Where Do YOU Stand?

#2020Violence #2020Riots #2020RightToAssemble

Communication works both ways. This is true. In regards to the riots, protesters, and other actions taken across our Great Nation over the last few weeks.... Here's my take on it. 

    Law breakers and those who commit criminal acts are no longer protesters. They have broken the law. The law will react. The thing about that is if it is in the middle of a protest, people seem to forget that police are afraid for their lives too. They have families at home who count on them to do a job. Their job just puts them in harms way every day. They are human. 

Yes they wear a badge and "have power" and should use it wisely. 

    People who want to be heard should also use the power of their voice wisely and be heard in a legal manner-- the right to assemble and be heard doesn't include violence or hurting other people or vandalism, or blocking roadways. KNOW the law and what you are stepping into when you join a protest because the action of one person in the group can become the voice of the entire group....then you have guilt by association. This leads to the voices that wanted to be heard getting lost in the violence and the turmoil that ensues and we are all right back to where we started. 

    People are people no matter what side they are on. both sides get scared. Both sides react. Both sides make good and bad decisions.  The media (and Social Media most of all) focus on what gets people's attention and what gets them heard.... and then things escalate.... and here we go again. Yes I believe in freedom of the press. This branch is also to be held accountable. They are required to fact check their sources before they publish. Social Media has NO such requirements. How many times have you posted something only to have a friend post back with a link to snopes.com or some other source that says your copied post is wrong? Most people (myself included) don't always (rarely) take the time to check to see where the information came from. We just share because it's out there and it's posted so it must be true. We post according to how things make us feel. When we are outraged, we want to share so others will share so the act of violence or criminal behavior will somehow stop...or because we want to help catch someone who broke the law...or because that was so cute and so funny that we want others to share in that feeling too (the motivation is sharing your feelings if you missed the connection in all of those instances).

    Assemble. Be heard. Share your thoughts, feelings, and ideas! In doing so, Be calm. Be rational. Be patient. Be the voice that IS heard. Change happens but sometimes takes time and effort...to be seen and heard the right way. To be heard is important...even imperative! Be the voice you want remembered-not the voice that stirred violence leading to more violence. Don't be a law breaker in the process of trying to do the right thing. The right thing for the right reasons in the right way doesn't generally cause vandalism, or panic, or fear, or innocent bystanders to get hurt. It generally leads to change. 

    People have made these events across the nation about George Floyd and others. It isn't. George Floyd's family is a "God-fearing" family so says his brother at the site where his brother died in a vigil recently held.  Sometimes people only need a cause in order to act. Sometimes those actions aren't in the interest of the group but they become the things others read about and remember. I prefer to be remembered in a positive light-not as a criminal with a record that follows me the rest of my life. One uneducated mistake will stay with you. One positive turn in the right direction will stay with you. MLK preached change. He did so peacefully with love. He set an example. He is remembered as a great leader and man. "Martin Luther King Jr was an American Christian minister and activist who became the most visible spokesperson and leader in the Civil Rights Movements from 1955 until he was assassinated in 1968." He left a legacy. He left an example. He left us change!

    God's first commandment was to "Love one another". You do that and all the violence disappears. Research George Floyd and what the man stood for. Research the work that he was doing in the neighborhoods he was involved in. He wanted peace and education for neighborhoods that know fear and violence every day as a way of life HERE IN OUR GREAT NATION. He was trying to make a way for some of them to get out of that fear and hate ridden places full of violence. Do you really think he would want violence committed in his honor? Look him up. See what others have to say about him-those that knew him. Then decide if the violence done "for his cause" or "in his name" would be appreciated by George Floyd himself. Then decide---for Yourself. 

    Don't forget to put yourself or a family member on the other side of the line from where you stand to see how you would feel if you were in another position. Because you may find a family member or friend on the other side at some point through this mess of miscommunication. See the entire picture--their side and yours and look at the pros and cons of each side. Be educated in your decision ---not just in the riots and protests arena but in all arenas of life. Love one another. Love is easier than hate. It gives more benefits than hate. It creates more friends and lasting relationships than hate..... Love one another. Talk to one another. Communicate. Be heard. Use your voice--educate yourself and vote! Assemble with love at the center so forward motion can be had.... so we don't walk in circles of violence.

    People are people. The color of their skin doesn't matter. When you see an x-ray, can you tell what race that person is or what color or what gender they are? When blood donations are made at the blood banks, they don't classify them by color, race, or nationality, or gender. They classify them by A, AB, O positive or negative. 
A persons heart and intentions are what should matter more-not the color of their skin or what you can see on the outside. This is my commandment, that you love one another..... 

I know this is rather long. I know people will have plenty to say regarding this post...communication goes both ways. Post your comments respectfully. You deserve to be heard. None of us need to be disrespectful in being heard. Thank You. God bless and keep you.

Rant and Raving Political Opinions

Larry Gatlin posted an "open letter" to the president of the United States. Please click the link to read that post. The video embedded with this post you will read (if you click the link) is a Fox23 News video. The videos loop from one to another. One is from our President. Another is from the Vice President. (I like the VP's stance on things except that our people have a point...how can we reach the gates of hell when we--our soldiers and fighters--are not allowed to leave the front gates?) and our Leaders. My point in this post and in response to these points--these videos-- is simply this: Larry Gatlin makes a very good point in illustrating that our president seems more worried about his image than about the American people.

When did our country become so image-conscious that leading takes a backseat to public opinion polls? Being a leader ANYWHERE requires doing things that are not-so-popular. If leading was easy then anyone could do it. Not just anyone can lead the American people.

Listen to our veterans and our soldiers on the front lines (the ones there NOW). Nick Powers has been on a few interviews as it seems in this Fox News video. There was also another letter shared just a couple of weeks ago (at least that is when I ran across it)...click here to read THAT letter also addressed to "the Leaders of the American People" and also by an American soldier.

Rules of engagement.... when you listen to this, what do you here? What comes to mind? what I hear and what comes to mind is the American Revolution. As a kid you see pictures of the British soldiers in Red-Coats....marching down the middle of the street with a drummer keeping the beat. The rules of engagement were changed then because while war should have limits and rules--there is NO FAIR FIGHT! Criminals don't play be the rules. Different cultures HAVE DIFFERENT RULES. Different belief systems create different rules, different styles of warfare. If you play by the rules and encounter a different set of rules from the other side, then you have to adapt your strategy or YOU LOSE! Isn't that what the Colonies did when the revolution was fought? Isn't that how guerrilla warfare was created? Why do we limit our soldiers and give our opponent the advantage? Why are our leaders not listening to those on the front lines? Why are Americans publicly executed like criminals of another era and we do nothing?

I saw mention of the video of the journalist's beheading...I my mind jumped back to another time when American journalists risked life and death to get the truth...they were Americans then and it cause OUTRAGE then....why does it not today?? Are we so self absorbed as to believe this can't touch us here at home? Because if nothing is done and AMERICA doesn't (or isn't allowed by our leaders) to stand up for what is right--for freedom, then it will touch us. Our future will be different. And if we are not the ones here to see it, our children and their children will be here and will witness the after shocks first hand.

That is not a legacy I want for my children.
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--> History has shown us that evil is only successful when the righteous stand aside and do nothing. "So are we now a people (as a whole) who would let our leaders create a world-wide image of a nation that does nothing. Clearly we are once again being challenged...only this time we are letting them win with our lack of action.....

 Please feel free to comment.  I have my opinions and am asking for yours. That doesn't mean I am asking for you to be rude and disrespectful. It means I am looking for intelligent debate and responsible opinions that could be fruitful to the readers that visit here.