1) The uproar over the Confederate Flag and all things glorifying the Old South. Honest to God, I never gave this any thought before the proverbial poop hit the fan. I sighed over Gone With the Wind and found it very romantic. I think most people do. That's the problem. We're romanticizing something that was anything but. An entire way of life was built on slavery. What about the right to Liberty mentioned above? I was a history major. I fully realize the Civil War was fought over many things, not the least of which was economics. 150 years ago people had vastly different perceptions of just who was equal to whom. Most of us are smart enough to have progressed. But certainly not all. So, what does the Confederate Battle Flag represent? If you believe what you see posted all over Facebook, many of those in the south are of the opinion it represents their heritage. The group espousing black rights feels it represents oppression of an entire race. I agree with both points. That flag flew in a fight to preserve a way of life that included slavery. So, should people be allowed to fly that flag today? Everyone has the right to the pursuit of happiness in their own private space. So, I guess that means flying whatever flag you want over your home since I'm all about individual freedoms. If you have the poor taste to fly the Nazi flag in your yard, or you choose to fly a Confederate flag or a rainbow flag or a skull & crossbones, that's your business. You should be able to do what you want if you aren't harming anyone, even if people find your actions offensive... But you should also have the common sense to realize that what you do says a lot about your beliefs, and your actions do affect others. People like the crazy-ass bastard who killed nine innocent people because he felt those 150 year old traditions were right and should be followed today feed off these symbols. Do I think the Confederate flag should fly over a government building. Hell no! Do we fly the British flag over the White House? No state government should proclaim by their actions they follow the tenants represented by anything but our current law of the land. What about all those statues dedicated to Southern Civil War heroes. I'm torn here. I respect history. I respect art. I think the people freaking out and acting like we're trying to erase history and cover up the Civil War by taking down statues have lost it. The call to take down statues isn't about hiding our past. It's about not glorifying a war fought to preserve slavery. Do I think all the men who fought for succession were evil? Of course not. I think they were raised to believe something they never questioned. Were they wrong in their thinking? Hell, yes! Do those statues have a place on public property? Maybe not, but my love of history and art would hate to see them go. I see them as art not a rallying cry, but maybe that's just me. As for Gone With the Wind, it's a work of fiction. We don't burn books. You can write about whatever you want. But maybe I won't think the book is quite so romantic anymore...
2) The Supreme Court's decision to legalize gay marriage. I don't even understand why this is an issue. Hello, people, we all have the right to pursuit of happiness. Just because a person believes marriage is between a man and a woman for moral or religious reasons doesn't mean they get to force those beliefs on someone else! Good God, our country was built on religious freedom. Our country is supposed to be based on the opposite of religious persecution. And telling a whole segment of the population what they can and can't do because it goes against your religious beliefs is just that: religious persecution. Our country is based on separation of church and state. One has no business infringing on the other. Call your beliefs what you want: Christian, old-fashioned, traditional, whatever. Live your life the way you want to live it holding any belief you choose near and dear to your heart. That's your right as an American. But let everyone else live their lives the way they choose, too. Discrimination is not okay. As long as you aren't hurting someone with your actions, you are allowed your own personal pursuit of happiness.
So, maybe some people's sensibilities are offended by our individual rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But we each have those rights. We can each express who we are and what we believe. Be true to yourself...but don't try to force your beliefs on others. I'll get off my soapbox now. I hope you all have a happy Fourth of July as we remember the liberties our forefathers fought to preserve.
