Held Hostage at the Gas Pumps

Driving home from work today, I looked over at the many gas stations I was passing by.  And I thanked the Lord while doing so.   Going up again, gas in Mobile hit $3.49 today.  And the so called experts say we have not yet seen the end of it.  Does anybody else feel like a hostage right about now?  We have to go to work, get the kids to and from school, go to the grocery store, and on and on.  The gas powered automobile is a family member.  It is a part of our lives.  It may be time we all held an intervention for this much beloved family member. 

I drive a Dodge Durango.  Yes, a gas guzzler.  In my defense, this was the first really nice vehicle I have owned in my entire life.  I’ve had new cars before, but most were smaller or small truck types.  I was making a little money at work and I splurged a little.  Plus, I couldn’t resist the rear seat DVD player for my daughter.  I love my Durango.  Love or not, she stays parked a lot more now than she used to.  I have a store and a pharmacy nearby, and I walk when I can.  I have cut out all unnecessary trips.  I have reconsidered my summer plans.  I hope my world is better for it.  But mostly, I refuse to be terrorized at the gas pumps.  I buy what I need now…not what I want. 

Gas prices are not going down until we all make changes to the way that we live.  Starting with a message to those OPEC terrorists in the middle east.  We have to show them that they need us…we don’t need them.  Is that an easy thing to do?  Of course not.  It means reanalyzing the way we live, the way we prioritize.  If you don’t have to go….don’t.  It’s as simple as that.  Gas company profits will shrink…Wal-Mart stock will go down…restaurants and movie theatres will struggle…the tourist industry will all but crash (Mickey Mouse will be lobbying loud and long on Capitol Hill).   But those are the things that start to get the attention of the so called elite.  Start hitting their wallets as hard as they are hitting ours. 

Here is the upside (or downside depending on your point of view).  You’ll have more time for your family.  You may have to cook an extra meal every now and then instead of running down to KFC or McDonalds.  You might actually get a little healthier if you can walk to the local market instead of driving.  You’ll catch up on all your favorite TV shows.  Well, you could.  I’m a homebody anyway, so this is fairly easy for me.  For some people this new way of life would be nothing short of tragic.  They believe that anyplace is better than home.   But they’ve never had to deal with the gas prices that confront us all now.  They will feel the effect most of all. 

Do I believe oil reserves are dwindling?  Yes.  Do I think we are in crisis mode yet?  No, I don’t.  I think we are in the “supplying our wealth to the terrorist” mode.  They are building lavish palaces over there.  With our money.  Think about that when you are driving around.  We are enabling the very people who want to kill us and wipe us from the face of the earth.  Talk about ironic.  Time to wake up.  Get off the streets America.  Go home.