Context seems a very difficult notion in 2020. It’s usually dismissed as simply an obstacle to making ones point. However context is important, now more than ever. The ongoing debate over “racism” in America lacks even the most basic context, and is being argued in a way which does little or nothing to advance the cause of race equality. Is there racism in The United States? The obvious answer to this question is yes. Is it systemic and wide spread? I believe most reasonable people would say no. Unfortunately, recent events like the heinous killing of George Floyd, a black man, by white police officer Derek Chauvin, have emboldened those who would manipulate truth and reason to advance a much more sinister and divisive agenda.
Watching the destruction in Minneapolis following Floyd’s death was made even more difficult as we all tried to find the reason in burning one’s own neighborhood to the ground, destroying black owned businesses as well. And please tell me again how stealing everything that isn’t nailed down helps to end race inequality and “police brutality” against African Americans in this country. I think we all know the answer to that question. To make matters worse, politicians and pundits alike have seized the opportunity to politicize the issue, further dividing a nation already straining under the weight of the COVID pandemic. For “Black Lives Matter” or BLM, the event was the catalyst they’d been waiting for in order to promote a militant and violent campaign of misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric, devoid of even an iota of the aforementioned context or historical truth, thus fostering a nationwide climate of apologies and capitulation for crimes never committed. Politicians, celebrities and every day folks are now lining up to kneel before, and even kiss the boots of domestic terrorists openly planning to challenge and engage law enforcement with firearms. Statues of historical figures are being defaced and destroyed, even those of men like famed abolitionist Matthias Baldwin, lending evidence of my theory that much of what’s happening right now is fueled primarily by ignorance and ideological hatred. And now ANTIFA, another terrorist organization with the stated goal of open and violent anarchy on our streets, have joined the fray and literally taken over six city blocks in the Capitol Hill district of Seattle, and all while the city’s mayor stood by and seemed almost to validate the criminals responsible.
Again, I’m not going to debate the issue of racism because I feel it does exist, here and around the world. Slavery as well, has existed in one form or another and in every civilization since records have been kept. America on the other hand, using 1619 as a starting point and proceeding to the 13th Amendment in 1865, leaves just 249 years of slavery in this country. Comparatively speaking, more was done faster to address the issue of servitude in the Americas than anywhere in the world. Moreover, less than 6% of African slaves actually came to what would ultimately become the United States, but rather were enslaved largely in South America. Listen, slavery was and remains a moral sin, and the U.S. must never deny its culpability in that sin. I get it. However, in the “context” of the 17th, 18th and 19th century, nearly every nation on earth, including African nations, tolerated and even embraced slavery. Ironically, many of those African nations and their leaders were selling their own people into bondage. So yes, context is extremely important if there is to be any logical debate in search of solutions.
Accordingly, there’s a certain disgust and contempt I feel as I watch ignorant fools tearing down a history they clearly don’t understand. This is compounded by the realization that many of these “protesters” true motives are anything but peaceful, as a complicit press would have us believe. In fact, many have the stated purpose of up-ending our government and way of life in favor of a “utopia” not unlike the one we’re witnessing in Seattle, complete with all the drug abuse, murder and pillaging. Let’s look at some of the obvious contrasts and understand the hypocrisy. In the BLM/ANTIFA world, going to church is bad, but burning one down will get you a medal. Decent law abiding folks can’t open their businesses, but hoodlums can destroy a city’s business district and they’re called “peaceful protesters”. White people can’t have an opinion on racism, but are part of the problem when they say nothing. And you can riot in the streets with thousands of other “peaceful” protesters w/o a mask, but if President Trump holds a campaign rally, the COVID clicker will explode. This is just some of the madness we’re hearing from politicians, sympathetic press types and Hollywood jack-wagons.
So what do we do in these trying and unprecedented times? Well I’m not sure to be honest. Unfortunately it’s not as simple as just clearing the streets and arresting law breakers, though we should be doing that anyway. But we can start by asking God back into our classrooms and public buildings, and telling our children of the obvious correlation between the Ten Commandments, Mayflower Compact and our constitutional, representative republic under law. Then we might try and salvage the next generation by demanding teachers teach our children real history with context, not the revisionist Soros kind, big on vitriol and ideology, but short on truth and reason. Much of what we’re hearing from these “students” out there destroying the tax-payer’s public property, is being fed to them by teachers and professors who grow more and more radical in their ideologies with each passing year, and who see their charge as “educators”, not to simply instruct our nation’s young people and prepare them for “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”, but rather brainwash and indoctrinate them into the appropriate Liberal/Progressive mindset, so they will make good Marxist agitators when it comes time to overthrow the country. And we could also stop voting for candidates who are products of the above mentioned “education” system and have no business representing a loaf of bread.
No my fellow patriots, fixing a mess that has very deep roots will not be easy, or quick. And addressing racism absolutely requires acknowledging that indeed ALL human life matters, and the real issue before us is one of equal opportunity for all Americans, not some cheesy slogan which on its face is divisive. And we must also accept the fact that all this will be difficult. But we have to try, as our children’s America is hanging precariously in the balance. “The Good News” is, the Founders were smart people. And the genius of the documents they penned, was the realization that all people are inherently selfish and self-centered, and that they will go to war with each other based on those emotions. Moreover, they understood that a governmental framework which recognized these basic human flaws would form the basis for that “more perfect union” for generations to come. It’s why our Constitution and Bill of Rights are so special and so important. It’s why we are nation of laws and not men, of order and not chaos, and it’s why what’s going on across the country today is so foreign and wrong in our collective view. Nevertheless, civil disobedience is in our national DNA, and not all protest and response to it will be “peaceable”. Our history does demonstrate that freedom, while essential, is difficult sometimes. But when civil disobedience turns to mob rule, autonomous zones, vandalism and the wanton murder of an innocent man protecting his business, by beating him to unconsciousness and then pummeling his head with bricks until he’s dead, it ceases to be anything resembling civil.
I’ve been sitting on these paragraphs for over a week now, working the words and phraseology so as to promote thoughtful and truthful debate, not angry partisan rhetoric. But as I survey the political landscape and listen to ignorant antagonists like BLM “President” Hawk Newsome talk about “burning down the system and replacing it”, I question whether or not there can even be constructive debate and discussion with someone like that. I think this is the most disconcerting part of the whole equation, having to admit that in many ways, confrontation and conflict may be inevitable.
To sum up, I knew my son would face turmoil in his time. I knew ideologies would clash in his America at some point. But never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the kind of mindless savagery taking place in my own time. Worse yet, some of the people we’ve elected to the halls of government have failed in their collective oaths to protect our Constitution and country. Some municipal and state government as well, have demonstrated their extraordinary capacity to not only over-tax and underperform, over generations leading up to the current pandemic, but then to bungle their responses while watching their cities and states attacked and burned by domestic terrorists, under the guise of race relations.
For my part, I have no choice but to fight for my son’s right to grow up in the America his grandfather fought for. I must put on the full armor of my Lord and Savior and seek peace where there doesn’t appear to be any, to reach out a hand, but know there may not be one on the receiving end at the moment. I must pray for the best but be prepared for the worst. I mustn’t shrink from my responsibilities and have faith in the truth of this nation, that while not perfect to be sure, is the greatest arrangement for mankind under God in all of human history. And that for all its flaws, my country and ALL of its people are deserving of my best efforts.
“These are the times that try men’s souls”. I’ve often wondered what was going through Thomas Paine’s mind when he wrote those words. I think I have some idea today…
God please bless and protect The United States of America, and God bless ALL of you.
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