Across Pacific & Asia
 
 
The following article was in the editorial section of the Dallas Morning
News on Sunday, May 2, 1999.

Generation NEXT has some Questions

I am a member of the upcoming generation--the one after Generation X that
has yet to be given a name.   So far, it appears that most people are
rallying behind the idea of calling us Generation Next.   I believe I know
why.

The older generations are hoping we will mindlessly assume our place as the
"next" in line.   That way, they won't have to explain why my generation has
had to experience so much pain and heartache.   "What heartache?" you say.
"Don't you know you have grown up in a time of great prosperity?"   Yeah, we
know that. Believe me, it has been drilled into our heads since birth.
Unfortunately, the pain and hurt I speak of can't be reconciled with money.
You have tried for years to buy us happiness, but it is only temporary.
Money isn't the answer, and it is time for people to begin admitting their
guilt for failing my generation.

I will admit that I wasn't planning to write this.   I was going to tuck it
away in some corner of my mind and fall victim to your whole "next"
mentality.   But after the Massacre in Littleton, CO, I realize that as a
member of this generation that kills without remorse, I had a duty to
challenge all of my elders to explain why they have allowed things to become
so bad.

Let me tell you this: These questions don't represent only me but a Whole
generation that is struggling to grow up and make sense of this world.   We
all have questions; we all want explanations.   People may label us
Generation Next, but we are more appropriately Generation "Why?"

* "Why did most of you lie when you made the vow of 'til death do us part'?"

* "Why do you fool yourselves into believing that divorce really is better
for the kids in the long run?"

* "Why do so many of you divorced parents spend more time with your new
boyfriend or girlfriend than with your own children?"

* "Why did you ever fall victim to the notion that kids are just as well off
being raised by a complete stranger at a day care center than by their own
mother or father?"

* "Why do you look down on parents who decide to quit work and stay home to
raise their children?"

* "Why does the television do the most talking at family meals?"

* "Why is work more important than your own family?"

* "Why is money regarded as more important than relationships?"

* "Why is 'quality time' generally no longer than a five-to-10-minute
conversation each day?"

* "Why do you try to make up for the lack of time you spend with us by
giving us more and more material objects that we really don't need?"

* "Why does your work (in the form of a cell Phone, laptop computer, etc.),
always come with us on vacations?"

* "Why have you neglected to teach us values and morals?"

* "Why haven't you lived moral lives that we could model our own after?"

* "Why isn't religion one of the most important words in our household?"

* "Why do you play God when it comes to abortion?"

* "Why don't you have enough faith in us to teach us abstinence rather than
safe sex?"

* "Why do you allow us to watch violent movies but expect us to maintain
some type of childlike innocence?"

* "Why do you allow us to spend unlimited amounts of time on the Internet,
but still are shocked about our knowledge of how to build bombs?"

* "Why are you so afraid to tell us 'no' sometimes?"

* "Why is it so hard for you to realize that school shootings, and other
violent juvenile behavior, result from a lack of your attention more than
anything else?"

Call us Generation Next if you want to, but I think you will be surprised at
how we will fail to fit into your neat little category.   These questions
should, and will, be asked of the generations that have failed us.

Written by Marcy Musgrave, a junior at Texas A&M University.

LET US PRAY:
Lord, forgive us our sins, and sanctify us.   AMEN!


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