Tonight is a watershed moment in our nations history. While Im not excited about the use of Executive Power (in fact, Im highly against it, for a variety of reasons), and mostly have nothing but dislike for our current president, his ideals, and things that he believes in and espouses, I am also touched by something I saw tonight. Last night I posted a picture of idiotic, entitled, pieces of violent trash in Ferguson Missouri, holding up American flags and burning it. Yes, my language is strong, and if you dont like my language, unfriend me. I have absolutely no love of anyone who burns our flag, or uses excuses to engage in violent behavior. Being a bully is something that absolutely I stand against, whether you feel justified in doing so or not. The point Im trying to make is that there is a group, born into the greatest birthright in world history--being an American citizen. Being born into a country where the only thing that holds you back are your own decisions; that anyone can become rich or powerful or special or unique. These people burning the American flag and threatening to burn down a city have foregone that birthright. They are throwing it away as if it didnt hold the value of the blood of every single person who has fought to make that birthright available to them. And that thoroughly disgusts me. We are given a gift, being born as Americans. And while our current president apologizes for that, and people seem to think its okay not to be proud of it these days, I will stand proud of it every day until I draw my last breath. And while Ive never been in the armed forces, if the need arose to defend that birthright for my friends, my family, even complete strangers who I will never meet, I would gladly stand, and if necessary, fall, to ensure that birthright continues on for another generation. And yes, part of that desire to defend includes the right to free speech. and it includes those who choose to riot, create violence and burn our flag. It includes those who dislike the system so much that they run to the UN to complain. If you like one of our rights, you need to like them all. And as much as I disagree with those who completely turn their back on our heritage, our pride our nation and what it stands for, I agree with their right to do so. It is their own damn fault that they are so stuck in their own misery, so readily able to burn our flag and turn their backs on the very country that allows them the freedoms to do that. They have to live with their own misery, they have to justify their behavior. They are so willing to give up their citizenship, their birthright. Tonight I saw something totally different. There were rallies all across our great nation. People stood, as one, waiting patiently to hear what our president had to say. And do you know what I saw in every one of those rallies? American flags. Old Glory, the Stars and Stripes. Thousands, and THOUSANDS of these flags, being waved jubilantly by people. The people waving them? They are the same people who have not been given this birthright. You see, these people, regardless of whether they have been here for one minute or 20 years, they REALIZE the value of that flag. They REALIZE the value of that birthright. They, who are not even our citizens, wave that flag proudly. I am not defending amnesty, or citizenship, or anything else. What I am saying is that it is a beautiful sight, to see hundreds and thousands of people waving their American Flags and weeping for joy. These people, more than those idiots in Ferguson, realize the gift theyve been given. They see America as a land of opportunity, and mean to take us up on our offer. Regardless of where you stand on the issue (and please, this is not the place to argue it), theres something beautiful about seeing those images with all those people, waving that beautiful flag and showing it the respect it deserves. In the Bible, there is a story about two brothers. One had a birthright, and the other did not. The one with the birthright was angry and bitter and short-sighted, and sold his birthright for a handout. Does this story sound familiar? How many people burning that flag last night are doing the same thing? Trading out that birthright for a handout. A cup of broth, or whatever it was in the story. The brother who accepted the birthright realized what he had, and took it and ran with it. Will those extended this gift tonight do the same thing? Regardless of where you sit on this issue, you cant argue that the picture of Old Glory flying proudly, high above the crowds tonight, is an image worth loving. Dislike this post if you must, but I think Ill throw my lot in with the group that loves this country and waves its banner proudly, over the group that wants to see it burn.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Nov 2014 03:24:57 +0000