Final Draft

One of the great things about a “mad” mind is that it is always thinking. One of the worst things about a “mad” mind is it is always thinking. There isn’t an on or off switch. Sometimes, the thoughts are merely random. Other times, they are precipitated by something that was seen, read, heard, watched, etc. Obsessive thoughts are quite common. One thing leads to another until it is all rolled into one massive thought and that, is not always a good thing. Then, too, it is not always a bad thing. It can lead to mass production of work then, too, it can lead to great paranoia. It is usually accompanied by great levels of irritation, agitation, withdrawal, random talking, no talking, rapid speech, forgetfulness in other areas and so much more. It can lead to obsessive behavior, severe mania, severe depression and every level in between. It can be caused by a mood or can trigger one. Funny how the mind works. Amazing and sad all at the same time.

With all that being said, I must admit, I have been compulsively thinking of a few key things as of late. To write about all of the items here would by shear magnitude more than likely cause this blog post to not only be the longest in the history of blogs but also be one no one but me would understand. Mainly because I would not be able to stay focused on just one topic. So, in the interest of anyone who may read this, I am going to do my best to focus on one topic for this post and try another topic (or two) for another post.

ATTENTION ALL SNOWFLAKES AND PROGRESSIVES: this is out of courtesy, you may wish to skip the rest of this blog. You have been warned. For all who wish to continue reading, yes, I took my meds (and no, I’m not offended you would ask; a bit pissed after reading all my blogs it would enter your head.) Yes, this will not be “politically correct” (when have I ever been politically correct unless I was under duress and forced to do so and even then I wasn’t hence the label “difficult; hard to manage; etc.)

There are several stories as of late regarding the toppling of confederate statutes in public places. One of the biggest is ‘Silent Sam’ on the UNC Chapel Hill campus. The latest attempt caused several arrests and protests. One picture showed blood on the statute. I am sure the college student who was bold enough to attack the statute and kick it several times really showed that concrete block who was boss! The statute sure could fight back. Then, too, given its attackers, it was a fair fight, both physically and intellectually from what I can gather.

The Silent Sam statute was erected originally to commemorate the students and facility who went off to war and those who never returned. Despite the impact it had, the University remained opened. It was to be a reminder of the cost of war and the promise of a commitment to a cause greater than one’s self and the unselfish sacrifice. It wasn’t about slavery or offending someone. It was about young people going off to battle in a war they didn’t start, want or in most cases (especially that case) didn’t have a say or steak in. Come on, how many college students – then or now – have or had slaves, butlers, maids or personal assistants? To be fair, most college students can’t manage to get to class on time, cook ramen correctly or do laundry.  But because it has ties to the Civil War, it has been deemed by the invisible establishment of “they” thus it must be true and has in turn been adopted by the brain dead masses as such.

While we are on the topic, I have always been curious as to why the Civil War is such a hot topic. Why is the Civil War, now, evil and at this very moment in time a must for “they” to attack and erase from history? I have asked a few of my friends who are, “people of color” or in other words they are black. I basically get the same answer (just worded different. I don’t understand what it is like to be black or the confederacy conjures bad (interject word – thoughts, images, feelings) for people of color. Wait. I have to ask. The Civil War was more than the confederacy. The Confederacy lost. The North won. Slaves were freed. Hence, one would think it is one war people of color would want to remember.  It lasted 4 years, consisted of intense combat, left between 620,000 – 750,000 people dead, destroyed most of the South’s infrastructure especially transportation, the confederacy collapsed, the union was restored, slavery was abolished  and over 4 million slaves were freed. It led to what is known in American History as the Reconstruction Era. The Civil War is the most studied and written about period in American history and yet all of a sudden, it is evil, distorted, offensive and must be eradicated.

The truth is it happened. It is part of history. It is neither good nor bad. Let us take a moment and pretend it did not occur. What then? Would slavery still be legal? Would the United States look different than it does today meaning would the South still have succeeded from the Union? Would Western expansion have halted or caused yet another nation to have been formed? We can play what if all day. The fact of the matter is, it did happen.

Let’s take the Roman Coliseums. At the height of the Roman Empire, were they not a place and source of great entertainment and power for them? Romans would gather for quite the spectacle. Gladiators would fight to the death. What was a gladiator? A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals and condemned criminals. Most were despised as slaves, trained under harsh conditions, socially marginalized and segregated even in death. Basically they were slaves who were treated inhumane forced to fight to the death for the entertainment of others. Jews and Christians were often in great supply for the Romans led by the soliders for this purpose. The most robust were sent directly to Rome. Wow! Talk about something to be proud of! Yet, where is the outcry to tear down the Roman coliseums? Instead, they are tourist attractions. They are being restored. Why? Is it so the Roman State can reinstate the practice? Nope. Think Rome moved away from such during the Renaissance. Yet, it is the history they inspire that they wish to preserve. Come on, that is wrong, is it not? If a statute can stir up such horrific feelings, imagine what a coliseum could.

What about Auschwitz? It is located near the Polish city of Oswiecim. This complex was the largest of all the Nazi death camps across Europe and could hold up over 150,000 inmates at a time (note:hold is key word. That was live inmates. That does not account for the number of dead ones it held at the same time or the number that actually went through the camp.) After being established, the camp quickly became known for torture and mass shootings. Gas chambers were opened 2 years after it opened. It was Auschwitz where the “Final Solution to the extermination of Jews were to be carried out. Boxcars full of Jews were delivered and they were separated and determined if they could be turned into slave labor or not. If you could not be slave labor in some sort of fashion (which included experimentation) you were merely executed. 2.5 million people were subjected to this sentencing. Only 405,000 were deemed labor worthy. And yet, it continued. All in one place. 585,000 Jews were gased. Imagine being in a room with over 1,000 other people, naked. Gasing took over 20 minutes to work. It was laborers who ran the gas chambers for the SS. What is a crueler fate?  I physically get sick seeing images from that place. Yet, it stands today. It has not been torn down or removed. It remains. No protests. Why? Because it is history. It is actually a museum. People need to remember and feel the evil that transpired there. Know it was not a made up conspiracy. There are some fates worse than death. If we do not learn from the past, it could easily happen again. Then, too, has it not already begun?

When we rewrite history to match what we feel is the truth, we get it wrong and doom ourselves but more importantly our children. No, Israel did not steal the Gaza Strip from the Palestinians. It’s called “occupied territory” for a reason. The Israelites were there way before the Palestinians were even a thought. The Crusades were not faught to spread Christianity. They were faught in response to over four centuries of Islamic aggression. Study the origins of Islam. How was it spread? Aggression. Period. Please do remember countries such as Lebanon were Christian nations before they were overthrown by Muslims. In 1936, Jesse Owens crushed Hitler’s theory of “a superior race” by winning four gold medals in the Olympic games. Truly experienced racism on a GLOBAL scale (hell, he wasn’t even invited to the White House to meet the President) yet he did not disrespect his country or his flag. Bet All those NFL players taking a knee don’t have balls half his size; then, too, they probably do not know who he is. Mr. Owens knew the taste of disdain and racism; the knee takers have never personally experienced the discrimination he did nor do they understand what true respect is. If passing a law can stop a school shooting would work, why not do it? Wait, we do; hence, why schools are gun free zones. I found an article from 1973 where a school shooting threat was called in to a high school in Delaware. Students and teachers went to their cars and got their guns and sat outside their school and waited. No shooter arrived. No shooting ever happened. No cops ever were called or came. I remember back in high school, shotguns in cars were common. Showing them to your teacher at lunch or break was common place. Not once did I ever experience a shooting or fear one. Pocket knives were a rite of passage. You had a beef with someone, a 3:00 buttkicking would commence. I do not recall signs saying gun free zone. At one time, we taught gun safety in school.

I have so many questions and can go on and on and on about this topic. You protest global warming and the environment then leave the most trash and garbage on the ground in the wake of your protest – how is that being environmentally friendly or conscience? You protest unjust treatment of a person by rioting and looting hence destroying innocent people’s businesses and possessions – how is that just? If a Christian baker refuses to bake a cake for you that’s a hate crime but if an Isis supporting terrorist kills 49 people in a gay club its a gun problem – nope, no hate there. Why was slavery that was abolished with the Civil War which no one alive today has to or had to endure evil and painful but the slavery of our children to human trafficking, drugs, porn, things of this world and the horrors of slavery (actual slavery) still going on today not being addressed with such urgency and passion? If Black (white, Asian, Women’s, children, ALL) lives matter and said people are Christians and Christians are called to Christ like then don’t all lives matter? Didn’t Christ settle the issue of who’s life mattered when He was on the cross?

A lie doesn’t become a truth, wrong doesn’t become right & evil doesn’t become good just because it is accepted by the majority. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it not true. You cannot erase or remove what you feel is irrelevant. Today it is a statute. Tomorrow it is the Bible. Next week it is you. So don’t eat your lunch next to Silent Sam. Maybe you teach your children why it was erected and why you personally dislike it. Don’t remove the chapter from the history book simply because it is difficult to read. If we didn’t have the Passion story to read, we wouldn’t have eternal salvation. It is a horrific and gruesome story. I am sure there are some who would like that particular story to be removed or watered down. We need it. The entire bloody messy truth. You can’t take the Bible today and say it’s a final draft and tomorrow I’ll make it the final version. It is written. It stands as truth. We can’t change the outcome. We can accept it and make a decision. I chose Christ. That is, after all the point.