Elderly built this land on their backs

Recently, in the stifling heat, I saw a woman who had to be in her 80s struggling with her bags of goods she purchased. I asked if I could help her. She seemed shocked but allowed me to help.

She also gave me a lesson from her experiences in the 1930s. She also told me how fearful she was for our country. It must be very hard to be an elderly American these days. The elderly who fought in a World War on two fronts, where tens of thousands were killed and wounded. An era where people sacrificed so much for future generations willingly, only to be swept out the door in the current political climate where people demand so much with little or no sacrifice.

My grandparents survived, kept their character intact and raised a great family like many, even through a decade-long Depression. They saw sacrifice as the glue that held families together. Americans depended on each other and not the growing federal government to bail out everything.

I fear that America is under a hypnotic spell where people now view sacrifice and resilience as sappy; as one guy told me, he likes the current president because now he's "going to get me some."

Fear not, elderly, I am like the silent majority out there, in deep admiration of you, and see this damaging sell out of the future of my children in this exponentially growing deficit as a call to action. We can learn a lot from the elderly. Technology without work ethic and values will produce nothing but self gratification and entitlement. The next time you see an older person struggling to open a door or carry groceries, lend a hand or just say hello. They have earned all of our thanks. They are the backbone of what made this country great.

Andy Isaacson

Villa Park