2006-Things to Do

I won't kid myself or anyone else. New Year's Resolutions are like diets: began with the best intentions, followed for a short while, only to fall by the wayside as life goes on. Nevertheless, I have a few suggestions for 2006.

Let us all be a kinder, gentler people. Let us learn to turn the other cheek and to react less belligerently when inconvenienced.

Let's become more tolerant of differences between ourselves and other people. This includes respecting the rights and religions of other cultures. This includes trying to understand that God didn't make us all the same for a reason.

Let's bring back the Christian foundations of our country. It is disgraceful that we are being forced to abandon "Under God" and "Christmas tree" and the ten commandments because of a few, very vocal, individuals. That's not to say that freedom of religion isn't important. But our forefathers founded this country on Christian principals.

Let's accentuate the positive more in our journalism. Rather than going for titillating news events, let's report accurately things that are legitimately informative. This includes good things as well. Murders and accidents happen every second. Must they all be on the 11:00 news? Maybe if they didn't make headlines, some folks would be less inclined to behave so badly.

Be kind to animals. Nothing infuriates me more than to see helpless beasts mistreated. I think the perpetrators should be treated in like manner.

Let's unite and be Americans - all for one and one for all. I'd like to see politics reduced to election issues, and our elected officials spend their time making decisions that are best for our country rather than what's best for themselves.

Let's get the pork out of our bills in Congress. Line item voting is the way to go. I don't want to pay for a gilded bridge to an uninhabited island in Alaska because it was part of a bill introduced to do something necessary.

Let's educate ourselves on ways to help protect our environment. This includes limiting rampant and often ill-planned development when cities expand into the rural fringes.

Let's take responsibility for our own well-being. It is not the government's job to give us a paycheck or food or housing. These are things we must earn for ourselves.

Let's stop pointing fingers at everybody else for acts of nature or for consequences of our own poor planning.

Let's rear our own children and stop expecting the schools to do it for us.

Let's also be supportive of the educators trying to enable our children to take care of themselves when they grow up. If our children see that we parents believe education is vital, and we make it clear to them that we expect good grades and exemplary behavior, it stands to reason that we would be a more productive society. (consider this: are we losing jobs in this country because we aren't as serious about our education?)

Let's look out for each other. Let's be aware of our surroundings, our neighbors, and our family. Let's not be afraid to step up and help out if we see a need.

Let's focus on the importance of family. Everyone needs a support system. Who better than those related to you?

Let's learn to be thankful for the blessings we have: our freedom, our people, our resources, our families, our intelligence, our compassion. Then let's take what we have and try to make it better for others less fortunate.