Month: September 2017

A Veteran’s thoughts on the whole Kaepernick protest, written a year ago, before this latest debacle. He had a lot of great points, probably the best of which was what the flag and the anthem truly represent. I think he missed an opportunity to discuss that all citizens are defenders of freedom, but he was asked to write this from the perspective of a soldier. Worth a read.
http://www.stonekettle.com/2016/09/respect-colin-kaepernick-extended-cut.html?spref=fb

Wow, my whole feed is being taken up by the protesting crap. You’d think we didn’t have a few major disasters and a potential nuclear war to keep us busy. At least it wasn’t about golf, I dislike golf unless it involves Dorf.

Still, let me ask you a few questions. Is racism/brutality disrespectful to our country? Do we have designated protest days or areas for when it is OK to do these things? Should we run all this by a committee first, to make sure nobody’s feelings are hurt, or that it doesn’t involve Prime Time television? Is it more respectful to ourselves, our country and our pursuit of our American Ideal to pretend these things don’t exist, or to agitate for change until we do something about it?

We’re a country formed from protest and civil disobedience. Love it or hate it, it seems we have a problem with authority, including our own. I love my country and all of the people, soldiers and civilians both, who work to protect and defend our freedoms, but that love comes with the understanding that we all have to look in a mirror and see the warts, too. I guess maybe if athletes were only kneeling during Curling games they wouldn’t be getting this kind of press.

Whether a person sits or stands, both display a love of country. Otherwise what the hell are they fighting for?

I had this History teacher back in high school. He wasn’t a very well liked teacher by most of the students. Many considered him pompous and somewhat abrasive. Me, I just think he didn’t suffer fools very well. And considering it was High School, well, you get the idea. Me, I really enjoyed his class. I think it was the only class I regularly took notes in.

Every day he would lecture for almost the entire hour, telling history as if you were right at that moment, witnessing it all happen. He had a passion to teach, to pass on what he knew, even though his students didn’t always share that same passion for the subject. He was there teaching at 100% every day.

One day I saw him reading a book, the first part of a series that I owned. I offered to lend him the second one. He accepted and after about a week he returned the book to me. He had taken the time to have the binding fixed and reinforced before returning it to me. “Always return something in better condition than you received it,” is how that particular adage goes, I think. That he did that really struck me. Even then, it raised my respect for him though I never told him anything other than “Thank you.”

How that man taught, how he treated his obligations to others, speaks to a character that I think went very unnoticed and unappreciated by many students at the time. I’m sure it was probably frustrating for him, if he took the time to reflect on it. Perhaps he didn’t, I don’t know.

The reason I post this today is because I wanted to put something out there that isn’t negative, isn’t another complaint about a particular day or person, isn’t a political or social jab at anyone or group. It’s just a reminder, for those of us that struggle to be better people, better parents, better than we were yesterday. If you ever ask, “Is it worth it?” “Does anyone notice or care?”

Well, if the measure of a person’s character is what they do when nobody is around, then please rest assured that even then, sometimes somebody is watching, and it might just make a difference in their life, even if you never know about it.

Be well everyone.