FATHER, MOTHER, AND NOW CHILDREN CALLING THE SHOTS By Domenick J Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist In the 1950s “Father Knows Best” was one of the most popular shows on television. It optimized the era when fathers were the heads of the household. They were respected and they had the final say in whatever needed to be done and when it would happen. The end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 1960s the “women’s liberation movement” came roaring into vogue. Women asserted themselves into decision making at first by being included with their boyfriend or spouse and eventually becoming the primary decision maker. Eventually the children in the family left to their own devices made their own decisions and finally many children were given the power by their parents to decide many decisions in family matters. Parents relinquished their power to the children to win their favor and struggled to dominate the family. The entire family lost out since children have limited general knowledge for making good decisions. The parents had to live with the children’s horrible decisions that were not thought out for everyone’s benefit. The parents deferred to the child’s immediate wishes without considering the precedent being set. For example: “I want to join this dance studio but quit in a week.” ”I want a two wheeled bicycle and never ride it.” Children’s lack of experience limits their knowledge base which does not bode well for our maintaining the status as an economic and political powerhouse. The immature thinking process of young people at the controls of power is very problematic for our future as a nation. Without wisdom guiding us, we can unfortunately wind up in a devastating economic or political crisis. Immature individuals often jump at an opportunity to grab the golden ring without examining the possible pitfalls of their strategy. Impulsive decision making can and often does end in disaster. This is much more likely to be found in the spontaneous, immature individuals who are taught that once you are given what you want, you can change your mind. Modern children in many families are voicing what they want to buy for the family dinners, decide what shows to watch, what expensive and fashionable clothes to buy, which thousand-dollar concerts to attend, freaky colored hairstyles, piercings, what school to attend, planning family trips, everything that previously was the responsibility of the parents. Children are being allowed to make serious decisions without the knowledge and wisdom to do so. Whenever there is a conflict about buying something, generally the children are able to convince the parents that since everybody else has it or is going to get it shortly, they should get it as well. After a long, drawn-out argument, the parents grant the wishes of the child, and the parents are stuck with an expensive, unused item. Allowing children to make these choices when they do not have the knowledge to do so gives them the false sense that they can make good decisions. Placing this responsibility in the hands of our children is short sighted. Besides not having the knowledge and experience to make complicated decisions it gives them the idea they are equal to an adult in making these decisions for their future. They think their knowledge is on the same level as their parents. They are wrong but the parents pay the price in aggravation for allowing an immature child’s thinking process to negatively affect the whole family. Children are not capable of making adult decisions. This is why in law a person has to be 18 to make many decisions so parents have to sign important forms for them. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

TODAY’S “NORMAL” WAS YESTERDAY’S “ABNORMAL”

TODAY’S “NORMAL” WAS YESTERDAY’S “ABNORMAL” By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist Everyday our traditional accepted values have been changed by adding many abnormal thoughts and behaviors to the acceptable list. Divorce was considered a failure of two people who were not sufficiently mature enough to compromise and to reach an agreement to satisfy both. It was much more of a rarity than it is today. People who had severe mental dysfunction are no longer put in a lockdown facility to receive therapy but are now released back to their neighborhood home. Often, they go back to bizarre or criminal behavior. Today many are medicated and allowed to roam the streets even after being charged with serious crimes and erratic behavior. They often are released on their own recognizance. This lack of punishment is a missed opportunity for changing the thinking and behavior of these anti-social people. In our ultra-woke culture the goalposts have been moved to readily accept divorce. The impact on the children has been downplayed and the benefits of reentering the dating world is sugar coated. The media embraces joining the newly divorced playing field. Divorce has even become chic without noting the devastating effects on the family, especially the children. Similar formulas were devised to entice others to be seduced into entering new lifestyles and modes of living. Homosexual and bisexual relationships became more acceptable to too many. A whole new crowd seduced others into new lifestyles. The benefits of becoming a member of these once shunned communities increases their ability to become more accepted in our more “tolerant and caring” culture. Normal and abnormal are constantly changing while moving away from our former traditional society. Our society is transitioning towards a lifestyle with few to no traditional rules. This means a person can try out new, once forbidden behaviors, to see whether it would be advantageous to them with little or no condemnation from others. There is little stigma to what once was considered deviant and abnormal behavior that has now morphed into normal. These once frowned upon behaviors are now protected classes of behaviors and are treated as “so-called” normal. It is unclear whether an action will have positive or negative results as our acceptance grows into pretty much anything that was once considered taboo behavior. Being married to the same person for one’s entire life has changed into a series of relationships for one’s adult life. Punishment that in the past often began in infancy is now frowned upon in most child rearing literature. “Gentle parenting” has replaced traditional parenting where rules were enforced to teach the child to have limits and be obedient. Instead, the focus of the new approach is on not traumatizing the child for serious issues later in their adult life. “I was spanked for taking a cookie from the cookie jar and am unable to get over the trauma of it.” Our “woke culture” psychologically has made us all victims of our imperfect past. Instead of us overcoming the past, we wallow in it. Instead of solving our own issues, we go to professional therapists who help us make daily decisions instead of assisting us to become our own problem solvers. Traditionally independent individuals are becoming extinct. Sadly, the US citizens have become less independent and more led by experts in the medical and omnipresent media. Many of us are no longer taught to be heathy, strong, independent people. The “woke” victimization world presently shows us how to rationalize our pathetic choices rather than making, in the short run, harder but more advantageous ones. Our new normal has become everyone having unsolved problems that they do not have to solve but only find unusual nontraditional solutions. It can be any interest, but it should dominate one’s life to fill in the emptiness that would have been filled with the traditional family life. It can be increasing one’s assets, gambling, frequent relationships, or anything no matter how short since it fills the time regardless of the long-term results. In other words, live for today and don’t worry about tomorrow. What was abnormal in the past is normal today. Living with large debt instead of delaying gratification until one can afford the purchase, self-medicating instead of receiving professional help, and seeking medical advice from people who have a history of failing in their own life are not good life choices. The traditional values of the past led to stability and more wealth. Doing whatever feels good at the time leads to decay and failure. The choices are there for all of us to evaluate the benefits or liabilities. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

WOKISM: AN IDEOLOGICAL ACCEPTANCE OF DEVIANCY

WOKISM: AN IDEOLOGICAL ACCEPTANCE OF DEVIANCY By Domenick J. Maglio Ph.D. Traditional Realist No matter what humans do to take advantage of another human being, hurt them, or even take their life can be justified by this present woke cultural movement. There are no absolutes, right or wrong thoughts, or actions. Instead, it depends on the thinking and emotions of the person doing the deed at that moment. The woke agenda believes any act a person does should be judged not on the results of the act but on his thinking that motivates the act if they belong to a protected class. The reasoning behind pursuing the subjects’ thinking for doing the deed according to wokism should be the question. Only by getting into the thoughts of the person committing the act can another person attempt to truly understand the act and can judge his actions. In most criminal cases if you prove the person did the act that was harmful to another person, they would be declared guilty. In our modern, nuanced world, a person who did the same act could be judged unequivocally guilty. However, now it is possible the perpetrator would be also considered a person of past victimization. These previous abusive acts according to the woke culture would be the culprit not the action of the previously abused individual. The stigmatizing of any person’s behavior only isolates and forces them to hide or conform to behavior that may confuse them into believing they are evil. There is no right or wrong, according to wokism, only people with power who dictate our values and behavior. Tolerance of all beliefs and actions according to wokism is the way to reach true freedom. Wokism is a philosophy that expounds on the unfairness of determining right from wrong on an individual’s perspective when you do not know what their personal life history was. Physiological and mental abuse and absolute neglect is the real culprit behind the person’s actions and mental state. Without correct intervention when the person was abused, the outcome was predictably an out-of-control, abusive or deviant thinking human being. History has opened many people’s eyes to the inevitability of individuals that have been brutalized in their lives having a greater chance of repeating the abuse they have suffered onto others. The acceptance of abuse or deviant behavior because a person suffered his own abuse should never be a reason for accepting cruelty or destructive behavior to others. Wrong is wrong and right is right, and the difference must remain clear by giving appropriate consequences. When there is no clear distinction between right or wrong, justice for all, or sinful or moral behavior it leaves a nation in chaos. Citizens in any nation must realize that hurting or destroying the clear line between right and wrong, everybody suffers. Parents, teachers, law enforcement and everyone will begin to become morally confused and weak in their condemnation of obviously evil behavior. Acceptance of deviant thinking and action leads to a society without a moral compass. Wokism is the legitimization of liberal woke values that becomes the backbone of political correctness on accepting divisiveness. Stay awake, fight injustice, hatred, and discrimination. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

OPEN BORDER POLICY IS UNDERMINING OUR NATION

OPEN BORDER POLICY IS UNDERMINING OUR NATION By Domenick J. Maglio PhD., Traditional Realist Our present woke government is attempting to replace the traditional value system of the USA. In the past people from all over the world came here not for handouts but for the opportunity to climb the economic ladder. Opportunity, not phony communist propaganda, attracted people to these faraway shores. Our present administration is attempting to increase our national population by providing incentives to immigrants including food, transportation, housing, cell phones, and debit cards worth a lot of money. Most of the people entering America illegally are not arrested or even detained or deported but many are housed in 5-star hotels with three meals a day. Even known criminals appear to be welcomed since they are not being refused entry into the USA. If we continue down this path of weakening our once strong moral values we deserve the increase in crime, violence, and a large segment of people rejecting viable employment. The work ethic is being rejected along with correcting our children in school for not doing their assignments or behaving in a reasonable manner. Our once high education standards for living a God fearing and virtuous life have dwindled to just trying to keep students safe in school. Our woke, culture is an attempt to replace our traditional American values with communist-socialist ones. Our schools and media are preaching that everyone is a victim who deserves a third or fourth chance, without any punishing consequences. The rationale for this is ridiculous. Punishment has become “violence against any transgressor” who deserves unlimited chances. Obviously, this lack of punishment only increases repeat offenders. “In school punishment is for other out-of-control people, just not my child.” This sentiment is pervasive. Consequences for misbehavior are appropriate for other parent’s children. America appears weak and getting weaker. We have forgotten that appropriate punishment keeps everyone on the straight and narrow track. For this woke president, the press, teachers, and even parents American fundamental values are being replaced with woke ones. These are nothing more than camouflaged communist values that sound humane but bring havoc to social order in homes, schools, communities, and our nation. On his first day in office President Biden removed all the restrictive laws protecting our border that kept illegal immigrants out of our country. Allowing all illegal immigrants into our nation is a policy of destruction. The same goes for allowing negative behavior to be overlooked by school authorities that will end in chaos and harming many innocent students and teachers as well as the reputation of the institution. We have to screen these people who want to enter our schools and other institutions to maintain control and safety. We must refuse people who have a history of destructive behavior which is very difficult to determine for people who do not have to present any identification. When we open our institutions to all comers without excluding those with a history of psychopathic behavior we are risking the safety of others. We no longer have a screening process for mental and physical health. The incidents of diseases we thought were eradicated like tuberculosis and measles are recurring. It is better to be safe than sorry for American citizens. Let us return to carefully screening anyone attempting to enter the United States and secure our borders. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.

WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT?

WHAT MADE AMERICA GREAT? By Domenick J. Maglio PhD. Traditional Realist America was a great unknown and unexplored land that was fascinating to the people of Europe and the rest of the world. People came to create a better life than they had the chance to create in their own country. There were no government incentives to settle in this unknown world except wilderness land to settle with their own energy and ingenuity to create a home and means of making a living. Most raised food for themselves and perhaps to sell or trade, anything that would provide the means to survive. Through their hard work and fortitude these settlers prospered. They had to rely on family and neighbors to help each other build and maintain the peace without help from government assistance or handouts. These settlers were on their own and knew it from day one. As settlers moved further west individual settlements grew into viable communities that needed small businesses to furnish the homesteads with goods and services. These necessary services needed to be created by people. This required people with these special skills or those willing to learn them through their initiative and hard work. These sectors grew in the east by developing trade and moved west. The immigrants who flooded into the US were no longer just settlers but people who wanted a part of the American dream. This time it was not to just to establish homesteads out west but to find work anywhere, especially in the developing cities to survive until they could establish themselves. These later arrivals left poorer European countrysides flooding our harbors to begin at the bottom of the economy and to begin to climb up the economic ladder. Each new immigrant came not expecting to be given anything, instead to grab the brass ring to success through their best work ethic and perseverance. The great nation of America was not built by bureaucrats or powerful politicians. The incentive came from immigrants wanting to move up through their own efforts and the freedom to do so. The great nation of the United States grew to greatness because it provided all citizens the opportunity to earn their own advancement by each individual working to the best of their ability. Most started in labor intensive jobs and often moved up into various employment until they found a job that satisfied them. This upward mobility was not done easily. These people often settled in high crime areas in large cities or desolate rural areas. Strong connected families and helpful neighbors were their support. They had to face economic downturns, wars, rationed food, and other challenges. The major factor that most settlers had was strong values based on the Bible. These biblical values kept settlers and later immigrants in a positive and helpful mode. American settlers had minimal governmental dictates. They had the freedom to decide where and when to move to another place. The roots of the American way were established by the experiences of these settlers. They worked for what they achieved. The most important thing they had was the freedom to do what they desired to survive. Government intervention through free incentives may seduce people to make choices to fulfill government plans. However, only when people truly want something strongly do they have the motivation to stick to their dreams and get it done. America’s greatness comes from our freedom as individuals to follow our own desires, use our energy, and time to establish a life that fulfills our needs and vision. When citizens are given dreams of the future, they will choose one and then another until they climb the economic ladder reaching the height that satisfies them, not when government tells them they have to stop. America’s greatness was accomplished by government not impeding the inalienable rights of the people or the freedom to be all they wanted to be. Domenick Maglio, PhD. is a columnist carried by various newspapers and blogs, an author of several books and owner/director of Wider Horizons School, a college prep program. Dr. Maglio is an author of weekly newspaper articles, INVASION WITHIN and the latest book entitled, IN CHARGE PARENTING In a PC World. You can see many of Dr. Maglio’s articles at www.drmaglioblogspot.com.