If you
live in America and do not know about NFL players kneeling during the Star-Spangled
Banner, you don’t have TV or a smart phone.
You can have a frame added to
your profile picture on Facebook to say, “I stand.” I love the news, and would consider myself a
news junkie. Yes, I tend to watch one
channel over another, but I also love NPR, which would be the opposite of my
favorite morning news show, and I am still one of those few people that love
the newspaper. Growing up we had subscriptions
to Time, Newsweek, and US News and World Report. My dad wanted me to be informed and I needed
all of those for the political cartoons I would use for extemporaneous speeches
on the debate team.
Growing
up we would go to my Grandma and Grandpa Philpot’s home on most holidays. They lived in a small community and we would
walk down the road and across the street to watch the parades on those days, I
can remember the Fourth of July, Pioneer Day (my LDS friends will know what
that is) and Veteran’s Day parades. My
Grandpa Philpot would remind us that we were to stand when anyone carrying a
flag came by. This was not an option for
debate, you stood. This was to show respect
for those that fought for our country. I
never thought to ask if someone he knew died in WWII. I am sure they did, but I just know he would
stand and expect us to follow that example.
I love
our country, I think anyone that knows me, knows that fact. I know I learned that from my grandparents
and parents. I truly believe we live in
the greatest country in the world. That
it is blessed among all nations. I
believe the most important thing I do every school day is to stand and say, The
Pledge of Allegiance.” I cannot hear those notes of the Star-Spangled
Banner play without crying. What a
blessing it has been living in this great nation.
This
last election I really struggled with who I would vote for. I honestly felt like either of the two major candidates
were not worthy of my vote. I spent time
praying, pondering, and sleepless nights contemplating who I would vote
for. Never, I had spent so much time
with a decision in my life, and I have made some tough choices. I had a friend, who I have later thanked tell
me a few weeks before the election that she voted for a write in candidate I
thought, I don’t want to do that. The morning
of Election Day, Noelle asked me who I was going to vote for. I still didn’t know, I really felt like
either one was not a choice I wanted to make.
We had to wait in line and I said one more prayer, “Please, help me to
know what to do?” My friend was right, I
needed to be able to look myself in the mirror.
I went in a wrote in my first choice.
I have
not felt bad about that decision and yes, I know it was a wasted vote, but I
can look myself in the mirror and that was my goal. I say this so you do not think I am being disingenuous
when I say what I am about to say. It is
radical and almost unheard of, this might be a revolutionary idea. It is an idea we all learned in Kindergarten,
why because in Kindergarten you learn everything. Here is my bold idea…cooperation. When did this word become something that is
dirty, or used only when it is a necessity?
Why is it thought of that if you work with the other side, that you are
somehow ignorant, stupid, or uninformed?
Somehow
if we agree on one issue we agree on all issues or if we disagree on one issue
we must disagree on all issues. Why
cannot we come together and say we need to work together? Long gone are the days of Tipp O’Neill and President
Regan, or Newt Gingrich and President Clinton.
Those men worked together for the best for our country. They put love of country before love of
party! I have more respect for people
like that than people that won’t listen to the other side.
If NFL
players want to kneel that is their right, I do not agree with them. To me the flag stands for something
else. I do understand that is their right. However, before one side starts to cheer and
the other start typing their comments know this. If the middle of the country cannot come
together the country will fall. If we do
not start coming together when we need to, it will not matter what happens on
the football field. If love of self
comes before love of country, love of God, love of your fellowmen, we are
doomed!
Freedom
of speech means freedom of all speech.
You cannot choose which speech is free.
Yes, you cannot yell, “Fire,” in a crowded theatre, but if you are okay
with kneeling you then must understand that when President Trump says things
you disagree with, it is okay also.
People that disagree are not dumb, stupid, or uninformed, it is just
their right to disagree with you.
Loudest is not right, it is just loud. Tonight, as I get ready to call it a
night. I will pray for our country, our
leaders on both sides of the isle, for those people I love, and for those
people I need to learn to love and forgive.
I will say a pray of thanks to two sets of grandparents who were
wonderful examples of patriotism. Who taught
me to love country more than myself. God
Bless the USA!
