Do as I say, not as I do

Maria Shriver’s cell phone negligence caught by paparazzi is the most current example of people in authoritative positions telling the American public to do as I say, not as I do.  I don’t know how it is they expect us to rise to the occasion and make big changes when they themselves fail to be able to make the simple ones. The cell phone rant has been on my mind for quite some time, so I have to address that first.

Ban on cell phone use while driving in California. I don’t understand why this is such an issue. You don’t need an expensive hands free device to be, well, hands free. Practically every mobile phone comes with ear phones that can be used for driving. You can glue the phone to your head anytime you’re out of the car. For the precious minutes you are in, these babies work just fine. They may not look as cool but hey, you already paid for them and they’re easy to use. Just pop them in your ears. See, you just saved yourself some precious time searching for the words “how to” and “use hands free.” I can’t tell you how many times I find myself motioning to drivers to hang up the phone while driving and I am sure they feel I am some random commuter with body tourettes (best seen in Crank 2, which if you haven’t checked out yet, is well, random goodness).  But seriously, I am done with near run-ins, tailgating, and general bad driving from folks behind the wheel who refuse to get off of their god damn phones.  So, I say Mr. Governor, until you can get your wife under control, I hardly think millions of drivers are going to make a move. Enforce the laws and show people you’re serious.

Faith in the financial services industry. It’s been a rough couple of years on American pocketbooks, to put it mildly. Millions have seen their retirement accounts decimated, with dreams of retiring from the workforce thrown out the window. We faced a potential collapse of our auto industry, which is still precarious, at best, and continue to face the highest unemployment rates since the Great Depression. We also faced the collapse of the financial bubble created by mortgage industry greed that’s been building over the past ten years, not to mention the scheming of people like Bernie Madoff and just last week, Raj Rajaratnam. Throughout these troubling economic times, we’re told that our money is safe and the best way to help the country get back on its feet is by buying and investing. We’re also told to do more with less. But I ask you – 1) how can we have faith that our money is safe when the people that we entrust it to are sharks and schemers? And 2) how is it we can stomach the message do more with less, when banks like Goldman Sachs, who don’t forget were part of the bank bailout, are paying each of their  31,700 a salary of $700,000 per year. What does less mean to them vs. the school bus driver, teacher or nurse in Anytown USA.

Healthy homes. Obesity rates continue to climb in the US. In fact, a new report says the number of obese and overweight children has climbed to 30 percent in 30 states. And cancer rates continue to climb. From lung to breast to ovarian, we’re seeing rates among young and old skyrocket. But how can we eat better when it’s hard for families to get the information and tips they need to shop healthy/organic on a budget? And how can we encourage people to put the cancer stick down when even our own President can’t?

Love knows no color. With the election of President Obama, the first black president of the United States, people here and around the world felt that change had finally come in the US. While we’re sadly behind the times (as evidenced by the variety of shapes and sizes, sex and colors of the heads of state at the G8 Summit) it really did feel that as a nation we were beginning to turn the Titanic around. But oh for every step forward, we take about five back. Our most recent re-tread – an interracial couple in Louisiana that was denied a marriage license by a Justice of the Peace.  How can we teach ourselves, our children, their children, to be accepting of others when officers of the court can’t see past their own bigotry and hate.

The hypocrisy never ends. It’s frustrating. And I know, I know, many of you are probably saying it’s always been this way and where have I been. But seriously, sometimes adages like “do as I say, not as I do,” really do make sense. Someone had to come up with them. How about we make better attempt of trying to use it?