Truth in Advertising?
The past couple of weeks has been
really emotional for many people in this nation. The senseless
killings in a South Carolina church, followed by the removal of some
Confederate symbols of hate and the discussion about them. Then the
ruling by the Supreme Court making gay marriage legal and the ensuing
celebrations and discussions. I was taken back to September 11 after
the church murders. I remembered how we came together as a nation to
show solidarity and pride. We all hung out American flags, we stood
in line to give blood, we showed our love and support for complete
strangers who lost family and friends and we showed the enemy that we
were united. As the confederate flags started coming down in the
Southern states I was hoping that this would happen again, that we'd
come together as a nation and show defiance to the hate. Sadly, that
has not happened. Some people believe that these symbols of a lost
war and slavery are so important that they need to remain in place no
matter how much it hurts the African-American community.
Then came the ruling from the SCOTUS.
Love wins, everyone can now get married. Facebook turned into a
rainbow, people danced in the streets. Straight people, even complete
strangers congratulated me and have shown support in so many ways.
Yet it's not hard to find the people that are against the ruling. It
doesn't effect them in any way, yet they are ready to fight it. They
are willing to spend our tax dollars fighting gay marriage because
they hate it more than they hate other things that they can spend tax
dollars on like fighting poverty or something more meaningful to
everyone.
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| Rainbow City Mug |
All my life I have heard America called
“the land of the free and the home of the brave” but I have never
truly felt it. This country has a long history of enslavement,
discrimination and hate for no reason. We stole this country from the
indigenous people by murdering, raping, enslaving, death marches,
lies, and starvation. We stated that “all men are created equal”
while we owned people who we kidnaped from other countries and we
refused to allow women many rights like voting.
We have made great and important
changes to bring freedom to more Americans but we really will never
be free while some people are enslaved by their own hate. In holding
fast to that hate they insult every person who has fought for freedom
and love.
I'm sure I've pissed off someone with
my feelings. I may even be called unAmerican by people that don't
realize that I do love my country. It's like loving your home but
realizing that it needs repairs. You don't pretend it doesn't need
those repairs, you fix things because you love your home. My home
still needs some fixing. Maybe this is one small step towards that
happening. What will you do to help make this world a better place.
Check out the gallery page - Future Relics Gallery by Lori Buff
Very well said. The past weeks in the USA have been a roller coaster of emotion. A long time friend shocked me by posting something very negative about the SCOTUS ruling on marriage equality. I couldn't believe he felt that way. I always considered him a caring and intelligent person. I guess you never know ones true feelings.
ReplyDeleteThanks Michèle. I guess we don’t always know someone’s feelings but this may be a good opportunity to gently and privately discuss this person’s feelings and maybe help that person to a better understanding of the issues.
DeleteThings are changing. My great grandparents were force-ably removed from Georgia and sent across the land, eventually ending up in Arkansas. I don't blame people now for what was done to my people then.
ReplyDeleteI think all people are equal and should be given equal rights and I am happy with the recent ruling. I also think the majority of people in this country do not hate.
Our country was settled by some because of religious persecution in England so I wonder about the ramifications to the people of the religions now in conflict with the rulings. I believe in live and let live and wonder if those people and religions will now be persecuted for their beliefs. Hopefully those in conflict will realize there are more important goals to accomplish than arguing about what is right and what is wrong, we need to work together to improve our country.
It seems throughout the history of mankind the pendulum continues to swing one way and then another and is never quite stable. People always seems to be in conflict with another person, another country, another religion, another belief. All the while our country is languishing with no jobs, poverty, hunger, no infrastructure, no industry and no common goal. I truly hope we can all unite and band together to improve the plight of our country and the so very many in need.
Linda, thank you for your thoughtful response. I appreciate your views and thoughts. I too hope we can band together to help improve our country and others.
DeleteThe need some people have to control others' personal lives is beyond me. I try to remember that hate and anger spring from fear, but it's really hard!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right SC. It’s especially hard when the fear is directed at you as anger and hate. This is something for us all to remember.
DeleteI know, you have put is so well, but every step forward is followed by a violent backlash--just like the many black churches burned in the last 2 weeks, GAH!
ReplyDeleteYou’re right Gary. The emancipation proclamation, women’s voting rights, and most other civil rights legislation has been met with violence. I keep hoping we will learn better.
DeleteI'm from South Carolina..... I was born and raised as southern as it gets, but I was never very proud of my state. I'm not sure how I escaped the racism and ignorance that is so very prevalent in that state..... these are difficult topics.
ReplyDeleteI have a blog post sitting in my draft about this subject, but I'm trying to muster up the energy to read the comments from trolls!
Are you going to have an official wedding?! Rainbows and rebel flags, what a crazy country we live in, haha! At least there is good in most people....
peace
xo
Tracey, I think you are an intelligent, thoughtful person who thinks about things rather than just parroting the sentiments of the people around you. That’s why you escaped the racism and ignorance.
DeleteI have been very fortunate to have received mostly very positive comments to this post. Some of my friends on Facebook have been less fortunate but their friends have swarmed to their defense and the unfriend button is a blessing.
You’re right, most people are good.