West vs. East - South vs. North

Today was the day. After nine days on the road we returned home from our Virginia exploration. However, after Colonial Williamsburg we did make one last stopover in Richmond. Basically it granted us an opportunity to visit a city that we have never visited and it got us an hour closer to home.

We left the lodge in the early afternoon yesterday and almost immediately ran into traffic… the shift back to reality was already taking place. After unpacking one last time at our final hotel and taking a moment to breathe we walked across the parking lot for a quick, and early, dinner before getting back in the car and heading into the city. Now that we have been there once I am not sure that I will be visiting any time soon unless I need to get some family research done as it is the capital of the Commonwealth.

While most of the museums were closed we were still able to walk around a few minutes once we found an open spot in the hospital parking lot. It wasn’t much but at least now I can say that I have seen both White Houses as the Confederate White House is still standing in the middle of the city (in the middle of a hospital campus actually).

With limited space around the structure, there was still room for the preservation of a small garden in the back…

…and the front of the house looks to be well maintained.

Given recent events in this country I couldn’t help but think about the importance of these places still existing. Many of you may not like it but it is a part of our history. Many of us whose roots are in the south may even have ties to this era. I know for a fact that, given our genealogical geography, my family fought on both sides. It is a part of our past that needs to be remembered, the good and the bad, the victories and the defeats, the right and the wrong.

So that was basically the extent of our time in Richmond. From there we got back on the road and circled around a few detours before returning to the highway and the hotel where we put our feet up for the first time in over a week. And I am glad that we had the chance to do so because the drive back home today was one that I would rather forget. Just another reason why I prefer the Mountains in the west over the urban coast in the east. Back to reality and back to work tomorrow.

What Was That First Line Again?

So is this okay now?

It has been an interesting week to say the least. Actually, it has been an interesting couple of weeks. I glossed over this topic a little in my post yesterday but let's take the time now to dive a little deeper. 

Yesterday the Supreme Court issued a ruling to legalized same sex marriage throughout the United States.  While I don’t have a particularly strong feeling one way or the other, I was intrigued by the first sentence of the ruling which reads, “The Constitution promises liberty to all within its reach, a liberty that includes certain specific rights that allow persons, within a lawful realm, to define and express their identity.” It was interesting because it summed up another debate that has been happening across the United States.

This same line could be applied to those who see the stars and bars as a means of self-expression. While the recent history, and interpretation of history prior to the modern era, of that flag have tainted the original perspective, there are some that still hold onto that symbol not for the suppression that it has come to represent but because of the ideal of state’s rights that it stood for. In that vein, there is no denying that slavery played a role in dividing the nation but rights are what lead the country to war.

We have to remember that at that time most were indifferent to the institution of slavery both in the north and the south. However, when the federal government stripped away the rights of the states, that is what the people in the south rallied around. Hence the terms still used to this day “The War of Northern Aggression” and “The Battle for Southern Independence”. State’s rights is why the stars and bars have remained in South Carolina as the state flag flying above the capital.

But, like many things these days, the flag offends people so it must be hidden away and never spoken of again. Many of those same people proudly displayed a bright flag of their own today to support the rights of people. Again, while I don’t care one way or another, I am sure there are many people that are offended by that display of pride. Where is the outcry to remove those flags? Shouldn’t the same rules apply to all people and to all flags?

What it all comes down to is that you can’t have it both ways. You either support the rights of individuals to express themselves and live the lives they want to lead or you want to strip away the rights from people. Frankly, I would like to be left alone. Let me live my life, express myself openly, and enjoy my rights. The government shouldn’t be telling people or states what to do, who to marry, what we can own, what we can display, what we can and can’t say, and overall how we should live our lives. Enjoy your rights and remember this… just say no to big government!

Firearms Friday: Offended By The Offended

Over the past couple of months we have all heard certain people speaking out of both sides of their butt. A month ago ‘unbiased journalists’ across the country went on the offensive convicting all law enforcement because of the actions of a few. Basically, they viewed all cops as violent racists hell bent on shooting black men whenever they got the opportunity.

Before this recent flurry of reporting (actually it has been pretty consistent since the unwarranted presumptions of guilt in Ferguson) and since then with the most recent tragedy in Charleston, those same people are expanding their world view and now they are seeing all cops and southern white men as racist. This, of course, is in addition to anyone associated with the Republican Party (you know, because they are the old white man’s party). I wonder how long it will take before this thinking trickles down to everyone else. How long before those ‘reporters’ shame themselves for being racists? How long before people declare that because it is called the “White House” that it is a racist?   

Of course, that is not the end of the dichotomy… after all this is Firearms Friday. The other side of this is the fact that those same people who see law enforcement as ‘violent racists’ are the ones that cry “you don’t need guns, that’s why we have the police” whenever some psycho goes on a shooting spree. Can you really have it both ways? Oh wait, that’s right, you can. After all, these are the same people that want free health insurance but get upset when more tax money is taken out of their paycheck to pay for it. They are the same people that want to raise the minimum wage but expect the cost of goods to stay the same.

Since they are the ones crying that they are offended by, well, everything I have this to say... I am offended that you are offended.

I find it offensive that you think you have the right to take my money that I earned and use to support my family in order to fund a healthcare program that has increased both my premium and deductible.

I am offended that you believe someone flipping burgers at McDonald's should make more money per hour than I do working in a salaried job that I had to bust my butt to obtain (you know, the one that technically makes me "middle class").

I am offended that you declare someone a racist or bigot if they do not publicly support your views regardless of what they believe.

I am offended that you refuse to respect the opinions of others while expecting others to respect your opinion.

I am offended that you can’t stand the sight of the stars and bars but support those who burn the stars and stripes in the streets.

I am offended that you refuse to assign responsibility to an individual for their actions but rather place blame on inanimate objects (while twisting the facts).  

I am offended that you grant rights to others but insist on trying to strip away my Second Amendment rights.

I find it offensive that things have gone so far that I am having to write this. But this is where we are. This is what the ‘media’ reports and the line that we are all supposed to fall behind. Just don’t make it a straight line because that is offensive now too.

A Largely Overlooked Holiday

When was the last time you said the Pledge of Allegiance? While I no longer recite the declaration of loyalty on a weekly basis at Rotary meetings, I still stand at attention and give the flag the respect it deserves every month when we open the lodge. There are even occasions when a couple of the brothers, also members of the Sojourners, recite “A Toast to the Flag”. It is a presentation that holds deep meaning for those brothers preforming the poem as well as those witnessing the recitation.

On this day, Flag Day, we commemorate the adoption of our flag which happened on this day in 1777 by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. This flag, while different than what we know it to be today, then served as a unified representation by which our two year old Continental Army would rally around. And while the early years saw many different designs (especially regarding the arrangement of stars), it has constantly flown as a representation of this country for well over two centuries.

However, it wasn’t until 1916 that Flag Day came into being when President Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation that officially established June 14^th as Flag Day. Congress officially established the federal holiday in August 1949. During this period of time, the National Flag Code was constructed by representatives of over 68 organizations, under the auspices of the National Americanism Commission of the American Legion who created the code on Flag Day 1923. The code drafted by that conference was printed by the national organization of the American Legion and given nationwide distribution.

With few changes made to the original code drafted in 1923 (most notably was the removal of the Bellamy salute dues to its similarities to the Hitler salute), on June 22, 1942, the Code became Public Law 77-623; chapter 435. Since that time, there have been few changes made with some notable exceptions being the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 (prohibits real estate management organizations from restricting homeowners from displaying the Flag of the United States on their own property), the Army Specialist Joseph P. Micks Federal Flag Code Amendment Act of 2007 (added a provision to fly the flag at half-staff upon the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who died while serving on active duty), and the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Sec. 595) (allows the military salute for the flag during the national anthem by members of the Armed Forces not in uniform and by veterans).

If it were a simple document I would include the code within this post but as many of you know the Flag Code is anything but simple and it is in fact quite extensive in the proper protocol for displaying, honoring, and even retiring a flag (among other things). In fact, many of use probably break the law at some point during our lives. While some may see the code as antiquated, it is a simple gesture to demonstrate our appreciation not just of our flag but of what it stands for and those who have defended and died for it. The holiday may be a single block on the calendar but the flag waves throughout the year as a constant reminder of the freedom that we have in this country and the liberty that it symbolizes. While some seem to forget this on a daily basis there are many of us who will never forget and continue to fight for the rights of all which are integral to this country just as every thread is essential to the creation of our flag.

Last Full Day In The Desert

Today was one that was tremendously productive but also one that made me wish that there was another twelve hours to get a few more things done. I should have known that it was going to be one of those days when I couldn’t get out of bed despite my alarm going off a dozen times. But, as most days, you have to push through the desire for sleep and get out of bed and begin your day.

I was loaded down pretty heavy as I headed out the door with my computer bag bulging with my camera in the front pocket. While I didn’t take nearly as many pictures throughout the day I still managed to get a few shots of the scenery as the sun began to approach the horizon in the early morning hours.

Just a few steps out my cottage door the sun began to peek above the mountains and offer a glow to the desert greenery all around.

Turning the corner and walking slowly up the path it was absent of the morning bustle that I have become accustom to living so close to a city.

Around the corner I now had my back to the slow illumination and a coolness still enveloped the buildings in front of me and the extinguished lights seemed ready for the day to dominate.

The lobby has been part of my temporary routine from walking up to the front door…

…to saying hello to the front desk as I made my way through and into the dining room at the far end.

For the entire morning on through the early part of the afternoon was a series of transitions from table to table and from meeting to meeting. For hours it was a constant stream of information, perspectives, and experiences that filled my mind both with challenges and possibilities. Nearing a time of information overload I managed to step away for a few fleeting minutes both to address the pressing priority of talking with my wife for the day but also to see if there were a few shots that could be stolen in the middle of the day.

This time around there wasn’t anything that caught my attention and called for my focus so my day continued with a couple more brief meetings and some long overdue daily time in the classroom to try and cram in just a little bit more information into the bloated brain cells which by that time had begun whining for a little mercy. It couldn’t have been a better time as the information was a perfect complement to what I had learned the day before and so did more to organize the gray matter rather than beat it into submission. Time continues to rush past as it had this entire trip and soon I found myself walking back up to the main building looking around for a few last minute shots as the last rays of light began to dim and the lamps reasserted their presence.  

But the light faded too fast to capture much more so a simply turned around in one solitary spot on the asphalt trying to record the images of the landmarks I had passed countless times in a matter of a couple days. Looking up the only life in the dwindling light was the passing of a jet high in the sky…

…and looking back toward the direction of my temporary residence was the representative symbol of all present at this event and why we keep pushing forward. All that we have and are able to experience is because of what flies above us and all that we are able to do is because of those who have defended it. It is a single frame that closed this last full day in a perfect way.

But Do You Have A Flag?

Columbus Day is almost over and it really made no difference to me. The only thing that I noticed was the fact that I couldn’t get a hold of everyone I normally would on a Monday. You couldn’t even take your cue from the government because they were closed already.

When you think about it and consider all that we have learned about Columbus over the years it makes you question why we even still have such a day. I personally think that it’s a difficult argument saying that you discovered a new world when there were people there to greet you. That’s like discovering a cabin in the woods that no one knew about, that wasn’t on any maps, knocking on their door and claiming the land as your own (if you survive of course).

To give you a little background, and save your finger from having to hit another button, here is the basic rundown from Wikipedia:

Many countries in the New World and elsewhere celebrate the anniversary of Christopher Columbus' arrival in the Americas, which happened on October 12, 1492, as an official holiday… Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906, and became a federal holiday in the United States in 1937, though people have celebrated Columbus' voyage since the colonial period. In 1792, New York City and other U.S. cities celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World. President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people of the United States to celebrate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of the event. During the four hundredth anniversary in 1892, teachers, preachers, poets and politicians used Columbus Day rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These patriotic rituals were framed around themes such as support for war, citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and celebrating social progress.

Many Italian-Americans observe Columbus Day as a celebration of their heritage, the first occasion being in New York City on October 12, 1866. Columbus Day was first enshrined as a legal holiday in the United States through the lobbying of Angelo Noce, a first generation Italian, in Denver. The first statewide Columbus Day holiday was proclaimed by Colorado governor Jesse F. McDonald in 1905, and it was made a statutory holiday in 1907. In April 1934, as a result of lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, Congress and President Franklin Delano Roosevelt made October 12 a federal holiday under the name Columbus Day.

Since 1970, the holiday has been fixed to the second Monday in October, coincidentally the same day as Thanksgiving in neighboring Canada (which was fixed to that date in 1959) (note that October 12, 1970, was a Monday). It is generally observed nowadays by banks, the bond market, the U.S. Postal Service, other federal agencies, most state government offices, many businesses, and most school districts. Some businesses and some stock exchanges remain open, also some states and municipalities abstain from observing the holiday. The traditional date of the holiday also adjoins the anniversary of the United States Navy (founded October 13, 1775), and thus both occasions are customarily observed by the Navy (and usually the Marine Corps as well) with either a 72 or 96-hour liberty period.

Today seems to epitomize the fact that, given time, people’s shortcomings are frequently overlooked and their feats accentuated by historical storytelling. Truth be told, Columbus was a man who got lost on a voyage, the Gilligan of the 15^th century if you will, who, once he was given power, proved to be a tyrannical ruler and proponent of genocide. So, happy Columbus day everyone!

“We” Is One Word Not Two Letters

Throughout our travels, no matter where we have gone, every place has had one thing in common... they are all a part of this great country which my family has called home from the very beginning of this nation's founding and has fought for the rights and freedoms for which our flag flies. Once I saw the flag hanging in front of the Asa Packer Mansion in Jim Thorpe I was struck by the reminder that there is more than just a grand structure looking over this small mountain town in the Poconos. And if we pay attention to the world around us we can easily see the tactile representation of our country’s founding ideals in the 13 stripes and 50 stars.

Independence Day is not a time of sales and pyrotechnics. Today is a time of pride for every person that has the privilege to call themselves an American. Regardless of our own political opinions and our feelings about whether the government has done something right or wrong, this is a time of unity under one flag that shines brighter than any spark in the sky.

This is a time to remember and honor the sacrifices made not only by those who have fought for and fought to defend liberty but also a time to honor those who chose to come to the United States and make this country their home. It is a time to remember our heritage both as individual families and a nation as a whole. This is a day to reflect on how we honor our ancestors in our own lives.

We must consider what this nation stands for and the rights that we have been granted by G-d and country. We must hold fast to ensure the rights and freedoms of every person during this time of great change in which we live. It is our duty and our responsibility to uphold the rights and freedoms of others regardless of whether we personally partake in those liberties. So long as we hold in our hearts the fact that rights are not optional we can keep the history, memory, and ideals of this nation’s founding alive and ensure that our nation will continue to thrive.

Let your neighbor know, let the world know, that we are one nation and our flag hangs ever-present not as a representation of the government but as a symbol of a united people. Today we are not two parties, we are one people. We are not a country of religious strife; we are one nation under G-d. We are Americans and we are proud of our history.