The Real Reason We Are Called Baby Boomers

   Those of us of a certain age, albeit at least in our late sixties and seventies, are part of what has been labeled the Baby Boomer generation. The name is given to those born in the late forties and fifties, a time when soldiers returned home from the wars around the world and began raising families.

   New parents at the time and a generation or two before and during the war (grandparents) were part of a world with strong social and political beliefs, clear cut roles and responsibilities for men and women, and the places in society that were not always welcoming to those of different cultural backgrounds, spoke a different language or were judged by the color of their skin.  One only needed to scan the country at the time to see who would and would not be welcomed to become part of local cultures and communities.

   I need to interject a personal note here. I have been writing this column for a number of years now and have made every attempt to stay as far away from political issues as I could. But as I begin to put these thoughts together after watching the news, that may be a bit more difficult for me with this piece, so if you feel uncomfortable with what I might say, please feel free to stop reading now and return to whatever you were doing.

   Even today I can still remember many of my grandmother’s comments about her changing neighborhood, what seemed to be, from her perspective, a total lack of respect for many local and family traditions and the way life use to be. But the new generation, the Baby Boomers, those born post war, were going to put things on the ‘right’ track. We were going to create a country, a society and a world that was going to make everything the way it should be. A new generation where everyone would be treated equally and with respect.

   It was several months before the 1960 Presidential election. The homework from Civics class was to write an essay entitled…” What If a Catholic President.” Each homework paper was read aloud and the class voted on the one they thought the best. (I was not the winner of the classroom vote) If memory serves me correctly, I believe the country did vote for its first Catholic President and the rest is history. The Baby Boomers had finally spoken.

   Since the Boomers, and before, there have been a number of new generations, each given a name or title that reflected their dreams, goals, and beliefs. But the Baby Boomers have managed to remain a strong influence in today’s world. One only needs to pick up the newspaper or watch the news to see that many of the Boomers, especially those serving in government and leadership positions are attempting to reestablish those once held societal beliefs of a segregated society, the role of women in leadership, and the importance of money as a true measure of character and human value.

   History shows us that each generation will put its mark on society and provides a level of guidance and teaching to the next group that will take its place. Traditionally this has been called leadership with the hope of moving forward and making the country and the world a better place for future generations. But a look at where we are today and the lack of and unwillingness of people to work together may be moving us in a somewhat difficult direction

   What kind of world will be the home of my grandchildren? Are we quickly returning a society that, until now, so many have attempted to make part of a history lesson, part of a learning experience, part of the education for future generations to read about and learn from?

   Have the Baby Boomers of the 50s and early 60’s become nothing more than a lot of loud noise and distraction in an attempt to return us to a life and society many are working to change so that everyone will be treated equally and with respect.

   Each year the Boomer generation becomes fewer and fewer in number. We are getting old. But for those of us who are still part of today’s world I have a suggestion. Take your children and grandchildren aside and show them some of the pictures taken in your life as you grew up. Talk to them about the fun things you did as a child of the 50s and 60s. And more important, maybe, share with them the one thing in that lifetime you would have done differently if you had known. A lesson learned.