Tuesday, February 5, 2013

For Rent - Lovely Cave Apartment

I think I'll go live in a cave
I need to stop reading the news.   It just reminds me of what a whacked out world we live in.  I already know that.   But, alas, it was a slow morning at work so I got on the internet to do a little surfing.   I AM a Southern California girl, you know.   Since I would never ever ever EVER go out in public in a bathing suit - or wet suit, I surf on the internet and not in the ocean.   It's just safer all the way around.   However, I am reminded every time I get on  the internet that the ocean is not the only place where sharks live.

China.    One-child policy.   I never really thought too much about China's one-child policy, other than thinking that it's wrong.   I never thought about how the Chinese government enforces that law . . . now I know enough to want to put the Great Wall back up - - at least as far as the government is concerned.

A delegation of Chinese officials (11 of them - yes, 11 of them) drove out to collect a fine from some parents for breaching the one-child policy.   Well, it didn't go well.  The father was understandably upset and the conversation got heated.   The officials "convinced" the mother to go with them so they could talk over their "options."    Somehow the 13 month old "illegal" child was fatally crushed by a car driven by the officials.   He died.  Option One.  Problem solved.

Another story goes like this . . .    A 22 year old mother was pregnant with her second child.   The fine was $6,400.   They did not have $6,400.   An official texted the mother and said "I told you, $6,400, not even a penny less.  I told your dad that and he said he has no money.  You were too careless, you didn't think this was a big deal."    The pregnant mother was sometime thereafter grabbed from her home and taken to a local hospital where she was forced to have an abortion . . . she was 7 months pregnant. 

Yes, I must stop reading the news.   Or figure out a way to solve the world's problems.   Or live in a cave.   Or become desensitized to human suffering.  

I think I'll stop reading the news.

20 comments:

  1. When we mock religion and worship government this is what we get.

    I believe in the seaparation of church and state, but I fear the ellimination of church in favor of state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unfortunately, I think that's a legitimate fear.

      Delete
  2. I know what you mean, Judy. However, it doesn't take reading about what is going in China to get me worked up. Reading about what is going on right here is enough. I grant you that what is going on in China is really bad... it is when I hear this Administration constantly praise China and say that we should strive to be more like China that I want to start smashing things. Seriously???? More like China? How? Exactly?

    Well, we are on our way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I get worked up about a lot of things, Robin :) The article I read this morning made me more sad than worked up, though. When it comes to children and animals, my heart gets broken easily. And more frequently, it seems, as people seem to be more cruel and evil. BUT, I still believe there is more good in the world than bad . . . so that gives me hope.

      Delete
  3. It's horrifying isn't it? I used to be a total news whore, had to know what was going on 24/7 but when I gave up t.v. - all but what's left on my dvr - I kissed the news good-bye. I can't help but come across some of it as I too surf the net but I give myself 5 minutes, usually for local news and then I'm done. This world has gone beyond hell in a handbasket and the crimes we humans commit against the innocent and each other is shameful. I keep wondering when God is going to step in and say, "Enough!"

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You have a lot of self-control to be able to quit tv. Maybe self-control is the wrong term - but I admire you a lot for being able to do it!

      Delete
  4. Good grief! I think the one child policy in China is ridiculous. I feel sorry for those parents.

    ReplyDelete
  5. In the back of my mind I knew about the one child policy; I guess I never thought that anyone would try to have more than one! My eyes have been opened and almost wish they had not! :) So sad and so dangerous.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I,m thinking that avoiding the news altogether might not be too easy. It seems, sometimes, that the horrible things are just so much more horrible than the good things are good. But there really is a lot of good things happening too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've always said there is still more good than evil in the world - but the evil still makes me so sad. Maybe instead of the need I should just watch Infested and Hoarders :)

      Delete
  7. I meant "news" - stupid spell check

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'll be honest: I have been SO much happier since I gave up reading or watching the news. I am woefully uninformed and I don't care. If I want news I will check the CNN and local Boston websites. Sometimes i check on KIRO out in Seattle to see what's up but every single headline is bad news. Gloom and doom, murders, abuse, etc. But at least now I can control what info I get. As for China, I am so angry that our country continues to do business with them, importing their cheap crap made by people in labour camps. Yet the USA continues to have a trade embargo against Cuba. That double standard hypocrisy drives me up a wall. *steps off soapbox*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We all need a soapbox every once in a while :)

      Delete
  9. It is a scary world we live in...and too much news really just makes my stomach sick, literally. I stress over what my kids are going to find themselves dealing with...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've said it a couple of times above, but I really really believe the good still outweighs the bad - we just all need to work hard to keep it that way.

      Delete
  10. Clearly you hit a nerve here, Judy. The news is so overwhelmingly sad and discouraging. It can also be scary but sometimes I am cynical of the scary part. I am leery that influential people use fear to control other people and that makes me angry. I hate that you can't get the truth about what is happening in the world. Maybe you never could get the truth but , in today's world, I don't trust anyone. Someone is trying to gain power and/or money in every circumstance. BTW, did you know my middle name is cynical?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Well, Miss Graciecynicalwilde - see my above comments. It's people like you that still tip the scales for good :)

      Delete
  11. I've been turning to music lately. It's been helping. And good blogs. (:

    ReplyDelete
  12. What horrible stories! I haven't seen the news in months. I think I feel better for it. Though, a little lost.

    ReplyDelete