I was going to write something absolutely brilliant this morning, full of Sturm and Drang, but decided I’d tackle yet another culture war taking place in America – a real war this time, and not the mythical, paranoia inspiring “War on Christmas.”

It is our war against hoarders, those who have way too much stuff in their house, all that stuff which offends the sensibilities of their self-righteous relatives.

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Driven by much the same sense of middle-class morality which ran through The Ghost Whisperer (“You MUST go into the Light . . .”), family members and TV crews descend upon the homes of folks who collect . . . well, a lot of stuff.

There is a certain repugnance about these shows. In all too many cases these folks just need to learn how to tidy up their houses. What they don’t need are folks rushing in, willy-nilly, and dumping everything they have collected over the years into Hefty trash bags and heaving it into the nearest dumpster.
After all, these folks spent a lot of their own money on this stuff – which is in their house, buy the way, and not in the homes of the well-meaning Babbits who wouldn’t recognize a collector’s item if it punched them in the face.

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It seems to me that there are two logical courses of action – help someone clean up their house, or, if the person is willing, sell their stuff – either at a yard sale or on one of the many Internet auction sites which seem to breed like virtual rabbits. After all, to recycle a phrase from Olden Times, “There’s gold in them thar hills.”

But throw it all away? What the hell?

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That is not only insane, but may well be a sign of emotional cruelty. And we have just way too much of that going on in the world today. No need to indulge in any more.

******

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Now on YouTube: The Adventures of Clarke Buehling

The music of Clarke Buehling, banjo master.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gse_tatfN9g

*****

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Quote of the Day

Let’s face it: Most of us don’t realize it, but we are failing our kids as reading role models. The best role models are in the home: brothers, fathers, grandfathers; mothers, sisters, grandmothers. Moms and dads, it’s important that your kids see you reading. Not just books – reading the newspaper is good, too. – James Patterson

rsdrake@cox.net

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