Standing for the National Anthem
This is such a hot topic and I have so many thoughts on this. I am not the most intelligent or well versed, nor do I keep up on current affairs like I should. I'm just an American who loves her country. Who loves what we stand for and thinks that even with all our faults -we are far above any other country! I hate that these protests are basically saying America is wrong and an embarrassment and not the greatest country in the world.
Our country is falling for the government tactic of dividing us. Instead of being unique, we all fit into a category (white, black, straight, gay, etc) that they have given us and it's definitely working in their advantage. We are fighting with one another like we are each other enemies. We are not! We are to be united! We are all in here to help each other out. As my husband always says, if you keep them divided, they are more easy to F*** over. And isn't that the truth.
The hurricanes have been such a huge devastation and I have cried for those who have lost houses or loved ones or have struggled during this time. But I also try to look for the silver lining in all trials and I can see the biggest one is that we can see first hand how much we still love and support each other. I don't think any of the rescue missions first asked who they voted for in the election before helping. There was no categorizing based on color or religion or sexual preference. It was based on love and common respect for one another. If we had more instances of that - instead of overpaid NFL players throwing fits - then I think our whole country to rise higher up than ever before. I think we forget that the media (and the squeaky wheels that get airtime) is such a small portion of our country. I'm sure their are racist bigots, horrible people that just want to harm you based on certain aspects of your life....but that is NOT the majority! The majority of America is good and is loving and cares about your heart, not your skin color or sexual preference. If we could just see how much good and love is out there...we would be proud to be an American!
And I am definitely PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!
If you haven't heard the story of how the Star Bangle Banner song came to be - please go research. It's a miracle. America never should have been. We never should have won. However, it was God's will for this government to survive and for this country to remain free. They were fighting for freedom and defending that flag. And that anthem and flag stands for all those men and women that fought to keep us safe. Safe through all the years since America has been born. And though we aren't perfect, and there is much to American history that is shameful...there is much more beauty! So much more to be proud of. I have a brother that was an Army Ranger...and he lost his leg in Iraq as a sacrifice and he was heartbroken when we had to sit out and have a "desk" job and could no longer be in the front lines of defense. He never regretted being in the Army- he only regretted that he couldn't do more. My dad and step mom also served 20 years in the Air Force. I'm so grateful for their time and sacrifice. And when I look at the flag and listen to the anthem, I think about them and all the other members of our military - of every race and religion and background - who are fighting.
And to me, the kneeling during the anthem during a football game, is spitting on all of them. I don't care what they do on their own time - outside the football game - but the protesting they are doing is having the opposite effect that they want. They are not solving anything by protesting our military. And that's what they are doing. They aren't protesting black lives or police brutality or the president by sitting down during OUR anthem and thats what they need to see. Their protest needs to correlate with what they are protesting and this does not. They say they love our military and yet they are being so disrespectful to the symbols of our country that portray all that they have done for us. I do want to add - I didn't vote for Trump, I do not care for the way Trump handles himself, but he is our president. I think he was playing to what the majority of Americans think and it was not tactful or the right way to handle it, but he did it. Two wrongs never make a right. Throwing a fit back at a tantrum throwing toddler does nothing to solve the issue.
Thankfully I haven't watched the NFL or sports in general in years. I have no need to boycott - but I will still pretend I am boycotting. I remember hearing in church when I was a little girl that there would come a day when there wouldn't be anything on TV that we would want to watch because it would be vial and immoral. I never thought that would include sports as well, but I'm seeing that it may be the case. As my sons grow up, and one of them loves sports and looks up to these athletes, I can see how looking up to these athletes that outwardly are standing for things that don't align with us, can not be good for their growing minds.
I just want to end with saying - America is beautiful and wonderful and I love my country. And I'm so grateful that we are able to have different opinion and thoughts. I believe that exercising our different opinions helps create an atmosphere where we are always being challenged and being able to grow. But we need to do it with respect. Respect to each other, respect to our nation, and respect to our God!
Our country is falling for the government tactic of dividing us. Instead of being unique, we all fit into a category (white, black, straight, gay, etc) that they have given us and it's definitely working in their advantage. We are fighting with one another like we are each other enemies. We are not! We are to be united! We are all in here to help each other out. As my husband always says, if you keep them divided, they are more easy to F*** over. And isn't that the truth.
The hurricanes have been such a huge devastation and I have cried for those who have lost houses or loved ones or have struggled during this time. But I also try to look for the silver lining in all trials and I can see the biggest one is that we can see first hand how much we still love and support each other. I don't think any of the rescue missions first asked who they voted for in the election before helping. There was no categorizing based on color or religion or sexual preference. It was based on love and common respect for one another. If we had more instances of that - instead of overpaid NFL players throwing fits - then I think our whole country to rise higher up than ever before. I think we forget that the media (and the squeaky wheels that get airtime) is such a small portion of our country. I'm sure their are racist bigots, horrible people that just want to harm you based on certain aspects of your life....but that is NOT the majority! The majority of America is good and is loving and cares about your heart, not your skin color or sexual preference. If we could just see how much good and love is out there...we would be proud to be an American!
And I am definitely PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!
If you haven't heard the story of how the Star Bangle Banner song came to be - please go research. It's a miracle. America never should have been. We never should have won. However, it was God's will for this government to survive and for this country to remain free. They were fighting for freedom and defending that flag. And that anthem and flag stands for all those men and women that fought to keep us safe. Safe through all the years since America has been born. And though we aren't perfect, and there is much to American history that is shameful...there is much more beauty! So much more to be proud of. I have a brother that was an Army Ranger...and he lost his leg in Iraq as a sacrifice and he was heartbroken when we had to sit out and have a "desk" job and could no longer be in the front lines of defense. He never regretted being in the Army- he only regretted that he couldn't do more. My dad and step mom also served 20 years in the Air Force. I'm so grateful for their time and sacrifice. And when I look at the flag and listen to the anthem, I think about them and all the other members of our military - of every race and religion and background - who are fighting.
And to me, the kneeling during the anthem during a football game, is spitting on all of them. I don't care what they do on their own time - outside the football game - but the protesting they are doing is having the opposite effect that they want. They are not solving anything by protesting our military. And that's what they are doing. They aren't protesting black lives or police brutality or the president by sitting down during OUR anthem and thats what they need to see. Their protest needs to correlate with what they are protesting and this does not. They say they love our military and yet they are being so disrespectful to the symbols of our country that portray all that they have done for us. I do want to add - I didn't vote for Trump, I do not care for the way Trump handles himself, but he is our president. I think he was playing to what the majority of Americans think and it was not tactful or the right way to handle it, but he did it. Two wrongs never make a right. Throwing a fit back at a tantrum throwing toddler does nothing to solve the issue.
Thankfully I haven't watched the NFL or sports in general in years. I have no need to boycott - but I will still pretend I am boycotting. I remember hearing in church when I was a little girl that there would come a day when there wouldn't be anything on TV that we would want to watch because it would be vial and immoral. I never thought that would include sports as well, but I'm seeing that it may be the case. As my sons grow up, and one of them loves sports and looks up to these athletes, I can see how looking up to these athletes that outwardly are standing for things that don't align with us, can not be good for their growing minds.
I just want to end with saying - America is beautiful and wonderful and I love my country. And I'm so grateful that we are able to have different opinion and thoughts. I believe that exercising our different opinions helps create an atmosphere where we are always being challenged and being able to grow. But we need to do it with respect. Respect to each other, respect to our nation, and respect to our God!
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