A cult of life

The “baby boomer” generation, when we were young, read tales of World War II, seeming distant to young minds but actually quite proximate. As close as the dreadful events of September 11, 2001, are to the current crop of kids, who view it as history, something which happened before they were born, or before they remember. So was World War II to us.

We read of grinding land wars in Africa and Europe. Of swirling naval battles and island campaigns in the Pacific. We read of the Holocaust, and the unthinkable cruelty of the Nazis to those viewed as “other.” We read of the fate of Allied prisoners imprisoned by harsh Japanese captors. And how seventy years ago this summer, it was all brought to a just and satisfactory conclusion.

There were many tales of heroism, from the small theater of a Marine falling on a hand grenade to save his buddies to the riveting drama of Jimmy Doolittle’s raid on Tokyo. While militarily insignificant, the raid was the first truly good news of the Pacific campaign, that Japan was vulnerable to attack.

But as the war shuddered to its inevitable conclusion, there were disturbing accounts of desperation, of Japanese volunteers who willingly gave up their lives. Waves of kamikaze pilots, nearly 4,000 in number, attacked Allied ships with what amounted to human-guided, flying bombs. Kamikaze, “divine wind,” was a deeply foreign concept to young Western minds.

Perhaps from our foundation as a free country based on individual liberty, and certainly shaped by religion, we believed in the sanctity of human life. We admired heroism, but cheered the hero who survived as much as one who lost his life in an heroic act. The Marine falling on a grenade was deeply respected, but we did not expect thousands to do so. We would rather they would fight, win the battle, prosecute the war, and come home to take jobs and father children and mow the lawn and go to church on Sunday. We did not expect, nor would we admire, mass suicide.

If we had a cult, it was a cult of life. Death would come in God’s time, not ours.

But here we are, seventy years later, after the Japanese kamikaze waves proved ineffective, with a new cult of death.

We are now in a struggle with Islamic extremists, who twist their religion to justify their war on the West and Western values. Al-Qaeda, ISIS (or ISIL ), and Boko Haram are all examples of this theologically twisted philosophy. They share several fundamental features:

• A blind intolerance for other beliefs. Convert or die.
• Patriarchal and cruel. Women have no rights, gays are put to death.
• Regular use of suicide attackers. Your reward is in paradise, not on Earth.
• Unbelievable brutality. Kidnapping, torture, beheading, immolation, the more gruesome the better.
• Worldwide domination as a goal. International operations are underway, with recent attacks in France, Canada, Belgium, Australia, and the United States, among others.

What could be more antithetical to Western beliefs and culture?

And yet, and yet… we dither in the goal of containing a nuclear Iran. We stand by as the ISIL-declared Caliphate grows in Africa. We continue to avert our eyes… the Fort Hood terrorist attack is officially termed “workplace violence,” its victims denied crucial medical benefits. We refuse to openly recognize the Islamic roots of the enemy. A fringe, twisted, extremist Islamic belief system, but one with millions of supporters.

One only hopes that the next president, whoever he or she is, will recognize the existential nature of this struggle. That if we truly believe in the equality of women, gay rights, and the freedom of expression and religion, there is no accommodation that can be made, no moral equivalence that can be argued. It is time that we clearly state what we stand for: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It is foundational. It is who we are.

Let’s only hope that January, 2017, is not too late.

Summer is fun - but keep it safe for kids

Picnic Rock, Kennebunk River Maine c. 1900

In New England, Memorial Day weekend kicked off the unofficial start of summer this year with dismal, cold, wet conditions and two feet of snow in the mountains of Vermont.  A week later, our first official heat wave threatened with several days over 90 degrees. Our deepest quandary was when to safely retire the fleece and slickers. Such is life in the land of the lobster.

But as we more reliably glide into the embracing arms of  summertime, our thoughts turn firmly to sailing the salty reaches, picnicking the beaches, canoeing the ponds, and camping  the forests of our beautiful land. For an all too brief time, we can allow the snow blowers to gather dust.

The kids will be out on summer vacation soon and, while we want them to enjoy this interlude, as responsible parents and guardians we must care for their safety. The first step is to be forewarned with some facts.

Unfortunately, our current media structure, with ravenous cable news channels competing to fill a 24 by 7 news vacuum, has distorted our perception of threats. Hurricanes, tornadoes, child abductions, school shootings, gang wars, and terrorist bombs fill the airwaves with constantly recurring loops of carnage. We begin to feel that our kids would be safest if kept in locked dungeons. Perhaps the best advice would be to shut off the TV and consult the experts.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) annually publish tables of mortality itemizing the cause of death by age group. While not pleasant reading, these data can inform our efforts to keep our kids safe by imparting the risks arising from various sources. The first observation is that for children fourteen and under, the vast majority of non-medical deaths are accidental: that should be our focus. For 2010 (the latest year compiled), here are the top causes of accidental child mortality in decreasing order of occurrence:

1. Transportation (Automobile and other)
2. Drowning
3. Smoke, fire, flames
4. Poisoning
5. Falls 
6. Firearm discharge

Based on this, here are some recommendations for summer safety:

Transportation accidents (mostly automobile) are the leading cause of non-medical child mortality. Make sure that your younger kids are in approved safety seats and that the older ones are buckled up. Insure that this occurs in any car they might be riding in (friend, neighbor, relative). Don’t drive your kids after drinking and make sure that no one else drives them in that condition, either. This is the single most important area of child safety – be certain that you do all you can do.

Drowning is the next most frequent cause of child death. Drown-proof your kids – get them the training needed to assure water safety. Your pool should meet safety standards such as required gates and fences. Be nosy and assure that your neighbors' pools are kid-safe, too. When at the beach, an adult should constantly monitor any children in or near the water. While aboard boats, approved personal flotation devices (PFDs) should be worn. Don’t slack off – this is the second most frequent cause of childhood mortality.

Smoke and fire are the third most probable cause of death for children. Have a home fire safety plan. Practice and rehearse your evacuation plans. Smoke and carbon dioxide detectors must be operational. Again – make sure that this is true at any other home where your child may stay overnight.

The last three categories cause a much lower frequency of childhood death but cannot be neglected. Household cleansers, pesticides, and other poisons should be properly secured. Make stairs safe from falls – keep them clear of clutter and make sure that handrails are installed on both sides. Windows should be locked with screens in place. Firearms must be stored in a responsible manner, not accessible to children. As in the other categories, you should ensure that these precautions are in place anywhere your child spends time outside of your home.

Enough gloom and doom. Be sensible, but enjoy your summer. It is so brief, at least in the land of the lobster.