I do not know how you feel, but I am deeply troubled about where we are and where we are going. Think about the various and mixed types of turmoil and unrest that we are experiencing today. This is not to imply that the world is always a place of evenness and stability.

However, in the past several weeks we have had the Parkland school massacre, the package bombings in Texas, and the tragic questionable bridge collapse in Miami. Now another school shooting in Maryland, and a few days ago the younger brother of the murderer in the Parkland shootings was convicted of trespassing at Marjory Stoneman Douglas school in Parkland.

The out-of-control opioid crisis is wasting many thousands of lives across most of our states and across all levels of our society. This scourge is destroying our moral fiber and our character. I ask how does this stop? What, in your opinion, can help and change the mind set to alleviate this horrendous meld of problems?

Another significant factor in the swirling mix of happenings is social media. It definitely has benefits, but also a multitude of down sides that further increase the decline of the fabric of our society. The transmitting of nude “selfies,” sexting and other such garbage does not add to our level of decency.

Then we have a constant wrangle across the country from political parties on both sides of the aisle. They are at each others’ throats with the television pundits stoking fires to a fever pitch.

Another element that creates further problems is reckless and unnecessary spending by our current politicians, who are more concerned about their re-election than the welfare of our country. I wish these hacks would remember and put into practice the sound advice from Thomas Jefferson who said, “I predict future happiness for Americans, if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.”

I personally have had enough of all this malarkey.

It is a fair question to ask when and where did this decline begin. In my opinion the initial beginning was in the ’50s when prayer and all elements of the Christian religion were removed from our schools. Soon after that, the sexual revolution of the ’60s burst upon the scene and along came the “good times of the Haight Asbury drug culture,” which was emulated in many areas across the country.

It is way past time for all segments of our nation to come to grips with where we are and where we are headed. If we continue to maintain this chaotic course, I fear for our future.

Supposedly, we are in a dynamic period of history, but, as it says in the Bible, that no nation divided against itself can stand.

Growing up in the late ’40s and ’50s, I did not experience the level of chaos and turmoil that exists today. I encourage all races, religions and political factions to make a concerted effort to take a hard look at ourselves. We need to move forward together, taking the course established by the genius of our forefathers who built this “shining city on a hill,” and stopping the constant divisiveness that currently exists.

Without faith, we will fail.

Your thoughts?

Another View is a weekly column written collaboratively by Dale Landrith of Camden, Ken Frederic of Bristol, Paul Ackerman of Martinsville and Jan Dolcater of Rockport.

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