Stay The Course

I popped over to the old (literally) brother's blog and found this tidbit.

Seems that Siena College in Albany, NY has done some research that found that historians agree that we don't have it so bad - when compared to other times in American history.

But, according to Kris Hicks, 20 year old Siena junior, we are just under-reporting the badness of today:

"I definitely think today is one of most trying times," she said. "When I read about things like 9/11 and the war in Iraq in textbooks, it doesn't actually portray the whole picture of what happened."

While I realize that pumping $3.00/gallon gas into daddy's SUV is a hardship that proves her grit, Ms. Hicks has actually read about war, disease and famine - so I am sure that she has first hand knowledge of things like high infant mortality, slavery and rampant poverty.

I fear Ms. Hicks may not have a realistic picture of her country's past, but to tell her that would ruin her long talks with other Siena students, over a latte and biscotti, where the issues of the day are examined by folks who have overcome the adversity of the long line at Starbuck's.