97-The Children's Crusade (Unfortunately Revisited) Living in the Time of the Russian Invasion Of Ukraine

 First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out-
 Because I was not a Socialist.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out-
Because I was not a Jew.

Then they came for me-and there was no one left to speak for me. 
Martin Niemoller

   There is a destiny that makes me fear not the rag man. The rag man was not a fictitious character but a real one. As a young child, I would cower and hide in my grand parents house behind the front door. I would kneel down and peak out the mail slot and listen for the rag man's call.
   "Rags! Rags for sale!
   "Clop, clop, clop, clop," the old work horse's hoofs would ring clear on the roadway.
   "Rags! Rags for sale!
   He was coming to get me. Just as my sisters had foretold because I had been bad. I lived in fear of the ragman in some form or another the majority of my life. I choose to no longer fear the reality that was the rag man or is now Vladimir Putin. They cannot have the children, Wake up America and the World! They are killing the youth of today, in Ukraine, they are bombing a Nuclear Power Plant. Threatening to make all of Europe Radioactive! Give us back the Children! We must find a way to re-engage the young into our society and make them a part of our world. We must create our own Children's Crusade and make it real or face another blight of Hitler's Youth where they will be coming for law abiding citizens under the guise of some social injustice.

   I don't have and answer as to how to reach out and engage disaffected discouraged youths and citizens. Doing nothing is not working, as the number of mass shootings and domestic terrorism grows. Innocent citizens named by the generic term "soft targets" are dying by the hundreds while politicians can't seem to pass any gun legislation to keep AK-47's from the hands of these murders. Does gun legislation work anyway? Could we make all of these radicals, writers and poets instead? Writing has allowed me to channel my former life anger and desire for revolution into a productive channel of change. If not for society, but my own betterment I no longer want to tear down the fabric of society today as I did as a youth. The answer is not a simple one and people have to come together to address the problem or we will continue to become targets.

Eve of Destruction, Barry McGuire