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Monday, July 6, 2015

Thinking of "The Way We Were"...an Anthem Opinions Editorial

"Mayberry"
A Goal for All of Us


A few days ago, I read a memorial to the late Andy Griffith....July 3rd was the 3rd anniversary of his death...

...and it made me reflect about the changing world we live in....whether it be in a local community atmosphere or in the nation as a whole.

....and how laws and rules seem to be continuously reinterpreted, many of which somehow, seem to destroy the way many of us were brought up.

From a national standpoint, we see crosses removed from war memorials, the word "God" constantly being challenged as to it being appropriate in society...

...yet in the same breath, allowing that word, "God" to be used as an excuse in justifying the killing of thousands of innocent people in the name of "religious belief".

Consider the challenges made to law enforcement..and  society.

Just look at our past ...and the road our country has traveled, as we watch police officers attempt to survive in an atmosphere where many openly show them little or no respect, question each and every decision, and in some circles, display utter contempt for their very presence.

Our "civilized society" has now evolved to a point where some condemn those who protect us, yet protect those who condemn our very way of life.

Those brave public servants leave their homes in the morning, dedicating their lives to keeping us a bit safer each day.......while their families remain behind,  never knowing if they will ever return.

Yes...the times have changed, but "once upon a time" there was a place....a place all of us would travel to each week on our television sets, to watch the story of a town...

...an imaginary town...in North Carolina...

... a town each of us yearned to visit at one point, and perhaps one day, be one of its residents.

...a town named...

 "Mayberry"

It represented not just a place to live, but an "existence" that was filled with good people who defined the word  "community"...

...people we were allowed to meet, and over time, learn to love, and look at them as the family all of us would have longed to be a part of.

We got to meet Floyd the Barber.


You could always get words of "wisdom" from Howard Sprague.
  

If you needed your car repaired, Gomer and Goober were always there to give you a helping hand.



If you wanted some small town excitement, you could always count on Ernest T. Bass showing up...


...along with the "Darlings" singing their "mountain music".

 

And if you needed the perfect assistant to make you laugh while checking parking meter violations or taking care of the town drunk, Otis,  gently tucking him in bed in "his cell" each Saturday night....


...you could always rely on the town deputy, Barney Fife.


But there was one person who made it all "work"...the sheriff... Andy Taylor.
  

We met him following the death of his wife, leaving him a single dad....a single dad who always seemed to take the time to teach his son the  difference between right and wrong.

He knew that task would be impossible by himself, and with that belief, we were introduced to Aunt Bee, who would take care of him and his son, Opie, while he was "keeping the peace". 

She created the "home" in which Andy instilled values in Opie on his path to adulthood.


"Keeping the peace" meant...using reason and common sense more often than handcuffs....but when it was necessary, Andy Taylor was always the sheriff the town believed him to be...and...did what he believed he had to do...to protect "his" town.

People never seemed to question Andy's "peace keeping" ability and tactics...he was the sheriff and the law was to be respected...and...obeyed.

That's the way it was in Mayberry...

...and that's what we should be striving to achieve today...

Respect for the law...and...in return, the law respecting its citizens....

...yet allowing citizens the opportunity to PEACEFULLY question it....and...change it, if necessary...

...through LAWFUL NONVIOLENT AVENUES.

How is that solved?

COMMUNICATION....OPEN COMMUNICATION

We can go on and on, but what Mayberry represented was a decent place to live, filled with residents who cared deeply about each other...

.. and policed by a good man who knew how to handle people....

...in a manner in which all  LAW ABIDING CITIZENS seemed to love him.

As the years passed along with the 249 episodes we watched Andy Griffith each week from 1960 to 1968....

..something strange...and... wonderful... took place.

Mayberry, its residents, and its sheriff remained in our hearts thereafter...in reruns that are still seen around the world each and every day...47 years after the last episode aired.

Those were the "good old days"...

...the days GOOD PEOPLE want to keep close to their hearts.

And  in all my reflections about Andy Griffith and the wholesomeness he brought to us in his 86 years, I look around and see...

...we may have lost those visions and hopes of living in...

"Mayberry"

...that Americana is being redefined here and abroad which would have made Sheriff Andy Taylor a very sad man.

Dick Arendt
Anthem Opinions Administration


  1. From Sarelle Povitsky of Solera...to...Anthem Opinions

    Right on! We have lost the innocent times and good people that lived in Mayberry USA!

    Great article!
    ReplyDelete
  2. From George Jacobs of Cleveland, Ohio...to...Anthem Opinions

    Good thoughts and reflection.

    Times have changed and not always for the better.

    You've done another fine job of posting intelligence.

    Thank you
    ReplyDelete
  3. From John Schmidt...to...Anthem Opinions

    Outstanding, I truly could not have summed up our lives with more accuracy.

    Unfortunately, I fear we are overseeing the demise of a once great society.
    ReplyDelete
    1. From Mary Lee Duley...to...Anthem Opinions

      Another Good one, and food for thought for all of us.

      You’re “the man”!
      ReplyDelete

4 comments:

  1. From Sarelle Povitsky of Solera...to...Anthem Opinions

    Right on! We have lost the innocent times and good people that lived in Mayberry USA!

    Great article!

    ReplyDelete
  2. From George Jacobs of Cleveland, Ohio...to...Anthem Opinions

    Good thoughts and reflection.

    Times have changed and not always for the better.

    You've done another fine job of posting intelligence.

    Thank you

    ReplyDelete
  3. From John Schmidt...to...Anthem Opinions

    Outstanding, I truly could not have summed up our lives with more accuracy.

    Unfortunately, I fear we are overseeing the demise of a once great society.

    ReplyDelete
  4. From Mary Lee Duley...to...Anthem Opinions

    Another Good one, and food for thought for all of us.

    You’re “the man”!

    ReplyDelete