History Repeats Itself

Once upon a time, there was a land where people were made of valor and strength. They fought for noble causes that triumphed for the greater good. Depth of character and a strong sense of morality guided them. Those few that didn't acknowledge God at least understood the concept of authority and morality.
People still fight for causes that are said to be for the greater good, but the very idea of "good" has flipped inside-out. Good is determined by a feeling produced in an isolated moment. If you want to do something and you will get brief or prolonged satisfaction from doing it, it's good! Life has been reduced to whatever we want to do at any given time. It's good to allow children to eat whenever and whatever they want and end up 400 pounds at eight years old. Oops, at least they're happy. It's good to dismiss the majority of misbehavior and irresponsibility as a medical condition that can only be subdued with medication. It's good to abort your baby, especially if it will free you up to research new methods on how to save the planet.
Nonsense is the new common sense. Let me give you a heartbreaking example. A young mother, unable to care for her new baby girl, gave her to a gracious family member who agreed to care for the child. The new parents fell in love with their new little treasure, giving her stability, attention, and a proper home. Almost a year later, her mother came back for the baby and said she'd changed her mind. She'd recently married a former registered sex offender of children and wanted her baby back. The court ruled that the mother was the rightful caretaker of the girl, despite the drastic drop in the quality of the child's daily environment. Not to mention she would now be living with a former child sex offender. Of course the "adopted" parents are devastated, although not for themselves. They love the girl, and are devastated at the thought of her in this new life.
I can't comment much on the political scene, as President Obama still has time to show the world what he's made of, and to bring this Hope and Change that he so boldly prclaimed. There is a growing sense of uneasiness in my mind as I watch things unfold. I've never known more corruption in the government nor in the business world. It's strange. When I watch the news, I feel like I'm back in history class watching old videos of corrupt governments and societies that crumbled on their own or were defeated by countries like America (pre-moral-downturn). But here we are in present-day America, and I'm unsettled by it. Clear thinkers -- and I don't claim to be one of them, although I try -- are a rare find. The standards have been severely lowered on all accounts, and it's frightening. When everything seems backwards, I have to ask myself if I'm the one that's backwards. The reason I don't think so is this: we live in the land of nearly the greatest amount of information and education. We know history, and we know the saying "history repeats itself." My dear America, take note. History repeats itself, and we are no exception.