I grew up in Los Angeles in the 60’s and 70’s. My school had every color, religion and creed. The kids on my block ranged from poor to middle-class and we all went to the same school. We played tag, kick the can, hid n seek, red light green light and street soccer. We went out after breakfast and went home when the street light went on. I was taught to open the door for a lady, pull the chair out, say thank you and please. We were taught not to take something from someone else. We respected others lifestyles. Some of us went to church on Sundays, others on Saturdays and some didn’t have a religion. We helped each other in school. We were taught math, english, American history, civics and crafts like woodshop, metalshop, autoshop and others. Everyone watched Saturday morning cartoons like Bugs Bunny/Road Runner and we never thought to do the things that Yosemity Sam and the coyote did. We played cowboys and indians with cap guns, army with cap guns and we rode our bikes with playing cards clothspinned to the spokes. The boys and girls played these games together. When the ice cream man came, we all chipped in for a bottle of pop and share. Our parents would go to Kmart, JCPenny or a place called Gemco or Fedco to put cloths on lay a way. We went to Kinney shoes for our 1 pair of new shoes every year. Our government fought within itself, but always to try for a better life for the citizens. Welfare was available if needed but was only used when people really needed it (most of the time), and people, of all genders ( both of them) no matter your skin color valued work. There were always people that couldn’t work, but society tried to give a hand up not a hand out and any politician that proposed higher taxes was boo’d and shamed publically. No one, not an R or a D celebrated JFK being assasinated. No one I knew or knew of celebrated MLK jr being assasinated. And while all of us has ancestors that immigrated to America, they all did it legally and those that came illegally were found and deported.

I can say that my grandfather was a Democrat, and before he died, he was ashamed of what his party had become. I have always been a Republican, and I am ashamed of what my party has become. And I am ashamed of what our society has accepted as normal. This isnt my grand fathers or my America and I want my grandkids to have some of the same childhood memories and freedoms that I had. If you think I am wrong, what is wrong with you?