In My Opinion

In my opinion we have become a society of ill-mannered people.  We talk on the cell phone constantly, even when face to face with others, we are talking on our 'earpiece'  or have that phone glued to our ear - how rude!!!  I am a bank teller, and I can't even count the number of customers that I wait on while they are carrying on a conversation with someone on their cell phone - I need to ask them questions, I need their attention while counting their money, or when asking for ID, or when needing their account number, or countless other things they are not prepared with while handing me a piece of paper and expecting me to 'know' what they want without them having to say a thing to me!!! (that was a run-one sentence, wasn't it - sorry)  I also find it rude when employees are talking on their cell phone when they should be working or helping customers.  My family knows to call me only in case of emergency or extreme urgency.  So when I do get a personal call, my phone will vibrate...when I get a chance to check it at a moment that I am not actually engaged with a customer, I excuse myself and listen to the message in a private area.  If the message does not call for immediate action (life or death) I will return the call on my break or lunchtime.  See, I was taught that personal 'stuff' was done on personal time.  So I find it ill-mannered to spend my time as a paid employee to tend to personal things. 
While I am on my soapbox, I also want to rant about traffic.  Every day I cross a bridge which is having construction done.  There are signs...flashing signs, stating the speed of 35 MPH through this construction area.  So, I slow down to 35 - and cars whip around me going 45-60 MPH as though they were illiterate or did not learn their numbers!  People, people, people - there are workers who depend on our obeying that speed limit.  They work out in the heat every day, day after day, trying to finish that job and they have to cross over those lanes of traffic at times.  The least we could do would be to obey that 35 MPH speed for several hundred feet of road - then resume your crazy speed when out of the construction zone.  I'm just saying...
Also, in my opinion we are getting off track terribly when it comes to politics, religion and race.  I really don't care what persuasion to which you subscribe/were born.   Can we not live together on this ever changing planet with respect and consideration for our differences (which will always exist)?  I respect the differences as they make this world a wonderful and ever challenging place to live.  I love knowing that your heritage may include things that mine doesn't and am interested in learning about yours.  Our difference doesn't make one better than the other - just different.  Can we not celebrate that difference?  Can we not learn from that difference?  Can we not respect that difference?  I will, however, have to make a stand on one hard line - language.  If you came to the United States of America to become a citizen (or are here illegally) and are working earning American dollars, or attending American schools - then learn English.  If I were to decide to move to Mexico, or France, or Japan I would definitely learn the language well enough to live there and be understood - before I moved there!   I would also study the culture and customs so as to be respectful to the natives of that country.
OK, I will sign off now that I have gotten a few things off my mind.  Don't take offence - this is just My Humble Opinion of things on my mind~~~a middle aged woman!