If you're at least 50 years old - read this and exult....

[Alberich]

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[pizza]

Your memory fails you if you were actually around at the time. We had the most regulatory government in our history during the Great Depression. There was no Salk vaccine, polio was prevalent and most of us who were lucky enough to avoid it knew someone who contracted it. There were few effective antibiotics and people routinely suffered from strep and other debilitating infections. Unemployment was endemic, poverty was prevalent and it took a world war to end it.

And much to our parents' great joy and pride, and with many thanks to the G.I. Bill, some of us became lawyers; including those of us who advanced the rights of those poor souls who were easy prey for unethical banks, greedy insurance companies and manufacturers of shoddy products.

[Lilith]

"those of us who advanced the rights of those poor souls who were easy prey for unethical banks, greedy insurance companies and manufacturers of shoddy products."

he he he he he he Very funny

[Ralph]

Yeah, I really enjoy remembering the spring school warnings about polio and the inevitable missing kids in the fall. And so many of us lost parents and other relatives to smoking. Cancer? No one talked about "cancer survivors" then.

And that was also the time of segregation, more anti-Semitism than many want to admit and suppression of free speech as the Cold War unfolded.

Sure, there were many happy families and great kids. Every generation in this country has dealt with good and bad. Remembrance is important, nostalgia false, embroidered pseudo-recollection.

[pizza]

"those of us who advanced the rights of those poor souls who were easy prey for unethical banks, greedy insurance companies and manufacturers of shoddy products."

he he he he he he Very funny

You're either more stupid or more insensitive to the problems of the less fortunate than I had thought you were -- probably both.

[Alberich]

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[pizza]

I predicted those responses - from the
ubiquitous sourpusses - to a tee!!!

Big deal. I knew your smart-ass prediction was sure to arrive after our replies.

[Dennis Spath]

As a depression baby (1934) I had no problem relating to the initial post and, yes, I do believe those of us who survived reflect Darwinian principles. I'm also of the opinion that Lawyers are critical to the functioning of a society based upon the rule of law as Pizza suggested. At issue politically, between Conservatives and Liberals, is whose rights are being protected and whose Ox is being gored. Here the argument revolves around the rights of the individual and the rights of the corporation. In considering the implications of the "Big Government" welfare state under Roosevelt, it might be useful to note that his entire Federal Budget for 1940 was Eight Billion dollars.

[Alberich]

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[Dennis Spath]

Rather than poke fun at our resident Pizza man, whose compassion and concern for the less fortunate among us has been well documented in this forum, it would be far more salutory to applaud the Liberal side of his persona. Just a thought!

[living_stradivarius]

Lighten up folks...
That which does not kill me makes me stronger -- u know who

[pizza]

I predicted those responses - from the
ubiquitous sourpusses - to a tee!!!

Big deal. I knew your smart-ass prediction was sure to arrive after our replies.

Get a sense of humor. It was meant to give
a chuckle to those who are old enough to
have experienced some of those things - and who
might wish to recall them. It didn't require your
lawyerly brief. If you can't lighten up - why not
refrain from being a killjoy?

Awwww....forget it....

Not everyone who experienced the Great Depression thinks life was as much fun as you think it was. Next time you intend to limit responses to those of your liking, tell us in advance.

[Holden Fourth]

Isn't hindsight marvellous. My parents grew up in the great depression but still have wonderful stories of their childhood. It's sad to see the curmudgeons who can only relate to the 'bad times'. Reminds me of that great Monty Python skit about "Four Yorkshiremen" I wonder if Pizza was born in Yorkshire?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

[pizza]

Isn't hindsight marvellous. My parents grew up in the great depression but still have wonderful stories of their childhood. It's sad to see the curmudgeons who can only relate to the 'bad times'. Reminds me of that great Monty Python skit about "Four Yorkshiremen" I wonder if Pizza was born in Yorkshire?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xe1a1wHxTyo

I was neither born in Yorkshire nor do I relate only to the bad times -- just a realist putting things in perspective for those who think the Great Depression was a barrel of fun. Fairytales are for kids and my kids heard them too. But I'm very glad they didn't have to grow up in those times and my guess is that most parents who lived through it feel the same way.