The Sun Bay Paper Page 10 March 18, 2022 - March 24, 2022 How Flawed We Humans Beings Can Be It’s difficult for me to step away from the humanitarian crisis on our tiny planet. My attention and creative emotions are wrapped up in little else. When I begin writing down my thoughts, my mind runs in too many different directions. When I express horror at the senseless brutality brought down on innocent people, my religious upbringing conjures thoughts of how flawed we human beings can be when left to our own devices. I appreciate that reminder and express thanks to our Founders that our own government tried to compensate for those flaws with a myriad of separation of powers with checks and balances. When I foolishly entertain thoughts of “the good old days” I do the best I can to slap away those ideas. Man’s inhumanity to man has been everlasting, since humans emerged to occupy and attempt to control God’s creation. That self-righteous analysis ends appropriately at a dead end. History moves from one incredibly brutal episode to another, with intervening periods of limited levels of goodwill. Since the Founding of our great nation the eyes of the world have looked upon much that one can’t forgive: slavery, Hitler’s death camps, and the killing fields of Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge, for example. And now we constantly observe Russia brutally, and without provocation, crushing a country, a culture, and the Ukrainian people’s dreams of peace and freedom. We’ve seen in almost “real time,” the bombing and shelling of maternity hospitals, shelters, and apartment buildings. We’ve witnessed Putin’s Russia change in ways few will recall. As an example, I looked up something I recalled from a couple decades ago. Russia “is part of European culture,” Putin stated to David Frost on BBC in 2020. He even seemed to be hinting about joining NATO. Putin continued, “I cannot imagine my own country in isolation from Europe and what we often call the civilized world.” Regarding Ukraine joining NATO, along with other former Soviet countries, he said, “It’s none of my business.” British politician and former NATO Secretary General George Robertson recalls that Putin did want Russia to join NATO but didn’t want to go through the normal application and approval process required of “a lot of countries that don’t matter.” Assuming Putin wasn’t totally lying in expressing his disinterest toward Ukraine joining Europe’s mainstream, it’s obvious, and shocking how much the Russian situation has changed since the end of the cold war. Changes in cultures frequently reflect the rejection of established standards for opinions and actions. A true culture must possess a level of philosophical consistency, with moral and ethical absolutes. I see nothing resembling my definition of culture at the end of whatever path Putin and Russia have chosen. Historically proven standards have been progressively ignored. Old fashioned search for common sense seems lost – not just in Russia, but to varying degrees all over the globe, including America. Nevertheless, there are some positive developments. While Russia creates a new iron curtain, many countries are uniting in a common desire to resist Russia’s genocide in Ukraine. Maybe civilized societies are desperately searching for some common sense. This new unity is represented largely by NATO. Hopefully, this stronger more committed group of U.S. allies will find a way to manage the new form of conflict that is occurring in Ukraine. This pregnant mom and unborn baby both died after being evacuated from a maternity hospital targeted by the Russians. Providing military armaments to Ukraine is important, and nothing should be off the table in that regard. Our response so far has been slow and smacks of indecision. And the path to success in strengthening Europe includes using American energy resources to supply their needs in the long run. This is all related. We must promptly and effectively stand up to evil in the world, otherwise we will face evil’s many ugly faces again and again. If we don’t take a stand, we must question how much we are willing to do to ensure our own freedom. If either side in this conflict fails to find their way through the peril looming before them, they do so at their own serious peril. Let us pray that both sides find the path leading to peace. myslantonthings.com Steve Bakke, Fort Myers Credit: A Privilege, or Civil Right? Dear Mary: I've just discovered that my parents are being discriminated against because they don't have a credit card. It's a huge injustice if you discriminate due to color, race or religion, and this is totally unacceptable in our society. If you don't own a credit card, you are not allowed to get a rental car; you cannot fly on an airplane; and I'm sure there are more issues of this nature that I just haven't uncovered yet. Cash is not an option with these services. Isn't this unacceptable? -- Jonathan W. Dear Jonathan: I understand your frustration. It does seem unfair that some companies these days are averse to cash. However, I don't think this is a matter of civil rights. Credit, like driving a car or owning a home, is a privilege, not an entitlement. The same goes for air travel and car rental. Those are not rights guaranteed to us under the laws of the land but opportunities and privileges. Businesses, in my opinion, should have the right to offer their services under any lawful terms and conditions they choose. I'm such a capitalist and fan of free enterprise, I cannot imagine enacting laws requiring companies to accept cash or that force banks to extend credit as a matter of civil rights. Living with cash alone is possible, even for your parents. It's just a little more difficult sometimes. Take your examples of renting a car or buying an airline ticket. You cannot do either on the spur of the moment without a credit card. You have to plan ahead. I just called randomly five travel agencies. All five will accept cash for airline tickets. And most car rental companies will accept cash as well. You must be prepared to put up a sizable cash deposit, refundable upon return of the car. That seems fair to me. I recommend that every family needs one good all-purpose credit card for the reasons you cite, as well as to establish a good credit score. For those who have trouble qualifying, there's the option of a secured credit card. To get the card, you must deposit cash into a savings account (typically about $300), which is held on deposit to guarantee payment in the event the cardholder defaults. A secured credit card is a good way to establish credit because after a couple of years with a good track record, it can be converted to a regular card account. To find a list of companies offering secured credit cards including terms, look at IndexCreditCards.com Mary Hunt
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