Protests come in all forms, great and small, and it’s one of the greatest attributes of this country, allowing peaceful protests to show support for something important to the protestors, if not the community in which they live. Great thing about democracy, your pissed, you can tell anyone and everyone and not feel threatened with jail or otherwise. It’s a simple principle but has been the foundation of much change in this country and it will always be in the fabric of this country as long as we remain a democracy.
Normally, I don’t bring up individual events because their lifespan is short and in two months or two years, most events will hardly be remembered and I think that Gwen Berry’s total disrespect of the American flag and the national anthem will be one of those events. While Gwen Berry made up some bogus nonsense about being pissed that they started playing the national anthem while she was receiving her bronze medal was a quick response, the truth probably lies a little below the surface and honestly, whatever her ultimate motivation was, she disrespected the thing that she worked so hard for, representing her country in the 2020 1/2 Olympics. If she dislikes this country, that is her prerogative. If she has an issue about racism and oppression, she is entitled to say it, show it, protest it, whatever. She has to realize the blowback from such an act.
Obviously, I am not a big fan of mixing sporting events and social issues. I think athletes have a unique platform and with that platform they can accomplish a lot. Much can be accomplished with real affirmative action and not just kneeling while the national anthem is played. You want change, go out and help change things. Thats another example of how great this country is. Change can happen with hard work and involvement. Disrespecting the flag or the national anthem does nothing to exact change. It just makes you look bad in the eyes of most Americans.
As we approach the July 4th weekend I just think it’s time realize how great this country is and how great its people are. Remember, we are an experiment. An experiment in democracy and so far we have pretty damn well. Trust me, I am not naive to think this is the perfect form of democracy. Our history is littered with horrible periods. Treatment of indigenous people, slavery, labor abuses, racism in all its forms and now a partially divided country struggling to come to terms with all of these things.
Like I said we a not a perfect union. We never have been, we most likely never will be. What we are is still the greatest country in the World. Our freedoms surpass anything that has come before us and the strength of this country is its
Constitution, the system of checks and balances and overall strength of character of the people in this country.
If this country sucked so bad as some legislators and far left believe, then why are hundreds of thousands of people trying to gain entry here? We have always been a country of immigrants and we still need and want immigrants almost as much as they want to be here. The desire and need involved here are out of balance and regardless of what you think, at some point the need will overtake the desire and we will reach some sort of immigration policy that benefits the country first and the immigrants second. It can work and it has worked for over 200 years.
I heard a comment this morning on some talk show and it exemplifies this country to a tee. “Good people doing great things”. It is amazing to me that we don’t hear enough about these “Good people”. People going out each and everyday trying to do the right thing. Small things that over the span of a day, week, month or year add up to make this country a little better.
All you have to do is go watch a little league baseball game. Parents volunteering to be involved in their child’s lives. Cleaning up the ballpark after the games are over. Practicing with the kids. I know, its just part of being an involved parent but thats what makes this country great. The majority of parents are involved with their children’s lives. Doesn’t matter what that family unit looks like, the majority of the people in this country want to see their kids succeed and be happy and knowing that some sort of familial structure is the key to that success.
I know I am old fashioned and probably out of touch with today’s society but I firmly believe that we are blessed in this country. The mainstream media, for whatever reason, doesn’t seem to think that these simple good things about this country warrant any coverage. We do need to be informed but enough is enough. Not all news is bad news.
We are not a military nation but the military has been an extremely important component of this little experiment. Our country has always come to the aid of democracies in peril and our sons and daughters have given their lives to help democracies withstand tyranny and oppression. We have been involved in battles we probably should not have been. Lost servicemen and servicewomen for causes that might not have been just. Every country makes ill fated decisions but at the end of the day, the United States has done more to protect and spread democracy than any country in history. The sacrifices that our military has made have never truly been appreciated and that, unfortunately, is a country that takes itself for granted.
We take our freedoms for granted. We take for granted our ability to speak freely. We take for granted our ability to worship freely. We take for granted the bounty that this country has provided us. I think everyone, no matter what your issue is, should sit down and thank God that you live in a country like this and you are allowed to have an issue at all.
Thank You and a Very Happy 4th To You!
So perfect and profound, good Fourth to you !!