Dexter Iowa Community Site

Consider this quote from Abe Lincoln

"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves."

I’ve been sitting here staring at the computer screen for over an hour now trying to decide what I wanted to say, but I don’t feel any closer to it than I did an hour ago. It should come as no surprise that since harvest has started that the hours are starting to make me a bit cranky, although I know that it is only because it’s the first week and I’m not quite accustomed to it. As I sat here tonight I was listening to the sportscasters on ESPN discussing the latest round of NFL player protests and how some teams even neglected to take the field to be a part of the national anthem.

The current ballyhoo comes after the President, who in this persons opinion should spend a little more time leading and a little less time talking, tweeted his two cents about players who kneeled during the national anthem which the players took poorly. In listening to what is being said by the players I keep hearing them trying to justify their peaceful protest while still saying that what they are doing is not meant as disrespect to the flag or the military. Obviously each of us has the right to protest and even freedom of speech within means, but when you say that men and women have fought and died for your right to kneel during the salute to our national colors it only goes to show that they are attempting to justify their behavior as long as it suits their cause.

If that is the determining factor of what is permissible, then shouldn’t the young men in Creston who were punished for posing in hoods and carrying a Confederate battle flag also have that right? Just because you feel that you have the right to do or say what you want doesn’t excuse acting like a doorknob in the process. It also doesn’t mean that you can keep someone else from saying something stupid or acting stupid just because you are offended. Seriously people…when did having money or star status give you the right to pretend as though your thoughts are the only ones that are correct?

Perhaps I should start silently protesting the lack of doughnuts at our weekly meetings at work by neglecting to show up for the meetings or laying on the floor until the people responsible see the error in their ways? I’m sure I probably wouldn’t be employed very long after I started doing so. Maybe we all just need to work a little harder at doing what we do and a little less acting like a bunch of spoiled two year olds. Just a thought. See you next week…remember, we’re all in this together.