fact that for one of the richest industrialized countries in the world…the United States has a staggering amount of hungry people.
The Slap was the sound that was heard around the world. We all stopped and were shocked and astounded and engaged in philosophical discussions as to who was right and who was wrong. As I watched the event and the resulting debate following. I wondered what the person who is hungry…thought about The Slap…
The Happy Traveler 
I love the power coming from this post, and the images. These are the things we need to be thinking about. Perhaps the orchestrated slap (they are actors after all, trained to do this kind of thing), provided a subconscious distraction from reality for a minute (the business of Hollywood). Thank you for sharing your thoughts Mr Brooks, and bringing us back to what really needs to be addressed.
My pleasure, my friend.
Poverty is everywhere, including in rich countries. I was surprised when I heard of elderly poor in Singapore eating food from trash cans. I thought poverty was controlled here. Guess I was wrong.
Poverty is a social and economic illness across our world.
Absolutely true! More should be done to help them.