Six years and three Presidents ago, I wrote. “I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do. They’re really saying I love you.” Louis Armstrong, What a Wonderful World. Although I may not share another’s faith, I am never offended by a friendly greeting whether it’s Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Mele Kalikimaka, Shalom Aleichem, Aloha, simply Hi or Happy New Year it’s all the same. They’re really saying in a small way “I love you.”
No doubt you have noticed; a lot has happened in those six years. A worldwide pandemic reduced the world population, significantly affecting the working class, giving them more bargaining power. Saying Merry Christmas or not saying it, is no longer controversial. Supply chain problems contributed to inflation due to too much local money chasing too few goods. This was further aggravated by an unjustified attack by a dictator on a peaceable sovereign neighbor. Unfortunately, he continues unchecked to commit war crimes against civilians. His dreams of a quick victory were thwarted by patriots. A man most of us never heard of became a statesman comparable to Churchill. Withdrawal from Afghanistan negotiated in 2020 did not go as planned in 2021.
A band of hooligans attempted to interrupt the democratic progress of our government. They failed for a number of reasons that will inspire countless words in dozens of books, essays, movies and TV series for the next hundred years. Some people are still analyzing (and refighting) the Civil War of 1865. The Supreme Court, apparently ignorant of the ninth amendment, reversed a 50-year-old decision on shaky grounds. Gun violence increased, possibly inspired by the two-minutes-hate woven into certain repetitive political rallies. Those thankfully are losing their appeal and attendance. Perhaps if government enforced the 30,000 laws we already have about guns it would help. Another too-good-to-be-true scam collapsed leaving investors devastated.
As of today, there seem to be fewer emotional controversies. Except the perpetual ones about two rights, abortion and guns. Governments are gradually realizing they lost the war on drugs because it can’t be won. Instead, the news is filled with more dog-bites-man stories, fires, car crashes, and fewer apocalyptic incitements. A small minority still refuses to accept the results of elections they did not win. A war rages on, that NATO could end in 100 hours like they did in Kuwait. We lost Queen Elizabeth, she was not our queen, but she was everybody’s grandmother. Notorious, but influential rapist began receiving justice, instead of impunity. The Earth and all the heavenly bodies we know of continue to follow their traditional trajectories. We installed a few amazing new ones, and we learned about a LaGrange point. Politicians continue to argue over distinctions no one else notices, while at the same time appearing oblivious to the issues we all feel.
Hawaii’s volcanoes continued to get our attention, did a lot of geographic damage but hardly hurt anyone. We experienced the rare event of two volcanoes erupting concurrently and the even rarer event of both eruptions stopping at the same time. The weather service has predicted 8 or 10 of the last 2 hurricanes to affect Hawaii, Hilo got soaked but Kona had chamber of commerce weather, calm warm and sunny. If, so many immigrants are pouring across the border, why is it so hard to find help?
There has been some good news. The recent midterm election was basically a draw. Neither party has complete control of either house. Representatives are starting to reach across the aisle and make the deal that is best for the country rather than narrow special interest, actual bipartisanship. With the disruptor in chief out of the gaslight, we can look forward to a calm and prosperous new year. The January Sixth Committee has finished with no surprises. Their revelations might alter the balance.
This is the season of good feelings no matter which belief system you identify with.
I still believe: There was one true miracle. Somehow, improbably, inexplicably, life started spontaneously, on this insignificant lonely planet. There is no evidence of anything like it within the observable universe. Not that they have not tried. Religion, science and science fiction keeps trying to find another explanation. Chaos and physics explain the basic lifeless universe. Evolution via natural selection is a viable explanation for the adaption of a variety of life forms to their environment leading from inexplicably simple life forms to one that attempts to understand it all and appreciate one another. Look at the next person you see and appreciate the miracle that made both of you possible. The Jew says Merry Christmas.
Ken Obenski is a forensic engineer, now safety and freedom advocate in South Kona. He writes a biweekly column for West Hawaii Today. Send feedback to obenskik@gmail.com.