I consider myself to be very patriotic. But no one has to take my word for it. Family and friends know how I feel about the United States and can easily provide "references" should anyone want proof. I love the United States. I love studying the history of the United States, particularly early American political and constitutional history and President Abraham Lincoln, which is why I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and why I am currently in graduate school pursuing a Master of Arts degree in American History. I love the American Flag, the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. I love the Statue of Liberty. I really do stand up in my living room and put my hand over my heart when the National Anthem is played on television.
Given my feelings about the United States and its symbols, one might expect that I would be against taking a knee during the National Anthem. That would be the patriotic response, wouldn't it? After all, taking a knee is disrespectful to the American Flag, the National Anthem, the country and the military, right? Well, many veterans have stated that they served this country to ensure that everyone's rights were protected, whether or not we agree with them. They do not feel disrespected.
Think about the first twenty words in the Pledge of Allegiance "I pledge allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands". What does "allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands" mean? Merriam-Webster defines allegiance as "devotion or loyalty". Promising to be devoted and/or loyal to the Flag "and the republic for which it stands" means promising to be devoted and/or loyal to the Constitution and the freedoms enshrined in Bill of Rights. The First Amendment guarantees "freedom of speech" which has also been defined as "freedom of expression". Taking a knee is freedom of expression. Taking a knee is saying that "liberty and justice for all", the words which end the Pledge of Allegiance, have not been applied equally to all and we must come together to talk about what we can do to ensure that "liberty and justice for all" really does mean all people.
I cannot profess patriotism, love of country and its symbols, nor devotion or loyalty unless I am willing to defend its Constitution and Bill of Rights. I cannot do that unless I support all who take a knee. That is how I honor the Flag and the National Anthem. That is how I honor the Pledge of Allegiance. That is how I honor all the men and women who served and those who lost their lives, defending our country and the freedoms enshrined in the Bill of Rights. To refuse to do so would be dishonorable.
Monday, September 25, 2017
Saturday, September 2, 2017
Yes, I am still angry about the 2016 presidential election
Nearly ten months after the 2016 presidential election, I am still angry. Not only am I angry that the most qualified, best prepared candidate lost, but I am still angry with third party voters who could not bring themselves to vote for Hillary Clinton. I am angry with everyone who could not be bothered to vote. Of course, I am still angry with those who voted for the Republican candidate. But my anger with them is different than with those who voted third party or did not vote.
This weekend eight hundred thousand people who are DACA recipients do not know whether they will be allowed to remain in the United States or be deported to the country of their birth. A country they have little, if any, memory of because they have lived in the United States since they were children. This is their home. This is their country. This is their life. With one signature from the current president, the life they have known will be ripped from them. They will be sent back to a place they do not know. For what? To make America great again? How could destroying peoples' lives possibly make America great? Did the lives of the DACA recipients not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
We have already heard the stories of ICE agents tearing families apart as they round up all those "bad hombres", some of whom are not really bad, after all. So how does this make America great? How does destroying peoples' lives make America great again? What has happened and what might happen are not surprising to anyone who understood what the current president said during the 2016 campaign. He said he would do this. Did the lives of these people and their families not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
The current president has rolled back protections for women, LGBT people, the environment, and wage-earners while promoting the interests of business and the wealthy. Did women, LGBT people, the environment and wage-earners not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
The Affordable Care Act has been under attack since it was passed. The most recent attempt to destroy it failed. The current president remains undeterred in his quest to destroy the ACA one way or another. His latest tactic is to cut the advertising budget for ACA open enrollment as well as shorten the enrollment period. Again, this is not surprising. One of his campaign promises was to repeal the ACA "on day one." The ACA is not a perfect system. But it has provided life-saving insurance for millions who had been uninsured. Millions of people are able to go to a doctor on a regular basis and afford medications that help them control medical problems that would otherwise kill them. Did protecting accessibility to healthcare insurance for millions of people not matter enough to vote to protect it? Obviously not.
The current president has not merely lifted the lid on the simmering undercurrent of racism that has always pervaded the United States, he ripped that lid off and made racist speech and acts acceptable again. This is not surprising to anyone who understood what he said as candidate during his rallies. Was working to continue to keep racism from becoming acceptable enough to vote to prevent it? Obviously not.
So what did matter? What would have been the one issue that would have mattered enough for people to vote to protect it? If the answer is that the Democratic party should have picked a different candidate and/or another candidate would have won, then that is poor excuse for all the damage that has been done and will continue to be done by the current administration and the Republican controlled Congress.
Yes, that angers me because it did not have to happen, and yes, I am angry at the people who could have prevented it with a vote and chose not to stop it.
This weekend eight hundred thousand people who are DACA recipients do not know whether they will be allowed to remain in the United States or be deported to the country of their birth. A country they have little, if any, memory of because they have lived in the United States since they were children. This is their home. This is their country. This is their life. With one signature from the current president, the life they have known will be ripped from them. They will be sent back to a place they do not know. For what? To make America great again? How could destroying peoples' lives possibly make America great? Did the lives of the DACA recipients not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
We have already heard the stories of ICE agents tearing families apart as they round up all those "bad hombres", some of whom are not really bad, after all. So how does this make America great? How does destroying peoples' lives make America great again? What has happened and what might happen are not surprising to anyone who understood what the current president said during the 2016 campaign. He said he would do this. Did the lives of these people and their families not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
The current president has rolled back protections for women, LGBT people, the environment, and wage-earners while promoting the interests of business and the wealthy. Did women, LGBT people, the environment and wage-earners not matter enough to vote to protect them? Obviously not.
The Affordable Care Act has been under attack since it was passed. The most recent attempt to destroy it failed. The current president remains undeterred in his quest to destroy the ACA one way or another. His latest tactic is to cut the advertising budget for ACA open enrollment as well as shorten the enrollment period. Again, this is not surprising. One of his campaign promises was to repeal the ACA "on day one." The ACA is not a perfect system. But it has provided life-saving insurance for millions who had been uninsured. Millions of people are able to go to a doctor on a regular basis and afford medications that help them control medical problems that would otherwise kill them. Did protecting accessibility to healthcare insurance for millions of people not matter enough to vote to protect it? Obviously not.
The current president has not merely lifted the lid on the simmering undercurrent of racism that has always pervaded the United States, he ripped that lid off and made racist speech and acts acceptable again. This is not surprising to anyone who understood what he said as candidate during his rallies. Was working to continue to keep racism from becoming acceptable enough to vote to prevent it? Obviously not.
So what did matter? What would have been the one issue that would have mattered enough for people to vote to protect it? If the answer is that the Democratic party should have picked a different candidate and/or another candidate would have won, then that is poor excuse for all the damage that has been done and will continue to be done by the current administration and the Republican controlled Congress.
Yes, that angers me because it did not have to happen, and yes, I am angry at the people who could have prevented it with a vote and chose not to stop it.
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