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Grand Old Lady

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    Grand Old Lady

    I had an issue where a family member openly agreed with the NFL players stance of protest during our national Anthem. He is the only cousin I have of 75 first cousins that openly supported Hillary. He upset one of my other cousins who lost her father a short time ago and was buried full military honors. He said things that brought my cousin to tears. I thought about what he wrote and it angered me. Not so much with him, but with how we choose to protest in this country. What we feel is our right without thinking before acting. So I wrote this letter to comfort my cousin and I thought I would post it here before leaving the site in the very near future. Hopefully I have posted it in the right area. It is a long read an my apology. I wish you all the best.

    This Old Flag And Why I Will Stand Up For Her


    I ask myself what am I missing here in these times? What would make us so divided and so angry that what made us great couldn't begin healing the wounds. I know I have lived only a short fifty six years; but at no time have I seen more troubling signs of hatred, physical conflict and foul words meant to hurt and punish one another. It makes little sense to continue down this road. As I reflect on these times, I ask myself about the Grand Old Lady that so many refuse to salute in protest. Before you say, "I have that right to protest," and I would agree with you that freedom of speech is a given.

    What I would say is yes you can protest; but to do so in the presence of the Flag that is a symbol of freedom and sacrifice made by so many who never thought twice about giving their lives for all that we have today. I implore you to find a better avenue; one that doesn't taint the memories of the many who laid down their lives for Old Glory. We are fortunate in these times to live in a country where so little harm has penetrated our shores. That flag and those that serve this country has made sure we are as safe as possible. Look at terrorism and what it is doing in other countries. Yes we had 9-11, but that is the extent of foreign fighters penetrating our shores.

    Do we have issues and problems? Yes this country does and it starts in Washington with our leaders who do not understand what the definition bi-partisanship means. If they did; maybe solutions to our problems could at least be explored. We should be mad,. but it should be directed where it is deserved. We have become a nation of thin skinned brats, who are selfish and have little understanding as to what compromise is. It is easy to point the finger at someone else or cast stones at others. Yet we don't take just a moment in time to look into the mirror at the person looking back at us. Not to mention casting stones and the chances are you yourself may be living in a glass house. What happen to that (can do)attitudes that Americans once possessed? Instead it is an America that so many feel they are owed something for doing nothing. So few understand that hard work is the only way you get to the top.

    Our government has created a society of dependents. Handouts, food stamps, free grants , etc..... all because we have become lazy. I cannot tell you the number of times I've seen someone use a government issued card in the grocery stores only to see them drive off in brand new fifty thousand dollar vehicle. Something about that math doesn't add up.

    Over the decades that I have walked this earth; population has grown in the United States and all over the world. Do we have problems? Yes there are problems and there will always be problems. Solving those problems will not be easy, but it can move forward. Issues cannot be taken personally when trying to search out solutions. When there are complaints, problems, issues and one side or the other explains their stance it is usually titled their way. Truth is most problems are not as bad as they are made out to be, or trivial as the other side would want you to believe. Typically the problem and solution meets somewhere in between the good and bad. Instead of meeting in the middle; both sides are convinced they are right and will not budge. Sounds like our elected officials in Washington. They have the heads so far up their self righteous backsides that they forget about the jobs they were elected to do.

    This is not to make light of the fact that people have senselessly lost their lives because of the actions of others in position of protecting our rights. There are bad apples in every company out there. Companies do their best to weed out those bad apples; just as Police departments are working to clean up their ranks. Is there crime because of race. Yes there is; but it is a far cry from what the majority of Americans really think. We get up each day, get kids off to school and head off to work to interact with people of all races and nationalities. There are few problems associated with our days. Is it normal for the majority of us to search out someone of another race and be critical of them. No it is not. With that said, it is foolish to think that racism is a non issue. It exist as well as many other crimes against our neighbors, our children, friends and family. No one is exempt from a crime that is filled with hate. We have to trust one another to move forward, and we have to open dialogue that is productive and stop wearing a chip on our shoulders. We have to remember that we are not the only one who has been done wrong or had something bad happen to them. This society of (I and Me) has to change and it starts in Washington. Our elected officials will go down in history as one of worst group of elected officials to ever serve in Washington.

    Now that I have finished that long dissection of issues leading up to what I really meant to say. The Grand Lady that has flown over this great country we all call home is being insulted and assaulted. There are men, women and their families who sacrificed for our freedom of speech, our freedom of choice, our freedom period. So much has been given to enable us to have what we have today. To live in the greatest country on earth. I cannot with good conscience refuse to salute the Stars and Stripes when the Star Spangled Banner is played. Our Soldiers and their families deserve that honor. We can find another way to protest or get our points across. This is not the way to do it, to put tears in the eyes of families who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We are hurting and dividing this country without one thought of what will happen if we don't come together.

    I have lost all confidence in our elected officials, I have lost all respect for so many of our fellow Americans who destroy properties and lives through protest. Our constitution gives us many inalienable rights. It does not give us the right to destroy this country or the lives of our citizens through careless and selfish acts.

    Old Glory You Grand Lady I Stand And Salute You. To our men and women who served, Thank You. To the families of the men and women who served. May God Bless you and Thank you.

    9-26-2017

    #2
    Good letter.

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      #3
      Nicely done. May I ask, given your principled stance, why would you be leaving the site?

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        #4
        Nothing wrong with that at all. Thank you! Truth lies between idealistic left and hardcore right......all of our national woes can be addressed when folks actually want them to be! Right now we are deep into "I and Me"......not us!

        Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

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