God Bless these United States of America.
“Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.”
I haven't written on this blog for several years now. Pressing matters have kept me away. I've missed you all - its good to be back. I don't know if the man who sits writing at this keyboard now agrees 100% with every single word that has come before, but the Values and Principles have not changed.
Like Charles Fillmore, I reserve the right to change my mind. Only a fool would lock himself into a belief of yesterday, in the face of new and compelling information. That being said, I am and will forever be dedicated to Individual Responsibility, Accountability, and Personal Liberty. I believe we each have a Right, if not a duty, to define God for ourselves - and come to the understanding that all of our Rights are granted to us from this God, and not the State. This is the foundation upon which my personhood is built.
Until yesterday, I didn't know anyone ever took issue with the rendition of the Continental Flag known as the "Betsy Ross" Flag. It has come to my attention that the shoe company, Nike, had plans to release a new sneaker product with the image of a "Betsy Ross" Flag on the back of the shoe. After disparaging remarks from "some joker who used to play football", they canceled the release of this new product.
I won't refer to him by name any longer. It seems he may be getting high off of his name being mentioned on Twitter. When one man's name has more mentions on Twitter in a week than a technology and life-transforming company the likes of Apple, he's in danger of head swelling. No, from here on out, he will be known as "some joker who used to play football", at least to me. This joker's remarks and pushy personal censorship politics have gone too far, but I thank him for it. He has opened my eyes.
While I always liked the Confederate Flag as an idea representing States' Rights, I had been convinced and understood why it had been categorized as a symbol of racism. I had seen enough pictures of KKK rallies, where the flag was present to see how the flag of the South had been appropriated by this hate group. But now I see how wrong I was to give in to this appropriation without a fight.
Some symbols may be forever beyond redemption. The symbol that has come to be known as the Nazi Swastika is a perfect example. Many may not know that the symbol itself is an ancient symbol, by some accounts at least some 12,000 years old. It had always been a symbol representing positive ideas.
For those of you who don't know, I lived in Japan for over two years while on active duty in the US Air force. A friend introduced me to a Zen Temple in the mountains, where we meditated, ate breakfast, and cleaned. It was a treasure of peaceful awareness. Imagine my ignorant surprise to see a swastika prominently displayed as a crowning symbol to an archway leading to this Zen temple. On one of the mornings, after we had finished cleaning, I was exploring the grounds and one of the monks saw me staring up at the swastika. I asked him, "Were the Germans here during World War two?" He was confused by my question and explained that the symbol was an ancient symbol and had no connection to the Nazis of World War II. His English was far better than my practically non-existent Japanese. Communication wasn't easy, but he said that in Buddhism, it is a symbol that has "Buddha Mind", and represents "good fortune". At the time, I actually found it hard to believe. I was wondering why he was hiding the obvious truth about the Nazis in Japan. Conspiracy theories were begging to be birthed in my brain. He was telling the truth, of course. I was young and ignorant about a great many things. Ignorance really only becomes a problem when one is ignorant of the truth but convinced they are right. Luckily, I didn't cling too tightly to my ignorance and avoided any international incidents.
As a boy growing up in the North, the "Betsy Ross" version of our Continental Flag was a symbol that inspired my imagination. In my mind, it and our struggle for Independence are one and the same. I dreamed of the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution. I imagined injured soldiers carrying that flag to the top of some hill, declaring victory for the Sons of Liberty (they technically used a different flag - but leave my dream alone!). It was and continues to be a romantic dream of our beginnings as the greatest Republic ever to be formed. In truth, I have always preferred that flag over our Old Glory of today. There is something about the feeling of unity that the circle of stars brings to mind. I find the symbology of the circle very powerful.
Now, enter this joker who used to play football and his feelings about the flag. I don't want to deny him his feelings; but, it seems he is content to project his feelings out to the masses with an air of authority. Are his feelings about our history more valid than mine?
Even if there have been hate-groups who have used this flag that I love - will I permit them to appropriate it as the Nazi's seem to have appropriated the swastika? By the way, I supported this joker in his right to take a knee during the playing of the National Anthem before the games he used to play in. I didn't agree with him, but I supported his right to Free Speech - because he was making a statement. He was calling attention to a problem that he saw, and he was using his place in society to have his voice heard. But the free speech I supported for him seems to be of little value to him when it comes to the voices of others.
But again, I thank him for pointing out what it is I don't want America to become. And he has opened my eyes to how quickly I turned over the dreams and identity of my Southern Brothers for a bit of supposed repentance and the notion of a "necessary concession" for the sake of harmony. As I had dreams of Continental America and the Continental Flag as a boy, I see now that it is likely that there was a Southern boy who had dreams of the Confederate Flag. He dreamt of courage, and of his family's pride in who they were. These flag-inspired dreams helped make up his identity. Dreams of individual sovereignty and Liberty for all, where slavery had no place. In fact, his dreams and the flying of the Confederate Flag had nothing to do with slavery. When he looks upon his Confederate Flag he has pride in his forefathers - not for any ills they might have brought into the world; but, for the good they did. (And I know there were plenty of young girls, North, and South, who also had these dreams.)
Who are we to take that away from them because some people have chosen to use that flag while participating in activities contrary to American values of friendship and morality. Who are we to take away their pride because others have decided to take offense at their chosen symbol? How can we stand by while hate-groups appropriate some of the most cherished symbols of our country? What can we say to Nike and those who agree with them that the product with a Continental Flag is in some way inappropriate? Should we storm the Zen Buddhist temples and tear down the ancient archways to rid the land of swastikas of good fortune? No, I think this joker who used to play football has gone too far - and in so doing, has shown me just how reckless we have become in the name of compassion and repentance.
There is room for being aware of others around us; to notice their likes, dislikes, and concerns. There is room for being sensitive to other people. Empathy and compassion are virtues. But, in this country, we uphold everyone's freedom of speech - even when we disagree with what is being said by our neighbor. We, as free-born Americans, abhor censorship. We are about to celebrate our nation's birthday. We are about to celebrate our Independence. Let us take a moment to thank this joker who used to play football for drawing our attention to what we don't want.
We don't want to take our concerns about offending others so far that we dilute who we are as a nation, or as individuals. We don't want to live in a world where censorship, state-sponsored or self/mob enforced blazes a trail off the path of Liberty towards some sad neo-Orwellian, lukewarm, grey future. We don't all need to agree on everything in order to get along peacefully and productively. We need only agree on our Principles; Freedom of Speech is one of the biggies.
If I choose to fly a Continental Flag this Fourth of July, please don't call it racist. Please don't try to repaint the pride I have in my nation as something other than Glorious. We are still a work in progress, but these United States of America are truly the best Republic in the world, and even in the 18th Century, the topic of slavery was a hot issue. There were good men, white men, even then, standing up for what they knew was right. If there be blame for the introduction of slavery to the Americas it rests upon the then British King for having permitted its introduction, not upon our founding fathers who were clearly hostile to the Principle of slavery and only tolerated it for a time out of necessity. It is because of our founding fathers that slavery was ultimately abolished in these United States.
To paint that time-period with a wide stroke, and call it "the age of slavery" does an injustice to all those who laid the groundwork to end slavery. If we are to condemn America's 18th Century then are we also to condemn all our Founding Fathers? What of the Constitution? What of its Bill of Rights? I am not suggesting that we forget the wrongs that were done - but let us not throw the baby out with the bath water. We all have much to be thankful for this fourth of July, 2019.
Love and Light to you all!
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