BEING OPEN TO CHANGE IRRESPECTIVE OF AGE

By Margaretta Swigert Gacheru (10 April 2020)

It’s taken me years to reconcile with being over 32 years old. Now I am twice that age and still feeling like my heart is 32 and I don’t deserve to be treated like a senior. I recall my mother loved being one since she could  get so many bargains, especially at the movies.

For myself, I don’t feel my age; yet I feel I must speak on behalf of my political spirit, not even for my age group or my gender or race, etc. I’d prefer to speak of Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick who I feel must be pitied for being a clone of the most unfortunate Head of State that the United States has ever seen.

I feel Patrick’s comments about us antiques can be understood in terms of the callous ignorance of middle aged white rich men who have no time for anyone but themselves. We see them everywhere.

He is a white man who has enjoyed power and privilege as a life style and material culture that has nourished him from birth. He has only known the life of one who considered himself entitle to life on the top of the heap not just nationally, but internationally as well. We could call him one of the Ruling Class.

But more precisely he is a man who is witnessing a changing world in which he is no longer a member of a white majority. There are too many women, too many brown and black people, too many ‘foreigners’ and immigrants and ‘others’ who are circling his nest and high tower. He is worried and thus, he is dangerous. Being threatened by new circumstances over which he has no control, he would like to banish them all who constitute the ‘others’ who might wish to claim his space or even claim they could rival him with regard to money, power, prestige and even knowledge.

In short, Patrick represents the same body of manhood that President Trump currently leads. They are a minority but they still want to win elections and hold onto power. That is unfortunate since a truly old man like Bernie Sanders knows that the only relevant message that he has to share with the public is to let the rest of us know that the young are coming with their free thought and open minds and techie savvy that far surpasses their own knowledge.

Bernie might not be your cup of tea. Too radical you might say. But there you have a truly old and wise man who knows that Change is a reality of nature and society and life, so accept it and move on. The status quo cannot endure. But us who are 60 and over can, if we care to heed the call to be open to change and to the future. Thanks for this opportunity.