I was not a big fan of Bob Dylan but I did like the lyrics to many of his early songs.

Yesterday, I was trimming a Scotts Pine tree in my front yard and a phrase from Dylan’s “The Times They Are A Changing“ kept repeating in my head – “Don’t criticize what you can’t understand.”

It got me to thinking what I was critical of, about which I lacked understanding.

I don’t understand politics – never have. I have an appreciation for the process but I’m far from understanding how it works, thus I’m critical.

My sense is that I’m not alone. Criticism of politicians is at a high point. My guess is the elected officials rely on our ignorance to keep what they have going in place. It’s kind of like the law. They write it in such un-understandable lingo, that we cannot possibly comprehend it. It’s by design to keep us reliant upon them.

Yet the wave of criticism keeps building. Again, the long ago lyrics of Bob Dylan provide an appropriate warning.

Come senators, congressmen
Please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he that gets hurt
Will be he who has stalled
There’s a battle outside ragin’.
It’ll soon shake your windows
And rattle your walls
For the times they are a-changin’.

My brother-in-law was fond of saying, “If you’re smart enough to understand something, you should be smart enough to explain it to me so that I can understand.”

I don’t think politicians have believed, until now, that they have to explain themselves in understandable terms. It’s new territory for most of them because they are so adept at not answering questions.

I really do want to understand and not criticize my elected officials. I wonder how soon they’ll figure out that they have to explain themselves to us in understandable terms or bear the consequences.

And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.

Bob Dylan’s message hasn’t changed – “The Times They Are A Changing.”

All the best,

John

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