thependulumswings

How low can you go?

Limbo got its start as a traditional dance contest on the Caribbean island of Trinidad.

But, here recently, it looks like the contest has moved to the U.S.   And, it looks like the bar is being lowered at an accelerated pace in an uncontested manner.

People from many walks of life and responsibilities are playing.  The wonder is if their responsibilities combined with their sensibility, or lack thereof, has us dancing to a new unpleasant tune.

Take for example Chicago Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson.  Downtown Chitown was taken over Saturday night by hundreds of teen thugs smashing windows, jumping on occupied cars, pulling drivers out to fist fight, etc, etc. He ever so briefly condemned the violence of the teen mob before lashing out at those criticizing the criminals.

“It is not constructive to demonize youth who have otherwise been starved of opportunities in their own communities,”  he said.  How does he know where they are from?

And, whose fault is that?  The community?  The city?  The parents?  Or, is it just now normally accepted behavior to commit a crime without fear of retribution?  Barrack Obama, who hails from Chicago himself, told us that “elections have consequences.”

Maybe it’s the fault of the road construction crew on the very roads that they disrupted.  Transportation Secretary Peter Buttigieg told Al Sharpton on MSNBC Sunday that “the way roads are designed and built makes minorities a lot more likely to die in car crashes and pedestrian vehicular crashes.”  The Reverend Al even looked speechless for once.

A Washington State bill that would strip parents’ rights to intervene in their kid’s medical care in certain circumstances passed the House Wednesday, clearing its pathway to be signed by Gov. Jay Inslee.

“An act relating to supporting youth,” or Senate Bill 5599, allows host homes for runaway youth “to house youth without parental permission.” Furthermore, the host homes do not need to notify parents about where their kids are or if they are getting medical interventions.  The “protected health care services” included “gender-affirming care.”

It’s “relating to” as long as you are not “related to.”

“Supporting youth” sounds so helpful.  Next thing you know we’ll have a “sounds so helpful” Inflation Reduction Act that adds trillions to the nation’s debt so that pet green projects can continue to be fed.

So to recap, your parents can go to jail for child neglect if you aren’t fed.  It’s the law.  But they have no right to know where you are when other adults know where you are and what medicines you are prescribed.  It’s a new law.

As a minor you aren’t old enough to drive.  But you can stomp on a car’s hood and hit the driver in the face.  You wouldn’t want to drive on those racist roads until Mayor Pete fixes their prejudice anyway.

You can’t vote.  But you can elect to cut off your body parts to change your identity.

You have no choice but to attend school.  But, you can beat your teacher up especially if the state-funded drag queen performer falls short of your expectations.

In some Christian beliefs, limbo is an uncertain period of awaiting a decision or resolution.  The Catholics used to call it Purgatory.  Maybe you get to push the up button on the elevator to Heaven, or maybe you push the down button to Hell.  Time will tell.

Maybe we can do away with Hell soon, too?

Maybe.

But this doesn’t feel like Heaven on Earth right now.

How low will we go?