For the most part, I have maintained neutrality when it came to expressing my opinions about the current environment as it pertains to COVID and the quarantines. In light of the events of the past few months, and the reality that I actually have opinions, I’ll offer some of them in this post.
My first thought is that most Americans do care about their fellow citizens. It is why we gave up our rights so easily – we were concerned that we might spread the virus to others and hurt them. That came from a good heart.
My second thought is that the quarantine lasting as long as it did, the measures many governors took to sequester citizens rights, the constant judgments pro- and con- mask-wearing, closing down businesses, believing everything so-called “experts” put into the public forum, followed by the damn riots and tearing down statues by those who would never give their blood to defend freedom have greatly disappointed me.
I am an American, through and through. I believe in freedom. I believe in the Constitution. I believe in the rule of law when it protects our freedoms. I believe in righting wrongs. I believe in justice. I believe in equal opportunity. I believe these were all given to us by God, not by man.
I will defend the weak from bullies when I can. I will raise my voice if it can make a difference. I will defend liberty. I make no apologies for the history of this country.
The reality is that history does not reflect well on every society, race, color, creed, political system that has ever lived or existed. The powerful and powerless have lived in every corner of this world as long as nature has included living organisms.
The current climate makes a lot of assumptions that are blatantly false, yet those espousing anti-freedom sentiments are content knowing they are distorting history for personal gain. I do not support the riots. I do not support tearing down statues. I do not support a move to communism. I do not support any movement that distorts history to gain power. That is precisely the premise of 1984 by George Orwell.
My thought has been this – if you believe the United States is so terrible, live in another country for a year – or better yet, the rest of your life. Preferably a communist country. While there, attempt a march. Attempt to tear down a statue. Attempt to organize and protest that government in the nation you live in. Attempt an online campaign to make changes to your point of view. See how far you get. Think you are brave being part of the mob? Form a mob there and see how well you fare against bullets (as opposed to tear gas).
Of course, that won’t happen because these people are not brave, nor are they honest. They want to force their ideals upon the rest of us, but they, like leaders of the systems of the 20th century responsible for tens of millions dead, are above the rest of us. It’s easy to hold a belief, no matter how wrong that belief is. Would you die, on your own, where no one can see you, for that belief?
In fact, that is what has made America great. White, black, brown, yellow, and red skinned men and women have given their lives for this nation, not because it has been perfect. Far, far from it. It has always been the promise of what this nation could be that made us so great. It was not our flaws that they gave their lives for – it was freedom and the promise of that shining city on a hill.
No other system on this planet in its entire history (recorded of course) has held out such hope for the destitute. It is so interesting that those who are so blessed attempt to convince others less fortunate they have no hope, when that is precisely what this country has been about. Sins were committed in the past – but so has restitution been done.
Has justice always happened? Of course not. Today there is still murder. There is still rape, theft, and hatred. But when considering all other systems that have ever been, we have a system where we can be judged by our peers. We have a system where wrongs may be righted without whole-scale violent uprising. This system is to be cherished and respected. It is to be loved, because if we lose it, wo unto those of us who remain.
I believe that vast majority of Americans are tired of all this. At some point, I believe we will make ourselves known. Don’t think so? Look at individual gun sales the past four months, and then tell me that most Americans don’t take the Constitution seriously. We still believe in the rule of law (we support the police), but we will not give away our God-given rights to thugs with no respect for others and no idea that when you wake the dragon, it eats you.
Anyway, those are some of my thoughts. Some of you won’t like what I’ve written, but this is a country where we have the freedom to disagree and still feel like Americans. I hope we never lose that.
