I have really struggled this week on what I wanted to write my column on. There has been so much happening: 1) Amen vs. A-woman; 2) the raid on the Capitol vs. the raid on American cities and businesses for the last 12 years; 3) The fact that our freedom of speech and our constitutional rights are slowly being taken away; 4) And the list goes on.
There are so many people who are truly scared of where America is going, yet so many of us are afraid for so many different reasons.
Where are people's minds? Where are people's morals? Where do you see America going and WHY do you want it to go there?
We have recently witnessed one of our United States Representatives closing a prayer saying, "Amen and A-woman." THIS has got to be one of the STUPIDEST things we all have ever heard (regardless of party lines.) However, it is scary to think that there might be some people out there that actually think it is okay and will follow his lead, just like they have been conditioned (over the last several years) to do. In response to America's ridicule, Rep. Cleaver, however, is now saying he is "surprised" by the negative reaction and that it was only a "pun on words" in order to recognize the record number of women serving in the new Congress. He argues that the citizens that took offense to his prayer (which was also made to numerous gods) are indeed the ones in the wrong. (And all this coming from a Methodist preacher.) But another alarming fact is there are people out there that think that this is actually okay and will continue to vote for him!
On another note, we have Nancy Pelosi heading the movement, in which the House passed new rules prohibiting gendered words in "official" House language. No longer is it allowed to say "mother," "father," "daughter," "son," "sister" and "brother." The new words must be "parent," "child" and "sibling." These new rules were approved in a 217-206 party-line vote! (Which means all/most of the Democrats voted for that rule… I hope everyone will keep that in mind next time they go to the polls.)
Should all of America switch to this new way of thinking and talking? That is what your government is wanting! That is where YOUR government is taking us all! Imagine a "parent" and "parent" in a delivery room. The baby is born and the nurse says, "Congratulations! You have a child. (not son or daughter – but just a child)" Yes … THAT is exactly what these 217 people are trying to move this country to!
However, it is worth noting that soon after that particular vote, Pelosi tweeted something about being a mother and grandmother. So, we once again have Pelosi DICTATING what America HAS to do but not doing it herself (remember the mask mandates, but yet she was videoed just days later getting her hair done without a mask on?)
This also brings us back to the fact that our government continually shut down small businesses yet left the big box-stores to thrive and make more money in those few short months than they had made in the entire previous year. Meanwhile, our small business owners have gone further in debt, or had to close up completely, thus "needing" the government's help even more … Kind of convenient, don't you think? The scariest part is the unconstitutional shutdowns are still happening; the unconstitutional mandates on masks are still happening and people who were unconstitutionally "banned" from having Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners with their family. Yet, many Americans genuinely think that these bans are justifiable and lawful. Some people believe the government is doing this "in our best interest." (Never forget these same officials have NOT lost one paycheck or free insurance coverage since March and their checks are FAR more than $600.)
Our constitution was designed to protect us FROM our government. Still, yet so many don't see or understand how our freedoms are slowly being chipped away, as the government is spoon-feeding us stupid excuses that are "in our best interest."
Always remember, "They can't take away your freedoms if you are brave enough to disobey them!"
The Capitol raid … Totally out-of-control. The violence was absurd. People lost their lives. Police officers were beaten senseless. There is NO excuse for that! EVER! But I am sick of the double standards from those that condemn these people but yet have put the same sort of people on pedestals that kicked, beat and shot innocent people while they burned cities down and destroyed, burned and looted private businesses during the last 12 years. Those riots were deemed as "understandable" because they were citizens that were "just angry at the events that had happened."
For those that feel that way, you weren't raised the same way as I was. I was taught that all violence is wrong. I was taught to NEVER destroy someone's personal property. I was taught to "do unto others as you would have them do unto you." The riot on Capitol Hill AND the riots in the city streets are BOTH against my upraising and the Bible's teachings. I just don't understand how people can condemn one riot but uplift the other riots.
Then there is the discussion of our freedom of speech being taken away. For years conservatives have been put in (what is commonly called) "Facebook Jail" for their remarks against Obama and Biden and/or for support of Trump. For years, conservatives have been stifled at what is "allowed" and not "allowed" on Facebook. For years, YouTube has deleted videos of things they disagreed with (for example: doctors' videos saying that facemasks don't work and the COVID virus had a 99 percent survival rate and was not as bad as we were being told.) Then, Twitter was invented and followed suit with its censorship. We now have these same big tech corporations trying to cease and destroy their new competitor (Parler) from growing in leaps and bounds.
Shortly after Facebook and Twitter locked President Trump out of his accounts, Google banned Parler from its app store. Apple then followed suit along with Amazon. Their "reasons," they say, is that some people are "glorifying" the attack on the Capitol and other people have made violent remarks. But, please remember, these big tech companies are doing this for "our good" by protecting us from the spread of dangerous and illegal content (yes, I'm being cynical.)
Yet, I have to question why I have, for years, seen hatred and obscenities on Facebook, Google and Amazon regarding our police officers? Why have I seen cities that are being burned to the ground be glorified on the internet and social media? Amazon sells shirts that specifically say, "Blue Lives Splatter." But yet, somehow, some folks think those shirts are "freedom of speech" but that President Trump's Twitter account and the app Parler is an infraction of "freedom of speech." (Please explain that one to me!)
If the few (government) want to control the many (citizenship) – they have to do it without them realizing what is happening (meaning: herding all the sheep into the slaughterhouse without them realizing it.)
It is just like the boiling frog effect. Put the frog in hot boiling water and he will jump out. But, put the frog in cold water and slowly turn the heat up and his body will become used to the temperature, until the water is boiling and then he will surely die.
"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." - Ronald Reagan