you know you're getting old when

Some things just aren't funny any more...It's hard to say that because it echoes what my own mother used to say - talking about the brittle humour and facile jokes at surface appearances. It's happening right now with what is passing for political satire in the states.

Wow, that sounded pretty crotchety, didn't it? Well, unfortunately it is true. What is being satirized currently is little more than the surface issues. McCain is old, Clinton is a woman and Obama is running quickly in the opposite direction from his pastor.

By accepting these simplistic stabs at making fun of political leaders, we don't have to look deeper into issues and the more difficult solutions being called for.

What is the problem with the words spoken by Obama's (former) spiritual advisor? He wasn't saying the bombings of 9-11 were justified, but that perhaps there was a reason beyond one of blind desire to inflict unreasoning terror upon innocent people. It does tie back into the increasing use of guerilla warfare and the involvement of civilian bystanders. Of course no member of a western civilization wants to look at just how many of their civilians are killed by our unthinking actions - either by starvation or violence.

The need here is to examine why Americans have to demonize rather than understand their enemies. The love-it-or-leave-it philosophy leaves absolutely no room for examining constructive criticism and seeking a way to heal the past.

And I like Americans - my sister was born in Seattle, my dad went to the University of Washington and I can remember many summers spent in Washington, Idaho, Oregon and California. Canadians tend to get quite defensive about Americans, offensive actually, when mistaken for Yanks (which happens frequently-we share many similarities) but there are a lot of things we do share with them beyond television shows and blue jeans...but more of that another time.