'The Week That Was'

By Mark Hopkins

In the mid-'60s there was a favorite TV show titled "The Week That Was." It gave the week's news in capsule form. The star of that series was a familiar name, David Frost. Unfortunately, his presence couldn't save it and that program had a very short run and went the way of many of my favorite shows. This week I am inclined to repeat that show's format and look backward for a bit.

The week of Sept. 25 through 30 was one of the most momentous in recent memory. Politics again made the front pages of our newspapers and required unusual stamina not to be brought down emotionally by the events. Also, from international to the local, tragedies occurred that held our attention.

We started the week with the first debate of the election season. Almost no one was happy with either the level of discourse on the key issues or the conduct exhibited on the stage. How anyone could claim a victory to such an exhibition is beyond me. The best we can say is that with such low expectations we weren't disappointed. Hillary was Hillary and, well, Donald was Donald. Enough said.

We lost Israeli Shimon Peres, Nobel Peace Prize winner and longtime friend of America. His death reminds us we need that level of intellect and commitment on the international scene today as never before, and America needs many more friends like him.

There was a commuter train tragedy in Hoboken, New Jersey, where many were injured but, mercifully, only one person was killed. The experts are searching for why this tragedy occurred. If they can find the cause, perhaps it won't happen again. Two tragedies occurred in rural South Carolina. A church bus turned over, sending many senior citizens to the hospital. No one was killed, though many were injured. And, we had another school shooting, this time in Townville, South Carolina. A 14-year-old boy with access to a gun killed his father and then scattered shots across an elementary school playground, injuring two and killing a 6-year-old boy. Shall I repeat the mantra of so many, "Something has to be done about free access to guns." All of this, and a huge hurricane is spinning its way through the Gulf of Mexico headed to landfall somewhere.

A footnote on politics has to do with newspaper endorsements. The Dallas Morning News, which in its entire history has never endorsed a Democrat for president, did. And USA Today, which never endorses anyone, again did not. Instead, they "nondorsed" someone. (Yes, I know that isn't a word, but nothing else seemed appropriate.) They said, in essence, whatever you do, don't vote for him.

Recently I was struck by a church marquee that said, "Jesus is coming, hopefully before the election."