A Boston Tea Party …(The Greatest Generation)

Tom Brokaw wrote a book called “The Greatest Generation”. He was speaking of the Americans and especially soldiers that were part of World War II. I doubt anyone would disagree with his labeling of those people as the greatest generation. What they sacrificed for the future of America was amazing. They sacrificed freely for future generations without expecting anything in return. The generation of WW II realized life was not always fair and often times hard but that did not stop them from doing what was right. We also see these same qualities in the soldiers in Iraq.

Contrast those people with the senior citizens and baby boomers of today. The word SACRIFICE is not part their vocabulary. Sacrifice has been replaced with want and disserve. As in, we deserve entitlement programs regardless of what it costs future generations of Americans. As in, we should not have to sacrifice anything in our senior years. As in, they do not require our politicians to be honest to us. Today’s senior citizens and baby boomers expect they can have what they want and they can have it now and if their favorite politician does not agree then he will soon be their ex-politician. They believe life should always be fair and never be hard for them.

Many of these people are children of WW II Americans but don’t even remotely resemble them. The costs required to pay for their every need will cripple future generations but that isn’t their problem. They will be dead. The generation of WW II Americans selflessly put the future of their children and grandchildren ahead of theirs. They were willing to dye for that future. Today’s generation of retired Americans bitches if they have to spend a few extra dollars for medicine or are required to take a small cut in social security benefits. In sixty years we have gone from “The Greatest Generation” to “The Selfish Generation”. Someday maybe a book will be written about their selfishness but it won’t include the word great. My respect for the one grows everyday and for the other my respect lessens everyday. Tom Brokaw was right. We will never see such an amazing group of Americans ever again.