will pick up the shards
of a ruined society and
slowly help rebuild
Back in 1947, The Berkshire Eagle from Pittsfield, Massachusetts printed this little note:
Professor Albert Einstein was asked by friends at a recent dinner party what new weapons might be employed in World War III. Appalled at the implications, he shook his head.
After several minutes of meditation, he said. “I don’t know what weapons might be used in World War III. But there isn’t any doubt what weapons will be used in World War IV.”
“And what are those?” a guest asked.
“Stone spears,” said Einstein.
This has come down to us through history as Dr. Einstein saying, “I can’t tell you what weapons will be used in World War 3. But I can you what weapons will be used in World War 4. Sticks and Stones.“
Any body doubt this?
In 2014, Cardinal Francis George of Chicago was quoted in the Chicago Tribune saying, “I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square. His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization as the church has done so often in human history.”
Cardinal George said that, “I was trying to express in overly dramatic fashion what the complete secularization of our society could bring.”
That was 11 years ago.
IN 2025, I think our current and former Presidents can expect to die in bed.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the next President dies in prison.
And I almost expect that the successor to the next President, and I am talking about the one elected in 2028 or possibly 2032, will die a martyr in the public square.
The country as we know it is bitterly and I mean BITTERLY divided.
The country is about 92.6% armed with guns.
Nobody trusts nobody and I cannot begin to understand who it is that half the of the country listens to that they don’t hear what is being said or somehow can accept and agree with what is being said.
On the one hand an ignorant and arrogant government, and on the other hand a gang of ignorant and arrogant hoodlums — so often the voters must choose between these two,” said a desperate registered voter in Philadelphia … so wrote Carl Sandburg in The People, Yes.
It won’t end pretty but it sure feels like it is all coming to an end.
It was a pretty good run and maybe this all lasted longer than anyone thought it would.
I guess when you get down to it, it was all pretty much a hypocrisy with all the all created equal stuff.
But it was, while it lasted, a useful hypocrisy.
Maybe that’s what this is all about.
I thought some inroads had been made in society on the basis of race but it was just a band aid and the band aid and scab got ripped off.
I thought some inroads had been made in society on the basis of equality but it was just a band aid and the band aid and scab got ripped off.
I thought some inroads had been made in society on the basis of love but it was just a band aid and the band aid and scab got ripped off.
I thought some inroads had been made in church along all these lines but it was just a band aid and the band aid and scab got ripped off.
The band aids and scabs got ripped off and the hypocrisy was exposed to the dismay of some and the cheers of others in a way I cannot understand.
And then?
To paraphrase Cardinal George, our successors will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization as has been done so often in human history.
We started in 1787 to make a More Perfect Union and got this far before those in the Country who needed to tear up the Declaration and Constitution got their chance.
Maybe next time.
No Haiku For You 