Having trouble following the logic of current events?

I suppose the idea that the United States is a logical, law-based, democracy was never really true outside idealistic textbooks and high school classrooms, but current events make that notion seem like a quaint affectation.

Simultaneously, we are arguing about when or even if a woman may elect to have an abortion -- even in the case of rape or incest -- while many of the very same people passionately arguing that society has a duty to control personal health decisions are also fighting against society asking for community-based strategies to fight Covid -- vaccines and masks. 

As a nation, we have given up on any pragmatic attempts to curb gun violence, even in schools, while arguing angrily about esoteric historical theories that no K-12 teachers actually know much about or intend on weaving into their curriculum.

We love our children this much: we are willing to see a tiny percentage of them murdered to protect some vague sense of freedom. We value life this much: we are OK with thousands of suicides by gun each year.

Public school teachers are quitting in droves, according to new reports, many saying they are exhausted by the combination of constant political battles over schools, lack of parental and societal support, and depressingly low pay. But as long as OUR precious children are doing OK, we just frown and bring up old arguments about summers off and how "only those who can't, teach."

Of course, teachers in our children's schools are fine, and so are the schools themselves. It's everywhere else that needs regulation and prohibitions and interference.

College football coaches are now following the money in blatant ways, with some top jobs commanding over $10 million per year. Meanwhile, most college professors must be happy with a cost of living raise -- and those raises are often not nearly enough to stay even with inflation, much less boost net income.

One political party actively works to undermine the IRS, claiming illogically that the governmental agency charged with collecting taxes can't be trusted to do what we ask them to do. About half of Congress are millionaires, which ain't quite the distinction it used to be, but it is difficult to disagree with statements like, "We are a nation governed by the rich, for the rich."

Can we be shocked that rich people are reluctant to fully support an agency charged with asking them to pay their fair share of support for national government? 

I have claimed for decades that my feelings on abortion are these:

• I am against abortion.
• I am for a woman's right to choose.

Clearly, I am juggling some paradoxes here.

I also like to share a Robert Fulghum (Captain Kindergarten) story where he describes two buttons he wore on his smock during classes (teaching art in Seattle). One button said, "Trust me. I'm the teacher." The other said, "Question authority." He wrote that he believed in both positions quite passionately.

Americans claim to honor "front line workers" like the military, teachers, health care workers, trash collectors, and store clerks while tolerating or ignoring all the messages we send more directly about their value: mostly low pay, lousy conditions, and overwhelming responsibilities. 

Bottom line: attempting to find logic in our nation is a fool's errand.