I’ve long posed the question;
“Where do my rights end, and yours begin?”
That question has been a guiding principal in my life. If I thought what I wanted to do was going to infringe on someone else’s rights then I typically wouldn’t do it.
I’d restrain myself, not because I was afraid of the person, or the law. I’d restrain myself because in a polite society it’s easier and more profitable to respect each other. And were I to put myself in the other guys place, I’d appreciate being treated with respect.
You’d be AMAZED how that simple philosophy is received when you’re traveling outside the United States! I take a great deal of pride in not being the asshole American who expects everyone to kowtow to my requests. Great food and awesome local drinks being the least of the rewards I’ve received for being a decent human being.
I’m over certain segments of our population demanding more than their fair share. I’m even more over the arbiters political correctness giving in, again and again.
Let me explain what led to this particular rant.
I was watching a YouTube video of the Airforce Orchestra performing in the Air & Space Museum over the holidays.
In the past, all the craziness in my mind would have silenced and my mind would have been focused on the absolute beauty of the music and the cool way that the orchestra made its entrance.
Picture a “Flash Mob” but with musical instruments.
It starts out with a guy playing single cello in a large open museum space, then the orchestra forms around that.
It’s damn cool!
You can see more and more people who were touring the museum simply stopping and enjoying the music. The piece was Bach, jesu “Joy of mans desiring”.
Pretty soon it was standing room only and it is obvious people were enjoying the performance. I was too, the piece is beautifully done.
Anyway, where normally I’d have had absolute focus on the music and not been thinking of anything else, all sudden a thought goes through my head
“I’m sure some atheist or muslim or satanist, is running for the phone to contact an ALCU attorney to file a complaint about having to endure hearing a piece of music at a nationally funded museum, which has become associated with the evil pagan holiday known to Christendom as Christmas.”
My brain rebooted!
I couldn’t “unthink” that thought. I wondered if I was seeing the last public exhibition of this kind.
It dawned on me; the Atheists, Muslims, or Satanists have TAKEN something from me!
I’m completely content to live and let live. I’m not going to shove my beliefs down an atheists throat. I’m not going to try to save their soul. Why? Because I don’t give a damn. Their soul or beliefs are absolutely none of my concern.
I hope their dirt nap is long and pleasant. As long as I don’t have to hear them whining about the inequity of death for all of eternity, I’m going to be just pleased as punch.
BUT, I enjoy the holiday season, I enjoy the music, and I enjoy the nativity scenes. I like the decorations and the wonder of the little children as the they anticipate Santa’s yearly delivery.
That I can no longer enjoy these things, without thinking about stupid assed lawsuits has taken something from me.
I
t’s taken my peace of mind.
Really, Mr. Atheist, Muslim, or Satanist? It hurts your eyes to see a cross in a park? It offends you to see a nativity scene on public property? Your world view is challenged by a decorated pine tree? Brightly colored packages with pretty bows and shining faces of children offends you? Really?
What about the fact that I personally respect and enjoy these traditions? Why are you taking my right to enjoy these things away?
My beliefs are not mainstream Christian. I wouldn’t, however demand that these things be stricken from my sight. I don’t participate in Kwanza, nor do I participate in Ramadan but I’m not going to demand the Kwanza parade to be disbanded. I’m not going to force feed muslims during Ramadan for their own good either.
This is the same revisionist PC crap as forbidding confederate flags to decorate confederate graves, once a fucking year, because of the “racist” overtones.
Those men weren’t thinking about racism when they died, they were thinking about protecting their homes, families, fortunes, and livelihoods. Those men deserve to have their graves decorated with their flag, just as much as the union soldiers deserve to have their graves decorated with the union flag.
Context is everything. Racism exists; however seeing racism everywhere or being offended about a cross, nativity, tree, or holiday is a matter of choice.
There’s a critical point here that many of the PC apologists have forgotten.
The concept of public spaces.
That means everyone is free to use those spaces and that I OWN a fractional part of that space through my tax dollars.
If I, and 10,000 other people combine our fractional parts of the public space and decide to set up a nativity scene or hold a musical performance of Christmas carols it’s my, and 10,000 other folks right to do so.
If that offends one Atheist, TOUGH SHIT!
Welcome to the real world. (It’s not about you 24/7 you selfish prick.)
I’m personally offended when someone decides the ten commandments shouldn’t be on a court house wall. I’m more offended that the removal of the ten commandments forces un-necessary expenditure of taxpayer dollars to remove and retrofit the building.
It’s fairly safe to say, the ten commandments form some part of the foundation of our society. Why anyone would have a problem acknowledging that is beyond me.
Yes we’re supposed to have separation of church and state. I agree with that; however, I don’t see that a depiction of the ten commandments violates that separation any more than having the Declaration of Independence, The Constitution, of Magna Carta.
I personally think “THOU SHALT NOT LIE” is a great way for everyone in a court house to start their day.
Politicians, Judges, Lawyers, and citizens can all benefit from a reminder to be truthful. That’s probably why the architects of many of these building thought it appropriate to include the Ten Commandments in the buildings design, in the first place.
For years I’ve more or less been able to ignore this bullshit.
I’ve gone on with my life and simply filtered my intake.
No, that’s not quite right. I’ve seen a Star of David, or Buddha, Cross, or Star & Crescent, or one of the countless other symbols of faith or political affiliations and I’ve respected their meaning.
I may not have any depth of knowledge about these symbols other than they are important to the group of people that erected them.
That is all I have to know.
They’re important to the people who follow those beliefs and are therefore deserving of my respect.
I find myself now asking;
“Am I the only dumbass on the planet that still thinks that way?”
I’ve not preached coexistence, I’ve been living it.
Now I’m demanding it!
Coexist!
Leave me, my traditions, and beliefs the hell alone.
It’s high time we all remembered to engage in a little mutual respect!
BTW, Next time I fly into Minneapolis, I’m going to be carrying a bottle of whiskey!
Taxi drivers beware!