For many years, I have been fond of a quote by Scottish novelist, George MacDonald. MacDonald said, “When we are out of sympathy with the young, then I think our work in this world is over.”
I ask you to think on that before you read on.
I liked to believe that this quote would appeal to Utahns, a notoriously family-friendly group of people, but I don’t believe this any more. Let me tell you why.
Just the other day, the president of the United States of America, a vitriolic man by all accounts, mocked a 16-year-old girl with Asperger syndrome, OCD and selective mutism for giving one of the most powerful and sobering speeches ever delivered at the United Nations. Her call to action was emotional, certainly, but that did not diminish her highly rational points, inspiring messages, and factual credibility.
Greta Thunberg has done more in her brief time than many of us will achieve in our lifetimes. More importantly, she has been a force for good.
Unlike our president, she hasn’t gained fame and popularity as a result of immense greed, corruption, threats, mockery, sexual assault, general ineptitude, etc. She has championed a cause that will help to preserve this world for her generation and generations to come. She is devoting her service to the benefit of others. This may sound strange, given our new societal lowpoint, but this is what a president is supposed to do.
In her speech, Greta challenged world leaders, but never called any out by name. She recognized, as I do, and as other members of younger generations do, that this issue is far larger than a single world leader, or even a few. And yet, this somehow drew the ire and mockery of a manchild, elected (by states like Utah) to improve this nation for those who will soon inherit it.
The president of the United States of America, unprovoked, mocked a child. And, as a result, he was outclassed by a 16-year-old girl.
I am not writing to criticize the president, it would be too easy. Besides, Greta Thunberg displayed more intellect, compassion and oratorical skill in a single speech than Donald Trump has demonstrated in his entire lifetime. The world has witnessed how transparent this is.
I’m writing this letter to ask a question. Will today matter, or is our “work in this world over?”
Because it certainly seems that way.
Forget Trump, I’m writing this to criticize you.
Living, older generations have been the benefactors and bystanders of immense corruption, greed and complacency. For decades, older generations have abused the planet, economic systems, minority classes, and more — for kitsch products, another dollar or for no remotely valid reason whatsoever.
Deforestation, oceanic degradation, rising temperatures and the like, have been the result of willful ignorance and deliberate inaction, spanning decades that passed long before people like Gerta or myself were even born.
Lastly, millennials make up nearly 30 percent of the voting population but hold fewer than 5 percent of seats in Congress. This is not because candidates under 37 aren’t viable.
It is pretty clear who is at fault for the state of the world. The people running it.
Our nation is divided because of the greed and deeply rooted prejudicial attitudes of older generations, our economy has been rigged to favor older generations, our institutions of higher education have been made unaffordable by older generations, and our planet is on the verge of an irreversible, environmental tipping point because of older generations.
But the biggest problem of all? Older generations don’t care. And, I don’t believe they will change a damn bit.
I wager that family-friendly Utah will once again vote for Trump, despite his laundry list of dirty deeds, which now includes the mockery of a child. In advance of this, I echo a question posed by Greta, “How dare you?”
Greta Thunberg did not just ask “How dare you?” of the world leaders she spoke to. She asked this of you. A generation asks this of you.
I need to know, will you remember today? And more importantly, will you still have sympathy tomorrow?
Trey Elvis Hansen, Salt Lake City, was director of correspondence and digital content for Utah Gov. Gary Herbert from 2016 to 2019 and is now an account executive for a local software firm. His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect the views of his past or current employer.
from The Salt Lake Tribune https://ift.tt/2nUhKm0
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