“Women and children first.”

We’ve heard that phrase so very often over the years we don’t pay much attention to it anymore.

However with all the attention in the news focused on the war in Ukraine, we hear it often. Talking about all the refugees and learning that the overwhelming majority are women and children brings us back to the origin of the phrase and its importance.

This century old phrase seems to me to conflict with the newer phrase: “Equal Rights.”

So many of our “liberal” friends have been promoting the idea that there is really no difference between men and women and both should be treated the same.

To their credit, the liberals have actually done some good. There have been many examples where women have been cheated in pay for equal work; or kept out of work in certain professions for no reason other than that they were women.

However, there have been many, many examples where liberals have tried to force this idea on people where it had no reason to be. Sometimes the general idea of “equality” sure sounds like the right thing. However, in specific instances, it is very difficult to make sure the concept of “equality” is being applied equally. (That’s reason for another time to discuss.)

The reason I bring this up at this time is that I don’t hear any liberal news media people making an argument against the idea that “women and children” should be the first ones saved from the war and the men should stay and protect the homeland.

The century’s old philosophy has seemed to trump the newer equal rights philosophy of many liberals.

The use of the “equal rights” banner is not right in so many things: like gender identity where they claim a person can ‘choose’ whether they want to be a man or woman; like teaching very young children about sex; like allowing men to compete as women in sports. There are other examples too numerous to mention, but you get the idea.

It is certainly too bad that it took a war between Russia and Ukraine to show us so clearly that most all people (even those liberals) still believe in the concept of “Women and Children First” even if they don’t say so.

I think it would be safe to say that most all cultures and civilizations throughout history believed in this concept. It is not up to the “liberals” of the 21st century in America to twist the concept to something else.

A O

I have contended for quite a few years now that there are just too many “Award” shows on TV. Most, if not all, involve the ‘Entertainment Industry.’

I have no problem with them promoting themselves, but I also believe they have overdone it in many ways.

I was happy to see the major TV networks did not broadcast the 2022 Academy awards this past weekend.

Consider the surprise of many when they woke up Monday morning and found out they missed out on an action that in most years would have been the highlight of the show.

It seems the MC for this year’s show was a comedian. As he was entertaining the folks, he used a joke that actor, Will Smith, thought was aimed at his wife, and was in poor taste to begin with. Smith got up from his chair, went on stage and slapped the MC.

Now, that’s something you don’t see at all.

Maybe it should be something that happens more often.

While I really don’t watch many current comedians do their shows these days, I have seen a few that leave a little to be desired. Many are in poor taste and on a subject that really shouldn’t be on a public platform they have.

That’s my idea. It is probably perfectly legal for them to say whatever they want. However, it is also perfectly legal for me not to watch them, and . . . to support someone who also took action to display his dislike of those type of jokes.

Free Speech is free speech, but that doesn’t give comedians the right to use poor taste in their shows.

A O

I’d like to end this week to emphasis something we all know, but sometimes fail to think about.

Agriculture . . .

Seems last week was National Ag Week. One of those week designed to recognize an important part of our world. An occasion to highlight just what an important, good and efficient job America’s farmers and Agriculture industry actually does.

It’s not unlike the Entertainment Industry when they hold any of their many “Award” shows and say what a good job they do. However, most of us here in rural Nebraska think that maybe “National Ag Week” celebrates something more important than who the best actor is in a movie.

From the publicity I’ve read, Nebraska is among the best when it comes to agricultural production. Some Nebraska production rating are as follows:

No. 1 in cash receipts from all farm commodities per capita.

No. 1 in commercial cattle slaughter (7,091,600 head, 2021).

No. 2 in cattle on feed; all cattle and calves; beef exports and commercial red meat production (2021 figures).

No. 1 for popcorn production (2017).

No. 1 for Great Northern bean production (2021).

No. 2 for ethanol production (2021).

No. 3 for corn production and exports (2021).

No. 4 in soybean production (2021)

Agriculture and the many associated businesses, provide at least one of every four jobs in Nebraska.

Nebraska provides a lot of food for a lot of the world . . . and they do a very good and efficient job in doing so.

It may be late, but we take the time to tell the world we are very proud of our farmers, and the whole agricultural industry here in Nebraska. We wish you the best in years to come.

A O