Patriot Realm

Never, in my nearly 65 years of life, have I found so much wrong with the world. 

Oh, yes, there have been times of worry, times of concern, times of outrage, times of grief. But never, ever has there been so much wrong with everything.

My late father was a child of the Depression and a member of the Navy in the Second World War. He contracted Tuberculosis, had, albeit mild,  Polio, went to Hiroshima with the Forces and never once did I hear him say in his 89 years that he was afraid.

If he had been alive and with us today, I would have to say that he would have been afraid. Very afraid indeed.

I have often wondered what he would think of the mess we find ourselves in this moment, this day, this second. And, without being too overly generous to him, I have to say that he would be very angry indeed.

I cannot put words into a mouth that no longer speaks, except in the music he left behind.. I cannot speak as him but perhaps I can have a fair crack of the whip at what I think he may have felt and said. Because I knew him for over 60 years and that is a rather long time to get to know someone really well. My Mum would of course do a better job, but she, right now, is trying to come to terms with her new found status as a " vulnerable person." Yeah, right.

Well, if you knew Redhead, all 87 years of her, you would know that she is NOT a vulnerable person. In her opinion. And in mine. 

No, she cannot do what she used to do - her ladder climbing days are over. But, to be fair, so are mine. 

But, getting back to my late Dad, what would he say to this? 

Redhead and I play this game, each and everyday. " What would Raymond say? " ( Raymond F Peters, a fantastic foundation writer for this blog). 

Well, here is what I think Raymond F Peters would say.

I cannot believe what I am seeing, reading and hearing these days. In the old days, people who got sick went to quarantine and sanitoriums to get treatment and recover. Meanwhile, everyone else went about their business and did their best to make sure that LIFE went on.

When times were tough we didn't shut down our countries. I know that it is a very bad bug but so was polio. So was TB. So was leprosy when you come to think about it. But the rest of us mucked on, carried on and did our best and,  and when someone got sick, they would go to a place where they could be looked after and isolated from the rest of us.

But we didn't get shut down. 

With Polio, the schools were closed. Quite rightly. Today? Schools are open and everything else is closed. 

The older people are vulnerable. Like kids were back with polio. So why close the whole world? 

I am not sure if this is what Dad would have said but I suspect it could have been. He would have thought it irresponsible. Strange and, in his words, there's trouble at mill. " 

And yes, there is " trouble at mill. " Something doesn't add up. Nothing really makes sense. Why lock us all up and, for example, let prisoners free? Why restrain the populace, free the bad dudes and fine people for walking on a beach or sitting in a park? Why? Has Federal Government lost control in the case of Australia and USA? Where States are muddying the waters for the Prime Minister and President? Are countries with no States exploiting this as an opportunity to pass laws, ( not to protect us now but, in the future to deny us rights? ) and tell us it is for our own good? 

I merely pose questions and think of what Raymond F Peters would have said. 

And he would have sat there, in his favourite chair and said to me " You know what Shaydee? This is not about the Virus. This is about Warfare.  I was in a War and I learned to do as I was told. Because it was War.  You have all become soldiers except your Generals are too scared to say what they want to because some one higher up is the person really giving the orders. " 

And I would have said to him " Who is giving the orders? " 

and he would have said " It's bloody obvious."