My current FB status: "☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆ If you support our troops then please post this on your status. They risk sacrificing their lives for all of us. We have rights and owe obligations to preserve those rights. Freedom is never free. Home of the Free... because of the Brave! Today, we honor the dead of 9/11; all days, we must honor and protect freedom - everyone's freedom. ☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆" It was posted very early yesterday. It was one of those suggested status items floating around but, as usual for me, I modified it before posting.
Yesterday afternoon, I posted this:
"They
who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety,
deserve neither liberty nor safety." If you can't stand up for religious
freedom on this of all days (and that includes the freedom to practice
as a Muslim), then you deserve neither liberty or safety. My child isn't
in the Army to protect SOM E
rights, he's sworn to protect them ALL and he's third in his line to do
so. Bravery isn't standing up when it's easy; it's standing up for what
is right and despite fear.
With that I will log off for the day
as the amount of hate, of religious hate, of political hate, of utterly
irrational hate, spewing across cyberspace today is disturbing to say
the least. It dishonors all of us and the great principles upon which
this country was founded. May higher powers forgive all of you spewing
hatred today and forgive your cowardice. I'm not sure I can.
And then commented on my own posting:
Welch to McCarthy on the 30th day of hearings: "Until this moment, Senator, I think I never gauged your cruelty or your recklessness[...]" When McCarthy resumed his attack, Welch interrupted him: "Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?"
What prompted that little tirade was seeing what some of my FB friends have posted about Islam in recent days and the regular hate rampages against a variety of politicians. I'm no fan of political correctness but I am also NO fan of broad brushed hatred and I find any attempt at religious oppression in the US to be abhorrent.
Of late, I hear people citing France, of all places, in support of the concept of oppressing Muslims. SERIOUSLY? Those of you doing so obviously don't know SQUAT about France. Of course they oppress Muslims. They attempt to oppress ALL religions. You want a lesson from France? There's your lesson. That's no slippery slope your sliding down by crowing about France oppressing Muslims. That's a cliff you flying off of into the abyss of oppressing ALL religion. And I KNOW from the other things said by the same people that this is NOT their intent so STUFF THAT "FOLLOW FRANCE'S LEAD" CRAP when it comes to laws outlawing scarves!
How anyone can go around demanding THEIR rights while insisting that the rights of OTHERS be trampled is simply beyond my ken. Either you stand by and behind the US Constitution, ALL OF IT, or you don't. Frankly, I don't want you on my "team" if you can't do that. If you disagree with parts of it, articulate that and support amendment but, until you get that amendment, support the Supreme Law of the Land AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS.
I fight against those who would blatantly ignore that Supreme Law of these great United States so, if you're doing that or support doing that, you are NO friend of mine. I don't have many FB friends and that's OK by me. It would appear I need to do some culling of the few friends I do have. That's OK too.
"Cause the flag still stands for freedom,
And they can't take that away.
And I'm proud to be an American,
Where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
Who gave that right to me.
And I gladly stand up,
Next to you and defend her still today."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NAHTO-m6aE
"God Bless America. Land that I love. Stand beside her and GUIDE her through the night with the light from above."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LSarhZpnMs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrCvMTGs2u8
Does that banner still wave? It isn't bombs and cannon that threaten her today but the hearts and minds of her own people who would betray her with partial support; picking and choosing, cutting her apart with betrayals from within.
I will gladly stand up, next to you and defend America today; stand beside her and GUIDE her. Please don't stand next to me or "friend" me on Facebook if you would cut off her limbs or tear out her heart.
I'm trying to get back to blogging but I still feel crappy and I'll admit it's tough to blog when it seems so few can stand by and behind this great country when it comes to religious freedom.