Welcome to My Blog!
I am sitting down to start this blog over the 4th of July weekend in 2020. The world is in the mist of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Black Lives Matter movement is increasing our awareness of social injustices, economic uncertainty faces many of us, and the Presidential election season has turned everything political. It makes me want to hide and shelter in place. Well I guess I’m already doing that, so time to move forward. Yes, we live in stressful and uncertain times. But difficult times are not new in the evolution of human existence. I am an optimist by nature, and know that we will emerge as a better society, albeit a little battered and bruised. Even during the relatively short existence of our country, we have been through much worse. The American Civil War (War Between the States) comes to mind. What is different today, is the immediacy, and unprecedented amount of information that we receive, for better or for worse. We are bombarded daily will social media, broadcast and cable TV, newspapers, radio, websites, podcasts, emails, texts, tweets, and on and on. It’s no wonder many of us feel anxious and sometimes frustrated, including me. This is compounded by the social isolation experienced during the pandemic, and the increased idle time we have to consume this barrage of information. During these days of self-quarantine and social distancing, I am helping my community by staying at home. I am the quintessential “Armchair American”, with an opinion on most things. Rather than just sit here and pontificate to no one in particular, I decided to start this blog.
I intend this blog to be about issues of the day; social, economic and political, as well as about random thoughts. I don’t want it necessarily to be a political blog, but unfortunately everything has become politicized these days, and it is hard to avoid. But it will not a partisan blog, hence the tagline: “View from the Center”. It is a forum to express my views on topical issues, get some things off my mind, and provide a venue that I can control, at a time when much seems outside of my control.
I do not intend my views to change minds, but rather to provoke thoughts. Comments and feedback are welcome.
I intend this blog to be about issues of the day; social, economic and political, as well as about random thoughts. I don’t want it necessarily to be a political blog, but unfortunately everything has become politicized these days, and it is hard to avoid. But it will not a partisan blog, hence the tagline: “View from the Center”. It is a forum to express my views on topical issues, get some things off my mind, and provide a venue that I can control, at a time when much seems outside of my control.
I do not intend my views to change minds, but rather to provoke thoughts. Comments and feedback are welcome.