Splashdown!

Exactly 50 years ago today three astronauts returned from their successful, historic mission to the moon.  The year was 1969.

If you've been around as long as me or if you've studied history you know at least four things about 1969:
1. The country was embroiled in a highly controversial war in Viet Nam.
2. The president was the highly controversial Richard Nixon (affectionately known as "Tricky Dick").
3. The recent assassinations of Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King, Jr were fresh in everyone's minds.
4. Racial tensions were at an all-time high.

Now let's compare.  Here we are, 2019, and it's amazing how little we have learned,  isn't it? Consider:
1. The country is embroiled in a prolonged conflict in the Middle East.
2. The president is the corrupt, immoral, racist and bigoted Donald Trump.
3. Thanks to No. 2 racial tensions are very high.

The exceptions are fortunately there have been no recent assassinations and thanks to the policies put in place by Barack Obama, the economy is relatively strong. But in retrospect it doesn't look like we've learned much in 50 years. 

Maybe 2069 will be different but someone else will have to report on it.