COTTAGE GROVE SENTINEL APRIL 11, 2018
7A
Crosses to bear
E
very generation has its cross to
bear
Scientifi c studies suggest that we re-
member best the things that happen be-
tween the ages of 15 and 25 years old.
Researchers in this sort of data call it
a “reminiscence bump.” It includes re-
membering everything from your fi rst
kiss to public events. If that is true, to-
day’s young adults are certainly going
to remember a time when it was fright-
ening to go to school. Good for them
for taking their “never again” cause to
the streets. It is their cross to bear.
I can vividly remember where I was
and what I was doing when certain
things happened in those early years
of innocence. In this new social media
era, victims are being publically target-
ed and bullied or silently stalked to a
violent end. People get so angry they
plot how to mow down their neighbors.
It’s a cross to bear.
My point of bringing up this subject
is not only because of recent atrocities.
It’s because those of us over the age of
50 have also had front row seats to all
kinds of terrorism and violence in our
lifetimes. I interact daily with people
who feel like they’re suffering from
PTSD, remembering wars and other
evils. We seem powerless to stop the
madness.
According to a Washington Post arti-
cle, the United States is NOT the most
violent country in the world. It just
seems like it. (Think Mexico, Hondu-
ras, Kyrgyzstan.) However, in compar-
ison to other rich, capitalist democra-
cies, we have a
society where
an
unusu-
al number of
people die vio-
lently yearly. A
cross to bear?
Or a problem to
solve?
So,
come
along with me
on a little walk
down memo-
ry lane. Senior
citizens will recognize and remember
where you were when these so-called
incidents happened. Unfortunately, we
had front row seats to most of these
tragedies. Still, the violence goes on.
I vividly remember the day that Pres-
ident John F. Kennedy was assassinat-
ed in Nov. 22, 1963, I was barely in my
20s and driving my sweet pre-school
daughter home from having her birth-
day photo taken in Inglewood, Calif.
As the news of J.F.K.’s death came
over the radio, traffi c visibly slowed
and it was obvious that we drivers
were all in shock. Our nation mourned
together. We were glued to our televi-
sion sets for days and the images of a
mourning country are imprinted on our
He was 39 when he was shot and killed
on April 4, 1968. His death was a shot
in the heart of the movement.
Two months later, Senator Robert F.
Kennedy, the late president’s brother,
was assassinated. He died at 42, after
being gunned down by an assassin at
the Ambassador
Hotel in Los An-
geles.
Another
deranged shooter.
His killer, Sirhan
Sirhan, is con-
sidered one of
our fi rst terrorists
and is still in jail!
That’s not fair ei-
ther.
Email bchatty@bettykaiser.com
The on-going
Vietnam Confl ict
was never offi cial-
hearts forever.
ly declared a war but it lasted nearly
This year was the 50th anniversary 20 years. On May 4, 1970, brave Kent
of the death of Martin Luther King, Jr. State University students protested the
Who can forget his “I have a Dream war in a bloody clash with the Ohio
speech during the march on Washing- National Guard. Four students were
ton? Because of him, the Civil Rights killed and their protest became the fo-
Act of 1964 ended segregation in pub- cal point of our country’s division. The
lic places and banned employment dis- war ended fi ve years later. PTSD goes
crimination based on race, color, reli- on forever.
gion, sex or nationality. MLK was the
April 19, 1995, I was jolted awake
most important voice of the movement. by the radio news of the Oklahoma
Betty Kaiser's
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City bombing. Timothy McVeigh and
Terry Nichols decided to bomb the Al-
fred P. Murrah Federal Building where
168 people were killed (including 15
children) and 680+ were wounded.
Why? Because they were angry at the
federal government.
I think that the whole world watched
the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the World
Trade Center, killing 2,977 victims.
Those 19 Islamic extremists seem to
set the bone chilling tone for the 21st
century. Lives were lost and trust bro-
ken to never be regained. The madness
goes on.
Each of these horrible incidents hap-
pened in a different decade. Mankind
never seems to learn, compromise or
change. The perpetrators never show
remorse. It seems that angry humans
always have a reason to kill one anoth-
er. Every generation has that cross to
bear.
The Apostle John said, “Little chil-
dren love one another.” Love and ac-
ceptance begin with you and me at
home, on the freeway and at school or
work. It’s good advice. Always be con-
siderate and respectful. And if we can’t
get along, that’s why we have laws.
Obey them. God help us all!
FROM OUTSIDE THE GROVE: LORANE NEWS
Submitted by Lil Thompson
RAC/Lorane Grange celebrated
20 years of the talent show at the
Grange last Sunday April 8. There
was a small but lively group. The
Ukelele Group warmed the audi-
ence. Several Community Service
Awards were given by the grange
for excellent service to the commu-
nity: King Estate, Marissa Cooper,
Linda DeBose, Randy & Marty Es-
hleman, Lorane Fire Dept, and Jim
Annette. : Always favorites: Kyle
and Jim playing guitar and sing-
ing, Taz Jentzsch on piano, Modie
Scaletti sang Acapella then accom-
panied Pat Dixon singing "House
on Pooh Corner,” and an adorable
young girl named Banjo who sang
about her dog Bella.
The evening ended with the Ukelele
group followed by dessert in the
kitchen.
CAL School Board meets this
Thursday April 12 at Applegate
Elementary, 7 p.m.
Come to Applegate Elementary
on Wednesday, April 18 to enjoy a
wonderful Grandparents Tea at 1
p.m.
The ladies of Lorane Christian
Church are having a Craft and Bake
sale at Lorane Grange on Satur-
day, April 28 from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m.
Crafters may rent tables for $5.
Call 541-556-6223.
SENIOR SERVICES ADVISORY
COUNCIL NEEDS NEW MEMBERS
Medical Offi ces • Pharmacies
✓Serving the Communities of South Lane County
South Lane Wheels
1450 Birch Ave, Cottage Grove
www.southlanewheels.org
Are you a senior? Have a passion for working with seniors?
If yes, please consider applying for the Senior & Disability
Services (S&DS) Senior Services Advisory Council. S&DS
serves all of Lane County with a wide range of publicly funded
services for older adults and persons with disabilities. The
council advises S&DS on services and advocates on senior topics.
541-942-0456
For more information or an application packet, please
contact us at: smarks@lcog.org. or 541-682-4509.
Application deadline: April 30, 2018.
Disclaimer: All vehicles are operated in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. South Lane Wheels complies with
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Information about the transit agency, including information in non-English alternative
formats, may be obtained by calling 541-942-0456 or rlinoz@southlanewheels.com
we
our libraries!
Cottage Grove Library
700 Gibbs, CG
541-942-3828
Mon & Tues 10am-7:45pm,
Wed-Sat 10am-5:45pm
Be sure to
check out a
LIBRARY
near you!
Brad’s Cottage
Grove Chevrolet
2775 Row River Rd., CG
541-942-4415
“Courduroy”
Creswell Library
64 W Oregon Ave.
541-895-3053
Mon & Fri 12-6pm,
Tues-Thur 10am-7pm,
Sat 10am-4pm
CG Chamber
700 E Gibbs Ave
Cottage Grove
(541) 942-2411
“Wuthering
Heights” by Emily
Bronte
Books on Main
319 E. Main
Cottage Grove
(541) 942-7423
“Where the Wild
Things Are”
APRIL 8-14
Kalapuya Books
637 E Main St
Cottage Grove
(541) 942-6143
“Trask”
by Don Berry
Starfi re Lumber
Blue Moon Books
2166 W 6th Ave
Eugene
(541) 485-2665
“Fahrenheit 451”
by Ray Bradbury
Gifford and Gifford,
LLP
751 N River Rd
Cottage Grove
(541) 942-7914
“A Wrinkle
In Time”
2795 Mosby Creek Rd
Cottage Grove
(541) 942-0168
“America: The Last
Best Hope” by
William J. Bennett
Rosendo Lopez
Contracting
(541) 954-1954
“The Giving Tree”
by Shel Silverstein