still relevant today

so i am reading a collection of mike royko columns and came across some from the '60s that are eerily relevant today...and as a side note, reading royko makes me remember just how much of a gem chicago really is...although i am still not sure i could live there again...but i am starting to miss it.

he wrote about LBJ declaring he would not run again in 1968 and the state of the country...and it sounds a lot like today...

"The president of the United States told the poeple of the United States they are so divided against themselves he dares not take part in a political campaign for fear that it could get even worse...

Unrestrained hatred has become the dominant emotion in this splintered country. Races hate, age groups hate, political extremes hate...

The young, that very special group, was offended by him in so many, many ways...

For one thing, he was old. They might have forgiven him that if he had at least acted young. But he acted like a harassed, temendouslybusy, impatient man with an enormous responbility...

He offended them by failing to pander to them, by not fawning over them and telling them that they were the wise ones, that they had the answers, that they could guide us...

Maybe he wasn't the best president we might have had. But we sure as hell aren't the best people a president has ever had."

of course some folks will think this means I love johnson and gw...and they will miss the point....they will also most likely be like me...young and full of piss and vinegar and convinced they have all the answers when really they don't know shit about shit. tv ruined the presidency...unqualified bozos who appear young, hip and trendy can squeeze into office. not that many young, hip and trendy folks get in...but too often the guy that should make it...the older, wiser, dignified person with real ideas and understanding is pushed aside because he is "out of touch." sad really.

about a week later royko wrote about the assasination of MLK...

"...behind them were the subtle ones, those who never say anything bad but just nod when the bigot throws out his strong opinions. He is actually the worst, the nodder is, because sometimes he believes differently but he says nothing. He doesn't want to cause trouble...so when his brother-in-law or his card-playing buddy from across the alley spews out the racial filth, he nods."

wish i could say i never do this...but i'm guilty of it...we all are.

"So we killed him. Just as we killed Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy. No other country kills so many of its best people.

A week ago Sunday night the president said he was quitting after this term. He said this country is so filled with hate it might help if he got out. Four days later we killed a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

We have pointed a gun at our own head and we are squeezing the trigger. And nobody we elect is going to help us. It is our head and our finger."

(sigh)