The Fears of My Father

The Fears of My Father

This August, my dad will be 92 years old. He landed on the shores of France 72 years ago this month, shortly after D-Day and was part of the occupational forces in Europe serving in Patton’s army. He is a member of our country’s greatest generation and fought the war to end all wars…or so he thought.

I remember the tone of his voice on 9/11. The deep sadness and resignation that what he fought for was fading. That a new war was being fought, that our country was under attack but this time it wasn’t across the sea – it was at our front door. With 21st century technology and all day media, this new war came blasting right into my father’s living room.

Since my mom passed away in 2012, I talk to my dad all the time, even more than I did before. Lately almost every day. If you have a parent living in Florida or someplace else where it’s warm, you know the drill. You get the weather report, a list of what’s ailing them today, the doctors appointment they just had or the ones coming up.

Over the past few months, this has also become part of the conversation.
Me: Hi pops, what you doing?
My Dad: Watching stupid TV.
By stupid TV my dad means the news stations reporting the latest terrorist threat or attack, the political news…more like political theater, or what seems to be a string of never-ending attacks on America by Americans, the latest of which occurred this past weekend in Orlando.

Leading up to this Sunday’s call with my dad, I pretty much knew what to expect. The weather, the stupid TV and the sadness in his voice when talking about what had occurred just a few hours and just a few hours away from my dad’s home in Florida. Once again, that sadness in his voice touched a nerve in me. My father, the World War II veteran, a member of our greatest generation, living to see what out country is becoming. A place where a morally bankrupt (and a few businesses too) reality TV star is the leader of the party of Lincoln.

Did my father care that the victims were gay? No. Did he care that the shooter was Muslim? I don’t think so but honestly, I didn’t ask. My father only cared that 50 people in Florida had died senselessly because someone was able to get a gun easier than my he gets his hearing aids, easier than he gets his insurance bills explained to him, easier than it would be for him to get his driver’s license (but he’s smart enough to know his driving days are over).

So here we are. The last members of our country’s greatest generation are slowly fading away, and they get to watch as the moral fiber of our country fades away with them. We are torn by political extremists and obstructionists, religious zealots (and I’m not just talking about Muslims), by people who exploit every opportunity for their own causes no matter the consequences…no matter what the body count. We live in an era where there is no compromise or dialogue on the issues, the real issues, facing our country. Where most people vote their pocketbook, not on issues that really matter. The issues that the greatest generation fought for.

And it all plays out on stupid TV.