Un-American Activity

I know Senator Joseph McCarthy has wore out his coffin from rolling over. (If you don't know who Joseph McCarthy, educate yourself.)  Communism/Socialism is alive and doing well in the United States. Many Americans are oblivious to this. They fail to see how dangerous the situation has become. The United States is re-organizing into the United Socialist States of America. I am dead serious. The warning signs are everywhere but they are being ignored. More Americans are worried about the signs of the Apocalypse or the Second Coming than the communist take over of their country.

The Communist/Socialist take over of America comes in many shapes and sizes. On one side there are Neo-Nazis and other white supremacist movements. On the other side there are socialists and communists. We all know these groups. They are nothing new. We have been living with white supremacists, communists and socialists even anarchists for over a hundred years. We know their stories and histories. New groups have sprung up. Now, we have Anti-Fascists (antifa), Black Lives Matter (BLM) and a few others. While the names are new, their stories and goals are not.

All of these groups are a danger to the "American Way of Life." While the groups sound altruistic, their actions interfere with daily commerce. They comment acts of vandalism and wanton destruction. Worst of all, they injure and, even kill people. Generally, for the ordinary citizens, they are a pain in the ass.  

Why we remember

Around the Southern U.S. there are hundreds of monuments to dead Confederate soldiers. They question shouldn't be what they represent but who they represent. I opine that monuments to Confederate soldiers do not represent slavery, but the bravery of thousands of individuals, standing in lines across a field walking into swarms of lead balls. The monuments represent what is best in America, standing up for what you believe in and stand for this belief even unto death.

The United States has a strong and proud history of military service. The bravery of the American soldier is unquestionable and has been demonstrated time and time again. This bravery is without question or challenge. We have always been proud of this heritage. In fact, our nation would not exist without this sacrifice. I am a product of generations of men with the ability to serve through the horrors and sacrifices of war. Win or lose, we remember the sacrifice and service of our veterans.

The monuments erected memorizing Confederate soldiers were erected late in the 19th Century and in the early decades of the 20th Century. During this era, the Civil War are still on the minds of Americans. The scars of war were still visible on individuals on the streets and on the land of the United States. Families still lived with that lose of loved ones. Remembering the fallen with monuments and memorials was a common and acceptable practice. They remembered the individuals not the cause.

Confederate generals such as Lee, Jackson, Forrest and others were great military tacticians. Grant, Sherman, and even Abraham Lincoln, mentioned the great military prowess of these Confederate military masters. Why should not this genius be memorialized? Military greatness has always been touted with pride and honor. Our military geniuses are studied around the world! Should we not be proud? I think so.

The Illusion of Equality

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." These lines come from the Declaration of Independence. Ever since those words were penned to paper, Americans have been on a continual quest for equality.

Equality is an illusion. Thomas Jefferson knew equality was a lie when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson had his food cooked, clothes washed and gardens worked by slaves. Under his very nose, Jefferson there was no equality of persons. In colonial Virginia, 30%of the population were slaves. In addition to Jefferson, a third of the Founding Fathers owned slaves.* Yet, all these men and non-slave owners signed the Declaration of Independence.

Over the next 200 years, equality were granted to different segments of the population. By the 21st Century, one would think that equality was no longer an issue and every one was equal. Sure, there are little things that need to be tidied up. Unfortunately, equality is still out of reach. Every time a group of citizens are granted equality, another groups loses some portion of their equality. The First Amendment to the Constitution has been hit pretty hard. Other parts of the Constitution and the Amendments have been eroded.**

There is no equality in America. The illusion of equality is continually perpetuated.  


* A good deal of the population had no problem with slavery. In colonial America, slavery was not a North versus South issue.

** The list is too long to be covered in one blog post.

Giving up freedoms

I think this is something you should read, sit back and think about. This isn't so much political than it is about the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. I will try my best to stay on point.

The Constitution and Bill of Rights are the foundation of our nation. These documents have sustained the nation and maintained our freedom. The first ten amendments to the Constitution were set down because the Founding Fathers knew they were basic freedoms that all citizens would need as long as the United States existed. The Bill of Rights is our guarantees our freedom.

As our nation grew, new amendments were added to keep the  nation and it's citizens to ensure our continuing freedom. Since the  Signers ratified the Constitution, only one Amendment has been repealed, the 18th Amendment, what we remember as Prohibition. The 18th Amendment was repealed by the ratification of the 21st Amendment. The 18th Amendment was ill conceived from it's inception. It was not one of the original ten.

Now, there is a movement to remove the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment was necessary, as the Founding Fathers believed, was important to allow all citizens to protect the nation from invasion and themselves from a corrupt and tyrannical government. But, this is not the main topic of this op-ed. The Second Amendment is a freedom guaranteed by the original Bill of Rights.

We value our amendments. They are prized highly because they set down that guarantees our freedom with exception those that concern congressional term limits and taxes. All amendments are of equal standing. The only amendments that have supremacy are the Bill of Rights. What if we lose an amendment? The majority of amendments ensure our rights and our freedoms. Some additions, have clarified to enforce the "All men are created equal..." of the Declaration of Independence.

Some of the amendments do not exactly effect your rights. Term limits only effects those in office. Would it bother you to have one of these amendments were repealed? I might be inclined to say, "No." But, I would leave it. I would not want to set a precedence.

Would you support the repeal of the 5th Amendment? (As a reminder, the 5th Amendment guarantees our right to due process, prevents self-incrimination and double jeopardy.) The 5th Amendment protects us from a corrupt judicial system. How about it? If you have ever been arrested, you know the 5th Amendment prevents the police from asking incriminating questions.  With the addition of warnings mandated by Miranda vs Arizona, your rights are explained to you and  it enhances the 5th Amendment. I bet you would go ballistic if the 5th Amendment were repealed.

Let's put a finer point to it. How would you feel if the Right of Religion was removed from the 1st Amendment? No explanations of the importance of the first of our freedoms is requited. An immediate uprising! We would not stand for one of our most precious amendments and, with support of the military, rebel against the government.

Lets consider the 2nd Amendment. The 2nd Amendment was added to the Bill of Rights for several reasons, to protect and defend the nation from outside invasion; to deal with an abusive and tyrannical government; and for the protection of family. We know and understand these reasons. Regardless of advances of technology the 2nd Amendment has shown its need. The French Indian War, the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War and the Indian Wars were partially fought with civilians and their firearms. Then only difference between then and now is the mobilization of a full-time national army. Still the need was there for a man to protect himself and his family from outlaws and the occasional indian raid. Firearms were vital to the provisioning of meat. The importance of 2nd Amendment is vital when you consider practical application of firearms.

We would not allow our Bill of Rights, our freedoms, to be so abridged. What about the 2nd Amendment? Why is there such an idea of repealing it so desirable? All of the Bill of Rights have equal merit including the 2nd Amendment.

Peaceful and lawful assembly

Every group in the United States has the right of peaceful assembly. In some states, Tennessee for one, it is illegal for pedestrians to be on the interstate. Protesters on I-40 in Memphis violated state law by being on I-40. (Oh, the law is in Tennessee Code Annotated 55-8--127*.)  It's not about the protest, but about the law.  Like free speech, the right to assemble is not absolute. The government can place some restrictions on when, where and/or how it is conducted. Black Lives Matter had the right to protest, just not on I-40.

The sign below is typical at on ramps to Tennessee interstates.

                                       






TCA 55-8-127.  Restrictions on use of controlled-access roadway.   (a) The department of transportation and local authorities may, with respect to any controlled-access roadway under their respective jurisdictions, prohibit the use of that roadway by pedestrians, bicycles or other non-motorized traffic or by any person operating a motor-driven cycle. (b) The department or the local authority adopting any such prohibitory regulation shall erect and maintain official signs on the controlled-access roadway on which the regulations are applicable, and when the signs are erected, a person who disobeys the restrictions stated on the signs commits a Class C misdemeanor. 

Blocking of I-40

All these illegal protests does not bring better understanding. All it does is polarize you opposition.

These folks do not know that it is illegal for pedestrians to be on the interstate. Such acts only inflame opposition. Trucks on the interstate carry needed medical supplies and food. What about ambulances? What if a person is in an ambulance needed to be transported to a hospital dies? Is that negligent homicide? 

Race

Race is one of those topics that is must discussed but little understood. Race is genetic. The genetic material provides the mental picture that whatever is different is bad. This intrinsic vision of acceptance is why humans and animals babies inprint the faces of their mothers. This is common human nature.

What we consider race is several thousand years old. In the millenniums past, races were divided by national and ethnically differences such as Hebrew, Egyptian, Babylonian and Nubians. Hundreds of years after the fall of Rome when humans looked to skin color as differences of race. After the death of Muhammad did race became tied with race. If you were white many would consider you a Christian. If you were black or in the many shades of black many would assume you were a Muslim. Only those that lived along the borders between Christian and Muslim knew the only difference between them was skin color.

In the last decades of the previous century, it is habitual to see those of different skin as alien, corrupt and evil. Today, we are slowly beginning to see all humans as equals. This change has had problems,  it still does and will in the near future. This change, however cannot be forced. Force always meets resistance. Time is necessary for permanent change.

In conclusion, a few aspects of my comment are simplified. Please do your own research.