You see them everywhere these days.
Angry old men.
Kind of like this guy, Omoni Akujo, which translates as angry old man, which is a character from classic Japanese theatre representing the ghost of an old man filled with anger and resentment.
The guys I see and hear are not ghosts. They’re real. Unfortunately. I think ghosts would be far more interesting than these guys.
They complain about any and everything. They see doom in every movement forward. They live in their own pleasant recollections of their past, conveniently erasing the darker moments from their memories. Only their concerns matter and if a problem doesn’t touch them, it doesn’t exist. But when there is a problem that they see as touching their protected cocoons or even something that will require them to do or see anything differently, listen to their screeching.
I imagine that President Obama must see thousands of these Omoni-akujos each time he addresses the country. So many people so fearful of being moved forward, willing to hold onto the past and systems that had devolved over the years to points where they no longer served the vast majority of the populace. People so afraid of change that they will hold onto and even endorse practices that only harmed their welfare. Choosing the devil they know…
But I have faith that President Obama will look past these horrible masks and the din they raise and hold his course ahead. I know he’s strong and smart enough to shrug off the fears these Omoni-akujos scream out. I only hope that we, the people who wanted so much the changes he offered, are strong enough to not fall prey to the anger and the fear produced by these angry old men. Remember, they want what is only good for them. They are ghosts trying to frighten us into leaving them alone to do as they please. They are not screaming for the greater good of all men…
Redtree Times 