By Daniel Wiseman ——Bio and Archives--June 18, 2012
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“Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.”And as further stated in the Declaration of Independence:
“We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”It is truly disappointing to live among people who when they read those divinely-inspired words don’t receive a chill up their spine, as I did when I wrote them, or even worse scorn them as archaic and out-of-date. Another disappointment is that we now live in a country in which any discerning person would deem it impossible to participate in today’s popular culture. The title of this column, “Disappointment was my closest friend,” comes from a song called Higher and Higher by Jackie Wilson, released in 1967. It’s a devotional song expressing love to a one in a million woman, but it rings like Gospel music and praise of the One Above. Now America has always had its faults; nothing and nobody is perfect. However, the sentiment of the Jackie Wilson song seems genuine, and although not achieving the standard of righteousness, it is uplifting and inspiring. As I’ve written before, today’s popular culture has descended in less than 50 years into vulgarity that defies description. How far we have traveled from Kate Smith singing “God Bless America,” in the 1940s when she rallied the country to defeat the Axis Powers: the Nazis, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. Perhaps why President Reagan was such a popular president was his sunny disposition. Disappointment did not seem to be in his character despite that he had many difficult life experiences that could have caused him or any person to sink into despair. Tellingly, Reagan was raised and educated before the 1960s, which was an America although riddled with fear due to the Cold War, was also one in which people believed the Cold War was worth winning, could be won and would be won, which it was under Reagan’s watch. I found four quotes on the internet about disappointment that I particularly like:
“You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It won’t happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” – Joel Osteen, Your Best Life Now: 7 Steps to Living at Your Full Potential. “It was one of those times you feel a sense of loss, even though you didn't have something in the first place. I guess that’s what disappointment is: a sense of loss for something you never had.” – Deb Caletti, The Nature of Jade. “Disappointment is a sort of bankruptcy – the bankruptcy of a soul that expends too much in hope and expectation.” – Eric Hoffer.And finally, from Pittsburgh legend, Fred Rogers, who from all accounts was genuinely the person who he appeared to be on his television show, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood:
“Part of the problem with the word ‘disabilities’ is that it immediately suggests an inability to see or hear or walk or do other things that many of us take for granted. But what of people who can’t feel? Or talk about their feelings? Or manage their feelings in constructive ways? What of people who aren’t able to form close and strong relationships? And people who cannot find fulfillment in their lives? Or those who have lost hope, who live in disappointment and bitterness and find in life no joy, no love? These, it seems to me, are the real disabilities.” Fred Rogers, The World According to Mister Rogers: Important Things to Remember.So be of good cheer, and don’t forget to come over to the Sunny Side of the Street.
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Daniel Wiseman is an independent political commentator, who focuses on national and international affairs. He spent nine years as a professional journalist in Wyoming before working in fund-raising, non-profit management, and is now working in New York City. Wiseman focuses his writing on how to bring the United States back to its Constitutional moorings. He writes exclusively for Canada Free Press.