I believe it started with Miss Mac Ateer, in the seventh grade at Linden School, during the year of Social Studies class. We studied Geography, Civics, The Constitution, and American History, way back in the early 1960s. Miss Mac Ateer, would begin her lesson plan by explaining “none of us can become a better American, unless all of us, remember the events of this nation that have brought us to today.” I still remember that quote, and oh yes, the times' Miss Mac Ateer, added, “that none of us should ever use God’s name in vain!” (Pittsburgh Public Schools where each and every morning included, a passage from the Bible, reciting ‘The Lord’s Prayer, and Saluting the Flag).
It made sense to the young me, although I might not have dwelled on the philosophical bit of it, the whole part of, taking what we know happened, separating the bad from the good, never attempting the bad, COULD make for a better outcome for tomorrow. I mean ‘DUH,” learn from the mistakes, identify the villains, and do better! When I took History classes in High School and became more aware of the world in which I lived as a Jewish Individual, I also became keenly aware of the German desire to conquer the world one Jewish life at a time, and the quote “Never Again, resonated loudly for me.
I have been accused by some of ALWAYS posting about the BAD THING HAPPENING, that I ALWAYS seem to perseverate on the Negative, just let it go, because you can’t change the world…Ya know what…I do, and I will, and I shall continue! I believe I have a choice in my lifetime, to either place my head in the sand, and hope good will win, OR speak up, act up and be loud to CALL OUT THE BAD, THE HYPOCRISY, THE ENEMY, AND THE HATER! I write this because I wanted to say out loud, a quote from Hillel the Elder: If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? ... A single candle can light a thousand more without diminishing itself. ... Take care of yourself - you never know when the world will need you. ... What you yourself hate, don't do to your neighbor. ... IF NOT YOU, WHO?
