The great divide across America is becomming like the Grand Canyon, or a rift deepening daily. Us adults who are participating in this drama see the rifts and cracks: the safety net has long since fallen way down into the canyon. Seeing this little cowboy cheerfully posing for his mother at the Grand Canyon last week, I could not help but focus on his image as one for all our hopes int he future. Even his GAP shirt has meaning here. What will the changes in Medicaid, Medicare, funding for social programs, and nuturing our resources do to this cowboy's life in the future? It is a symbol of what I think about when I see the messes and political fol-de-rol of the present Bush Administration. It's bad enough that the Bush vision of Empire must be forceabley spread to the world, but those of other nations should know too that there are visions of much-changed priorities that are becomming grim realities to common US citizens.

While the nation focuses on a few unfortunate souls - victims of the BTK killer (now caught) and Michael Jackson (you know there are far more than these few boy) , there are other people missing daily, like the little Jesse/Jessica girl taken from her bedroom. Yet with quiet words and somewhat hidden announcements, our government takes away rights and approved budgets that will seriously hurt lives of veterans, families in poverty, disabled and dependent adults, the elderly, and children. While at it, take away the guaranteed funds from Social Security and give that good idea into guaranteed funds for stock brockers on the Market. Make Mrs. Uncle Sam be forced to chose amoung her children which shall receive medical care and which shall be cut off.

Sometimes it is not the random acts of violence that do a society in. But looking at the media these days, we are all to focus on a few private horrors and ignore the pervasive horrors coming in with soft words, in obscure places.