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Boomers of All Political Stripes Must Become ‘Foxhole Buddies’
By Dan Gougherty
“Foxhole
buddies” is a term I was not intimately familiar with until
a few years ago. I was describing a stressful workplace situation
to a dear old friend a few years my senior, when he, as a veteran,
explained the meaning to me.
In my situation, several coworkers had bonded amidst a very stressful workplace
situation that any one of us could have easily walked away from. Despite this,
we vowed to stick together. It was a support system we inadvertently developed.
In combat situations, foxhole buddies develop when soldiers stick together, not
so much to defeat the enemy or even win a war, but rather to protect the buddy
who is fighting beside you. The goal is survival; or as people now say, “to
watch their back.”
So in what context does foxhole buddy apply to boomers? Until recently, probably
not much.
In the last 35 years, just as we boomers came of age and started exerting our
influence in just about every aspect of American life, the political fissures
between us have also grown dramatically. If you don’t believe this, think
of just about every presidential election in the last 20 years or any of the
so-called culture war issues we passionately engaged in.
Unlike most of our parents, who grew up with the shared common experience of
the Great Depression and World War II, boomers have never had a reason to become
foxhole buddies. We grew up in post-war prosperity that encouraged individuality,
and the one seminal event of our generation, The Vietnam War, I actually believe
created long-term intra-generational cultural fissures that persist to this day.
Until now, perhaps.
Given the foreclosure crisis, the stock market meltdown and the accompanying
collapse of 401(k) retirement accounts, not to mention the worst economy in our
lifetime, boomers now have an opportunity, some might say obligation, to become
foxhole buddies — and do so in a QUICK fashion.
Just as members of the aptly-named “greatest generation” did, boomers
now must put aside their political differences and come together to not only
solve the problem of diminished retirement accounts, but the looming medical
care crisis.
Consider this: According to the California Department of Aging, in the seven-county
Sacramento area there are 500 people celebrating their 60th birthday every week.
By the year 2040, more than 800,000 people age 60 and older will be living in
the region — a 192 percent growth rate over a 40-year period.
There is an endless supply of information to illustrate the graying of America.
But my point is this: Now is the time to act! We boomers must put aside our political
differences and start demanding that the tough decisions to ensure the long-term
survival of Social Security and Medi-Care be addressed.
While coming up with solutions will not be easy and will necessitate that all
sides forge an equitable compromise, lest we sell ourselves short. We need to
loudly communicate our united ideas to the elected officials and demand action — NOW!
We can still become foxhole buddies, united together behind the issues. It won’t
be easy, but the time to do it is now. The clock is ticking. I’ll have
your back. Will you have mine, buddy?
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Metropolitan News Company, Inc.
