By Tonja Condray Klein©08/05/2021

I was born in 1972 so I’m a Gen-Xer. I have always been proud to be of that generation that experienced such amazing spiritual, vocational, and technological innovations during my school years then into the 90’s. While I was an anomaly then due to having older parents who were retired and being sick often, I still managed to overcome obstacles that could have interfered with my hopes and dreams. With Faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, a supportive family who believed I could do anything, and my working hard to excel, I went beyond other people’s expectations then and now.

The focus of this writing is more on Gen-X in general and not just me though. I’ve read historical articles, opinion articles, and ‘expert’ articles concerning my generation, and I’ve come to understand that most of those articles paint Gen-X in a really dark or lazy light about what my generation FAILED to do or TRIED to NOT do. Since I lived through these times and have read the reasoning behind those assertions, I counter that they are either biased or of a small margin of the generation. We might have lost some of the beliefs and backgrounds of previous generations, but we still hold onto many.

WHY am I writing this without specifics of the greatness of Gen-X? I still love my generation but also know that we’ve had moments of floundering in a couple of ways following the Baby Boomers. My sister is still a Boomer, but my brother fell between Boomer and Gen-X depending on which generational model you check so he was kind of between the two. Eleven years separated the three of us with my sister being 22 years older than me and my brother eleven years older. This is why his oldest daughter (my niece) is only 8 years younger than me and a Gen-Xer too but like a sister.

Some of the articles pointed out that some of us seemed to lack ambition or even a path to becoming a productive and self-sufficient citizen, and I sadly agree with that one point when it comes to certain groups from educational levels or career choices that didn’t lead to more opportunities. Wasn’t it that way for certain groups when it comes to every single generation in history, though? I’ve been studying generational trends, careers, educational options, and societal shifts for each one to find that even though things changed dramatically at times, each generation seemed to learn to adapt in ways.

The GI-Generation was my father’s born in 1913. The Silent Generation was my mother’s born in 1931. With two Boomers or Gen-Xers in the sibling ages during the last forty years who also learned from the previous two, I have to say I had an excellent base for life when it comes to making choices from watching my parents and siblings. Now, my Mom, Sister, and oldest Niece are still those who have lived over forty years together, so generational overlaps are high for me, which is why I noted that I’m an anomaly. Still, I’ve met others from Gen-X that also had very similar upbringings.

What is my point? I bought a tee-shirt the other day that says, “Never Underestimate a Girl Who is washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ and Was Born in September!” While there are many in my generation who purposefully fled from Christianity, I did not. THAT is my main concern about what we as Gen-Xers lost when we seemed to run away from the foundation that has kept this country strong and free. In 2021 I’m seeing some Millennials trying to work their way back, but Gen-Xers should be the ones leading the way. THIS is what frustrates me about my generation… WE LOST FAITH.

Current education is trying to reprogram the minds of the Z’s, but Millennials need to watch your kids and guard their love of Democracy in the United States of America. President Ronald Reagan warned that we are always only ONE generation away from losing our Democratic-Republic. He was right, and I’m seeing a rising anti-Freedom alliance that is moving America toward Socialism or Totalitarianism. THIS should not be. We Gen-Xers need to get our heads out of the blasted clouds and GUARD OUR DEMOCRATIC-REPUBLIC CONSTITUTION. WE MUST FOR THE CHILDREN!

I love Gen-X because my memories were of a safe trailer park community, an equal local public school system, and education that not only helped students go to college but also allowed for technical and vocational training for those that wanted to pursue that. We learned how to cook, sew, do a budget, and change diapers in optional classes. Education prepared us for REAL LIFE. I’ve helped my nieces, great-nieces and great-nephew with classes over the years, but what they learn is NOT what we did, and it is a total misuse of the educational system. They can barely sign their own names!

I know I’ve railed about the education system often, but having earned scholarships for college the hard way, I weep for Gen-Z. Generation-Xers must help the Millennials to educate their own children better or we will lose a whole generation to indoctrination that we NEVER would have allowed for ourselves. I think that the educational powers that rule think Gen-Xers won’t stand up to what they are doing to our grandchildren. WE NEED TO SHOW THEM WE ARE NOT AS UNAFFECTED AS EXPECTED by those who tried to derail our generation to use against Millennials and Z’s.

Millennials are the wildcard. Their children are now being programmed to hate America, think anyone different from themselves is racist, and that the government system needs to ‘take care of them’ so they can all be ‘enlightened’ or ‘WOKE’ or whatever term they decide to implant into their vocabulary to counter ALL verified History, verified Science, verified Mathematics, or verified Biology. I REMEMBER IT ALL! I KNOW THE TRUTH! I KNOW REALITY! WE CAN’T LET THEM TAKE IT FROM US, OUR CHILDREN, GRANDCHILDREN, OR THEIR CHILDREN NOW!

Am I making a mountain out of a mole hill? That depends. Is the hill one of just dirt that is no threat or is it really termites that can destroy a home? You MUST check out that blasted mole hill! Speak out at school meetings as concerned parents, grandparents, aunts, great-aunts, or whatever family tie you hold and DEMAND answers for it. If the termites of socialism, totalitarianism, racism, or any other idealism against FREEDOM, DEMOCRACY, OR INDIVIDUALISM are in that hill then you MUST STAND AGAINST IT! We may have failed at some things, but by GOD we must not THIS!