Neighbors

There seem to be two extremely opposite philosophies when it comes to determining the qualities of a good neighbor. One philosophy believes it is best to, "Mind Your Own Business." The other philosophy thinks good neighbors mind everybody else's business. So please, let me set the record straight.

Good neighbors don't gossip. By definition, a gossip is someone who,"habitually reveals personal or sensational facts, rumors, or reports of an intimate nature." Please notice that the word fact is used in the definition. It doesn't have to be a lie to be gossip.

Gossip adds to people's problems and pretty much everybody has enough problems. Gossip can ruin people's reputations and start arguments. When you gossip you are showing your bad manners. People who gossip cannot be trusted. If you are going to mind everybody else's business, then you cannot be the one that spreads gossip. You don't have to get arreseted to earn the right to remain silent. Good neighbors are helpful, not hurtful. Good neighbors are good citizens.

It is unfortunate that so many of us learn our manners by watching television.

I suppose being neighborly falls under the Department of Homeland Security as well as the State Department when we discuss being neighborly as a nation.

The drug wars going on at our borders with Mexico are not neighborly. It's rude and disrespectful to take your fight to somebody else's home. It might be time for us to employ our National Guard as bouncers at our borders. The Border Patrol isn't as effective as we would like them to be. Rather than hire more Border Patrol agents it might be a good idea to replace the Border Patrol with the National Guard. The name "National Guard" kind of implies they're the ones that are supposed to be guarding our nation. If we're going to keep sending them to other parts of the world, shouldn't they be called the "International Guard"?

Copyright © 2009 Annette Fortunato

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