by MC Williams

Created on: May 30, 2008

Stopping mistreatment of the elderly, I read those words and rage courses through me immediately. I remember my great-grand parents, mostly because I come from a huge Irish Catholic family and most of them had kids at young ages.and my great-grandparents lived into their nineties. My great-grandma Irene, she was a true lady; elegant, soft spoken, she laughed all the time, she was a champion of the underdogs and I loved her immensely. My grandpa Williams, was a great man; he fought in WWII, he started three major companies, fathered ten children (eight lived to adults) and he was the most honest man I ever knew. My grandfather said to me one day "You know I wasn't always the best husband or the greatest father, but I made a promise to myself to be the best grandpa ever." And he was that, we all adored him.

I remember young kids yelling at my grandparents for driving slow or getting change too slowly in a store or even for walking too slow in front of them. I remember being too young to do anything about it but I never forgot to raise my kids with respect for the elderly. Who are we to degrade people who fought for this country? Who are we to talk down to the very people that fought for the freedoms we have today? Who are we to demean anyone? Answer these questions and you may change your attitude toward the elderly.

We are the free nation today because of the elderly, not because of anything we did. We reap the benefits of the elderlies blood, sweat and tears. They fought wars, depression, droughts, diseases, Communism, women's rights to vote, minorities rights to vote, prohibition and many more. We have the Golden Gate Bridge because of the workers in the 30's, we have cars because of the workers in the early 1900's, we have computers because of the workers in the 40's, think of some of the vaccines you have access to and don't die from and find out the years they found a vaccine. Research these topics and more and you may just change your attitude toward the elderly.

How dare we not revere and take care of these people that did all of this and more for us. So next time you want to push past an elderly person or honk at one driving too slow stop and think about what that person has done for this country and ask yourself what have you done. And remember this; you too will be old one day and may find yourself looking at a sixteen year old that pushes past you and says "Hey old geezer hurry it up." So relax, give them the time they need and the respect they deserve.if for anything but that they have lived so long.

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