Monday, October 10, 2011

Ladies and gentlemen!

Hey friends. It’s been a long time since I sent out an email….since shortly after Irene and that was just an update on my situation. I’ve heard from several of you wanting to know if I was okay and when was I going to start sending out emails again. So I guess tonight is the night.

If you noticed the subject line of this email you are probably wondering what I am going to write about. I’m giving you an early warning….I am going to get on my soapbox again so if you want to quit reading now, that is quite okay with me.

Now before I get hundreds of responses to this email telling me about all the situations that don’t fit my scenario, I realize there are exceptions to what I am going to say.

My Webster’s dictionary is very old; the copyright date is 1961. But I don’t honestly believe the definition of the two words I am going to talk about have changed since then.

Webster defines “lady” as a woman of refinement and gentle manners and a “gentlemen” as a man whose conduct conforms to a high standard of propriety or correct behavior. There are many other definitions of each word but they don’t apply to what I am going to talk about. Sad to say, I don’t know many men and women that deserve either of these titles today. And even sadder, it’s been that way for a while. I don’t often use either of those terms anymore; I can count on one hand, and have fingers left over, the number of ladies and gentlemen I know.

Most young people today don’t really seem to care what others think of them. They seem content to believe the world owes them a living and they can say anything they please or do anything they please without suffering any consequences. There is no sanctity in marriage or parenthood anymore. Men and women think nothing of living together without being married. They will tell you it’s easier; if they discover they can’t live together, they don’t have to go through a divorce. There’s no real incentive to work to keep the relationship strong. When I talk about this particular thing, I am guilty also. I lived with my husband for two years before we got married and the marriage still didn’t last. I look back now and realize how wrong it was and how both of us were cheated.

Parenthood….I don’t think many young people realize today exactly what that entails. Again, many children are born without the advantage of their parents being married. Often times, but not always, these children end up in the “system” because there is no responsibility involved. I see so many children today being raised by grandparents, and in some situations, the child is better off. There are many women that continue to have child after child because they don’t have to work and can get aid for each of these children. There are hundreds of men that aren’t taking care of their children, either in the home itself or by paying child support. The children are the ones who suffer in these cases. Several of the children that are picked up each Sunday morning by the van from my Church fit in this category. Sad to say, the only real attention some of them get is the short time they spend in Church on Sunday morning.

I got off my original subject about ladies and gentlemen so let me see if I can get back on track. I have a really hard time understanding how a woman who will wear a thong on the public beach can get upset when rude comments are made about her. Doesn’t she realize the picture she is putting out there for the world to see? They wear skirts that are so short that when they sit they have to put their hand in their lap so you don’t see their underwear; they go braless with thin shirts and think this is perfectly acceptable dress. Some of them wear their clothes so tight they look like they can hardly breathe. And a lot of these girls are still living at home with their parents, are in middle school and their parents allow them to dress this way.

Boys and men…..why do you think we want to see your underwear? What gives you the idea that this is appropriate dress? You really look retarded when you have to either hold your pants up when you walk or you have to pull them back up with every step you take. And even worse, to wear these pants and not have on any underwear. Lord, please spare me. And again, some of these boys are still living under their parent’s roof and their parents allow this. I thank the good Lord, I never had this problem in my home. TJ never wanted to dress that way and Ray tried it once and soon realized he didn’t want to dress that way either.

In case you are wondering why I got on this rant tonight, I’ll tell you. Today when I went to the post office, I saw a young man and woman (maybe in their middle 20’s) walking across the parking lot. Her skirt was so short you could see her underwear when she walked (by the way it was red), she had on a thin white tank top without a bra and she definitely needed one. The man had on a pair of pants with the seat between his knees and his underwear was white with blue stripes; his shirt was unbuttoned, which didn’t bother me too much except that he had an extremely large stomach hanging out. This couple walked along kissing, he was fondling her, she had her hand tucked down the back of his pants and she was pushing a baby stroller with a beautiful little girl in it. I just wanted to smack both of them.

I hope I haven’t offended anyone by this email. It just really bothers me to see what is and has been happening to the young people in our country. I really and truly feel sorry for them. So many of them are ruining their lives…babies having babies…and planning it. I guess all I can do is pray for them and I do. I hope you will too. As I said at the beginning of this email, I realize not all men and women are this way. There are some very nice young men and women out there; they are responsible and living a responsible life. I’m not talking about them. I just wish those I am talking about would wake up, take a good long look at themselves and change their lives before it is too late.

Sorry this email was so long. I guess I just needed to get this off my chest. I hope all of you have a great week.

We are having revival at my Church this week starting Wednesday night. Russell Bell will be bringing the messages and services start at 7:00 each night and it ends Sunday morning with the 10:45 worship service followed by Homecoming dinner. Maybe I’ll see some of you there. I can promise you a blessing if you come.

Brenda

boutlaw@carolinaregion.com