I'm Disturbed..

Not in a "I'm a mentally disturbed person" sort of way. More in a "what the..?" sort of way. Friday last week was just all in all a disconcerting day. First, Congress goes ahead and passes a "bailout" that most Americans opposed. I'm becoming increasingly disillusioned with Washington. I've never thought politicians were worth much, but I had maintained a hope that if they at least listened to the voice of their constituents, we as a country could survive. I've lost that hope. When the government rules the people instead of being a government for the people, by the people, it fails the people, and that's just what they did. They took an already bad bill, filled it with garbage, and then passed it against the will of the people.

So, I figured that would be the most disturbing part of my day, until I took the kids to McDonald's for dinner (did I mention that Tyson' s been gone a lot?). No, they haven't started posting the nutritional information for their food yet, although that might have been disturbing. But really, would it change what you would order? Is there really anyone going to McDonald's because they think it's healthy? OK, so back on track....We were sitting the playland area, eating our dinner when in walks a dad and his 4 sons, ranging from probably 5 to 11 years old. The McDonald's we went to is part of a gas station, and they had come through the gas station. They grabbed their dinner there: Packaged cookies, gatorade, and push pops. The dad's dinner consisted of a 24 oz. can of beer. So he constantly harped at the boys to finish their "dinner." (I get that McDonald's isn't healthy, and maybe no more so than what they were eating, but come on.) I guarantee that the price of their "dinner" from the gas station well exceeded a meal from McDonald's, so I couldn't feel sorry that the dad may not be able financially feed his children. All the while, he's sitting in playland, downing his Bud Light. I am in no way condemning those who consume alcohol. It's for each to decide. But in a playland? So they finished up their "meal," headed out, and loaded up in their car. Dad, after having just consumed alcohol, jumps in and drives a vehicle full of his own children away. Who does that? Maybe I'm sheltered, but I have a hard time conceiving of a circumstance in which the consumption of any amount of alcohol and the transportation of children in a vehicle should be combined. I'm sure he wasn't legally drunk after one drink, but any alcohol causes impairment, and that inherent risk should never be transferred to innocent children, no matter how annoying they might have been in the playland.

So, my hope for government and my hope for the people of America have been crushed. I had to imagine that maybe our irresponsible government is just an extension of our irresponsible people. I hope not. But for now, I'm disturbed.