Monday, July 9, 2012

Freedom of Independence

So I've been listening to the back and forth set off by comments from comedian Chris Rock regarding the "Fourth of July" Holiday.  Yep, he set off a real firestorm when speaking of the ugly history that is a part of the fabric of our flawed yet wonderful nation.  The Fox News machine of course had a field day chiding Chris.  Saying how disrespectful his observations were, because he is a "beneficiary" of the greatness of our nation.  Herman Cain chimed in re-writing history to make his point.  I don't remember reading the section in my history book, where George Washington said the slaves were free people... but I digress.


Melissa Harris-Perry also drew the ire of  Fox because she too put a spotlight on some of the history of the nation that isn't so celebratory.
Here's the thing, these two individuals drew fire because they told the truth.  They simply spoke about the FACTS of some of the not so great history of our nation.  FACTS, that while many would love to forget them and sweep them under the rug, they cannot be forgotten and should not be forgotten.... because if you haven't learned from the mistakes of the past, you are doomed to repeat them.  WE ALL have to recognize and understand the history that is the United States of America, warts and all.
The Fourth of July is the only Holiday that celebrates our Nation as a whole and I celebrate it just like most everybody else, but I also remember, my parents weren't allowed to do what I am doing right now when they were my age.  You celebrate the good, acknowledge the ugly and try your hardest to make this nation better every single day.


That also means that while I found the criticisms directed at Rock and MHP absurd, I also have to recognize, those individuals rights to say them.  It means that when I hear Congressman Allen West, continually speak as if the history of our nation doesn't exist at all, I HAVE TO defend his right to say them.  It's a catch 22 and honestly was best described in one of my favorite movies, "The American President".  President Andrew Shephard, played by Michael Douglas finally stood up for what he believed in when he was running for re-election and this was in my mind the most poignant part of the speech:


America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free".


100% correct!  Hurts sometimes doesn't it?  Stings to the bone when you hear hateful words, when you hear people disrespecting and purposefully trying to rile up the crowd just because they can.  But it's their right to do so... our founding fathers made sure of it, and I appreciate it.  However, it doesn't absolve you or me of consequence.  You see freedom of speech means exactly that... in the words of John Mayer, "say what you wanna say", but remember your words, good or bad will draw a reaction.  You could be fired, you could be advanced, you could be jailed, you could be celebrated, you could be attacked, you could be hugged.... your freedom to speak WILL result in a reaction.  


We are all human, at least the majority of us, and therefore, we ALL have hypocritical moments.  Allen West makes me want to hit a wall pretty much whenever I hear him speak, one of his latest claiming President Obama wants us to be his slaves.   But you know what, I have to recognize his right to say what he wants to say and then respectfully say what I want to say in disagreement.  It stings, but it's a freedom Mr. West, you and I all share....

1 comment:

  1. Alan West may sound a little off here and there with his thoughts, but he's right on the money about the new slavery; governmental dependence. Anywho, I agree with your premise. Often times our country likes to sweep the dirt under the rug as if we should forget the facts of our country: How it was stolen from the Natives, Slave enforced labor that still reverberates in 2012, heck we even try to "church up" our own terrorist ways in the name of freedom.

    Maybe it's in the name of political correctness that people tend to chide any who speak out against the BS, or maybe it's just the fact they can't stomach hearing the vicious history that continues to permeate the very fabric of our culture.

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