Everything Old is New Again...Terrorism
Hello??? Is this thing on? At the risk of having my patriotism called into question, I would like to suggest a new branch on the terrorist watchlist. First, let me say that all terrorist have common roots. They often emerge from communities where they feel their interests and voices have been marginalized. As a result, their survival is at risk, and violence becomes the new voice with which they speak.
America is finally starting to become what it represents itself to be, a diverse place of opportunity. Unfortunately, a non-white president has some people running to the gun shops and militia camp. Why? As one white separatist said to Chris Cuomo this morining, this is "what happens when white people get provoked." Huh? Come again? How does the emergence of a color blind truly equal America provoke white people? Maybe Sarah "I Only Wear Sheets on April 1st" Palin is a point of reference. When I heard her bemoan the future America looking unrecognizable compared to what the "Founding Fathers" had planned, I kind of cocked my head to the side. I think she was speaking in "Real American" code again. I think she meant to say "Beware!!! All the non-White people are coming to get you!!"
The Founding Fathers, brilliant but imperfect men, would not recognize America. To them and their peers the power paradigm always belonged to and rested exclusively with white men. Men that tolerated a system of laws that prevented women from owning land and voting. Men that thrived upon a system of enslavement and indentured servitude. Certainly the America they envisioned would not have forseen Governor Sarah Palin, President Barak Obama, or Governor Bobby Jindal. Thank God for that. But I believe our Founding Fathers, in an acknowledgement of their own flaws, penned the Supreme Law of the Land with intentional language meant to encourage growth and improvement in the midst of human frailty.
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
They understood that the ideals were an aspiration, a goal to reach for. The idea of a democratic society was perfect; however, imperfect and flawed people shaped this country in its infancy. Moving toward more perfection would only happen with time and true equality.
With that in mind, I would like to suggest that the biggest threat to our domestic tranquility, defense, welfare, and liberty are angry racists with guns. Angry people who are "provoked" at the idea of equal opportunity an not having all the power. These are the real terrorists. Their time is coming to an end, but that does not mean that they will not go quietly. Sixty years ago, the could hang a man, to prevent people from congregating. Fifty years ago, they could beat, mutilate, and kill a fourteen year old boy, and be acquitted on murder charges after 67 minutes of deliberations. That kind or immunity, that kind of power must be intoxicating. But it's time to quit the hooch cold turkey and face reality in the cold light of day.
This country will never live up to it's potential until its citizens embrace the Constitutional ideals that our military men and women have died for. Let's clean our dirty laundry once and for all, wherever we may find it. Let's stop hatred in its tracks before we have an army of octogenarians running around with rifles.
America is finally starting to become what it represents itself to be, a diverse place of opportunity. Unfortunately, a non-white president has some people running to the gun shops and militia camp. Why? As one white separatist said to Chris Cuomo this morining, this is "what happens when white people get provoked." Huh? Come again? How does the emergence of a color blind truly equal America provoke white people? Maybe Sarah "I Only Wear Sheets on April 1st" Palin is a point of reference. When I heard her bemoan the future America looking unrecognizable compared to what the "Founding Fathers" had planned, I kind of cocked my head to the side. I think she was speaking in "Real American" code again. I think she meant to say "Beware!!! All the non-White people are coming to get you!!"
The Founding Fathers, brilliant but imperfect men, would not recognize America. To them and their peers the power paradigm always belonged to and rested exclusively with white men. Men that tolerated a system of laws that prevented women from owning land and voting. Men that thrived upon a system of enslavement and indentured servitude. Certainly the America they envisioned would not have forseen Governor Sarah Palin, President Barak Obama, or Governor Bobby Jindal. Thank God for that. But I believe our Founding Fathers, in an acknowledgement of their own flaws, penned the Supreme Law of the Land with intentional language meant to encourage growth and improvement in the midst of human frailty.
"We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
They understood that the ideals were an aspiration, a goal to reach for. The idea of a democratic society was perfect; however, imperfect and flawed people shaped this country in its infancy. Moving toward more perfection would only happen with time and true equality.
With that in mind, I would like to suggest that the biggest threat to our domestic tranquility, defense, welfare, and liberty are angry racists with guns. Angry people who are "provoked" at the idea of equal opportunity an not having all the power. These are the real terrorists. Their time is coming to an end, but that does not mean that they will not go quietly. Sixty years ago, the could hang a man, to prevent people from congregating. Fifty years ago, they could beat, mutilate, and kill a fourteen year old boy, and be acquitted on murder charges after 67 minutes of deliberations. That kind or immunity, that kind of power must be intoxicating. But it's time to quit the hooch cold turkey and face reality in the cold light of day.
This country will never live up to it's potential until its citizens embrace the Constitutional ideals that our military men and women have died for. Let's clean our dirty laundry once and for all, wherever we may find it. Let's stop hatred in its tracks before we have an army of octogenarians running around with rifles.
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