By REY FLORES
Is it just me or have people become ruder, less patient, and more uncaring in the last decade?
Perhaps it’s cyberspace and the anonymity of our social media activities where I have noticed that people become downright mean to each other, having the “courage” to spout off whatever they want — knowing that it’s unlikely they’ll ever have to answer for their misbehavior.
Road rage seems to be on the increase as well as I see people cutting each other off, making crass hand gestures at each other, or just plain driving recklessly without concern for the safety of themselves or others. There’s a level of anonymity there as well, but it is definitely more likely to land you in an accident, a physical confrontation with some maniacal motorist, or even in trouble with the police.
Fast food joints are increasingly dealing with customers who attack restaurant employees for shorting them on their super-sized fries or not getting them their fast food fast enough. I have seen at least a couple of people yelling at the drive-through order screen and even spit at it because the person on the other end can’t distinguish their order between Sprite™or fries.
What is really ironic is when two motorists get into a “race” to see who can drive faster or beat the other driver to the red light, only to find out that they both are on their way to the exact same church service or Mass.
Is charity dead? Are average people so fed up and frustrated with the everyday rat race that they have finally run out of patience and now have absolutely zero tolerance for their fellowman?
There’s nothing like a presidential election year to bring out the worst in many Americans, especially in a supposedly post-racist America which seems more divided now than when Martin Luther King Jr. was still sharing oxygen with us here on Earth.
The candidates’ behavior and rhetoric are bad enough with all sorts of accusations, allegations, and mud-slinging going all around on the left and on the right, but the supporters at certain candidates’ campaign rallies have gotten pretty nasty themselves.
Even “news reporters” and secret service agents got in on the action by choking and pushing each other at a Donald Trump rally last week.
Then there are Black Lives Matters protesters who are crashing both Democrat and Republican candidate rallies. I have to give them credit for being equal opportunity agitators.
Then we have all of the ridiculous political pundits on TV, whose spittle can be seen on our screens because of their venomous grandiloquence.
We are such an uncaring society that we kill our own unborn babies because we shouldn’t be “punished” or inconvenienced with the result of our promiscuous activities, indiscretions, or misbehaviors.
As far as the elderly, sick, or the handicapped go — some cruel people in our nation are introducing and or supporting legislation that would euthanize any of these “useless” persons who are no longer able to contribute to society in any way. The attitude is: So why not kill them?
Yes, folks, it seems like the world has taken a turn for the worse as we all seem more wrapped up in our own frivolous activities and pursuits than in caring for our fellow human beings.
Why bother communicating with each other anymore at places like airports and airplanes, trains or train stations? We have our iPhones and smartphones and other gadgets to bury our noses in, and we can plug up our ears with people-canceling headphones so no one bothers us.
Americans may recall a time when we could have a difference of opinion without either getting punched in the nose or labeled as an intolerant bigot, homophobe, religious fanatic, or racist.
Today, saying the “wrong” politically incorrect thing can even land you in court if you dare speak the truth about a man wearing a dress or a man marrying his pet iguana!
Religious intolerance is not allowed, nor should it be — too bad this doesn’t apply to Christians anymore.
Musician/songwriter Nick Lowe wrote the song “(What’s So Funny) ’Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding” back in 1974, later made famous by Elvis Costello in 1979 — but the lyrics and song title couldn’t be more appropriate than they are today.
All I can say about all of this divisiveness and strife in our world today is that so long as we have God and His Church and all of the graces we receive from the sacraments, we always have hope and joy.
“Be Not Afraid” as John Paul the Great reminds us.
Take the time to be peaceful in Christ this Lent. Take solace in His commitment and promises to us through His suffering.
Love Him first and let us love each other as He commanded us.
Finally, let us understand each other. We all bear crosses seen and unseen.
You see? There is nothing funny about peace, love, or understanding, as long as we have Christ as the center of our lives.
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(Rey Flores is a Catholic writer and speaker. Contact Rey at reyfloresusa@gmail.com.)
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