Children

Every year when the semester begins, someone posts a list of things with which the current crop of college freshmen would be UNacquainted. Here is my very unofficial list of things that have been lost since this year's second graders were born:

The Bill of Rights of the US Constitution
Under the guise of Homeland Security, all those ethical issues which we felt held our country morally superior to others on this planet have been rescinded or otherwise subsumed by the White House...the same White House that has made the phrase "big government" an obscene term, despite growing the government larger than anyone ever dreamed possible.

Retirement
Once the expected benefit of all middle class people, it will no longer be an option to Baby Boomers who have not already achieved such status. Between the loss of employer-paid or sponsored benefits, the collapse of the stock market (where those who were lucky enough to have some, invested their retirement funds), the collapse of the housing market (everyone's favorite "hedge fund"), and the hardships that are about to be created by the inevitable bailout caused by Wall Street greed, my husband and I - as well as our peers - anticipate working until dementia takes over.

The National Anthem
Already lost to our children is any Christmas song touching on the birth of Christ - although grandmas and reindeer are still acceptable. Since 9-11, not only has the Anthem not become a patriotic rallying cry, but it has been reduced to "that thing that some semi-famous person slaughters before a sporting event begins". Our children no longer know the words nor the tune - and our adults don't care. (Just watch a hockey game from Canada to be reminded of what this used to be like here.)

Two-Parent Families
Although it still takes one person from each gender to make a baby, the idea that there might be something important to be learned from this concept is lost on this generation. The number of children growing up in a home where each child is biologically related to both parents in the home has become statistically insignificant. And the notion that a baby born to a teen-aged mother might have a chance at a better life if adopted by a stable, mature, married couple is now even rejected by the evangelical candidate for Vice President on the Republican ticket.

Personal Responsibility
There are no consequences. No one is allowed to lose or fail. "Mistake" and "bad choice" now mean the same thing. Just watch the current President fly off to his ranch on January 20, 2009 - financially secure and with no children in military service risking their lives to clean up his messes - to see the prime example.

This is just a quick list from me. Can you think of others?