​WHAT SCARES ME!

​Being wrong about things I hold dear is a frightening thought. I've been wrong plenty of times, but I've also been right a fair amount. But finding myself on the outside of some so-called woke principles, I thought I'd explain my thoughts on them in the name of balance.

As a retired father and grandfather, my life is greater than I could have ever hoped. I fought my way through some tough times with the freedoms my country allowed me to capitalize upon, freedoms for which many do not take advantage. I would enjoy it more if not told every day that we live in an overtly racist country, that we have to pay for the sins of our forefathers, and we are unkind to people not like us. People, with megaphones and platforms much bigger than mine, say these things every day. While a correct statement for a few, it is wildly overstated when applied as a social pandemic that defines most of us as evil practitioners. Or am I wrong?

I don't fear people who disagree with me. In fact, I learn from them. But I do fear the silence of citizens who disagree with what may be called a woke agenda. If we silent citizens don't speak up, we are not a mediating force to those who wish us to remain silent. A vocal minority overwhelming a silent majority—that's scares me!

Some personal thoughts on today's topics:

• Expectations: Perfection in life is impossible and unnecessary for improvement. Agreement between opposing philosophies is very tough to achieve, but easier when absolutes are not expected. Cooperative discussion is possible.
• Love of Country: America has made the world a better place. Knowing we Americans have and will make terrible mistakes in decisions of all sorts, I'll take my chances in the USA every day.
• Cancel Culture: To remove the names of Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, etc. from schools is ridiculous. Do those seeking to do so have a higher claim or better candidates for those naming rights, without objection.
• BLM: Black lives do certainly matter! But the BLM organization conflates what is obvious with what is not. BLM's philosophy is very divisive and often in violent ways. They protect and publicize themselves with a self-imposed name that scares people from commenting on their admitted anti-family, Marxist, and other destructive ideals. 
• Family and Values: When possible, I believe a nuclear family is the best potential situation for children. To denigrate this beneficial social microcosm, as the BLM has done, is nonsensical. Other family structures can work, but I put my money on the success of children from healthy nuclear families. A mom and a dad working together to raise children is the optimum situation when attainable. (Look up the stats for children from fatherless homes.)
• Looting: I think looting is childish, selfish, and stains the innocent people in that community.
• Word Police: The 'Word Police' are beyond any micro-measure of over-sensitivity. The word 'picnic' is banned at Brandeis University in favor of 'outdoor eating' because it is related to racism somehow. 'Ladies and gentleman' is banned! You must say 'y'all or people' in its place. The term 'homeless person' is banned, to be replaced with 'person experiencing housing insecurity'. Give me a break!
• Racism: I believe white supremacy is abhorrent, but far from pervasive. Racism of any kind is demeaning and cruel, but race relations have improved immensely since the Jim Crowe days. A biased country could never have made the racial progress achieved in this century, nor would the Nigerian, Jamaican, Asian, and other 'peoples of color' (a term banished by Brandeis) succeed beyond that of many native-born Americans.
• Gender Demands: Science says there or only two sexes, male and female. If some people want to claim otherwise, admitting to a spectrum of identity, let them be! However, to compel others to change language (birthing person?) based on 0.6% of the population is not reasonable. How many other groups would change language to fit their beliefs or lifestyle for inclusivity? There must be hundreds of identifiable groups representing over 0.6% of the population.
• Sensitivity: We are told not to be judgmental by those who judge themselves. I think being judgmental can be good when done honestly, properly and helpfully. I'm very judgmental of my kids' and grandkids' behavior when necessary. My wife is very judgmental of my behavior! Don't be afraid of realizing truths or noticing misconceptions as they relate to you.
• Equity: I believe in a meritocracy for the mentally and physically capable. Equal opportunity for all is crucial, but equity requires too many conditions that are not helpful. A mule would have to have a ¾ track lead to win half the races (equal outcome) with a thoroughbred. Wrestlers don't compete in sprints and sprinters don't wrestle. We all have strengths and weaknesses, and it's best that we don't require all to win equally outside their strengths.
• Diversity: Diversity is a great idea if it goes towards solving problems and not quotas. The diversity of ideas is the best example of this, but is actually unappreciated by many who push diversity mostly in terms of race or gender. All races and genders are problem solvers! Just go with that. When I told a friend 'of color' that I don't see 'color' in terms of ability or rights, she then told me that by not seeing her color, I was not seeing her. I lost the war of being open-minded.
• Sports and Politics: Politics should stay out of sports! This is one activity that brings people of all persuasions together. It should be a 'safe place' (a woke term) from political discussion. Athletes can speak their mind on their own time and in civilian clothes.
• Defunding Police: Until crime subsides in certain areas, it makes little sense to reduce police presence. Do I have to explain? Rhetoric is loud, but statistics are convincing.
• Voting Rights: 80% of Americans believe an ID should be required to vote. Period! Show up.
• Immigration: Immigrants are the backbone of this country and have made it great. But immigration should be controlled, or we lose control of what it means to be a citizen.
• Leftist Leverage: Neither universities nor media are politically balanced. This is where the vocal minority live. It is not a beneficial for our country when half the citizenship is misrepresented, even mislead. Political views of those teaching our young must be balanced. News coverage should be fairly represented, and opinions should be debated.
• Free Speech: It's the First Amendment! Banning hate speech depends on your definition of hate. It's merely censorship of those we don't want influencing people that we want to influence. Some speech is abhorrent to us or others, but should we not see and hear who is saying such things and know who they are. Weak ideas fail over time.

These are the best of times, and there are those that don't want us to know it. Poor US citizens of today live better than royalty of two hundred years ago, allowing us to drill down deep for something to complain about. When topics like word banning, gender identification offenses, who can use a bathroom, microaggressions, inclusivity, equity, and safe spaces are in the news, it could mean we are in a wonderful age of needing to create crises. But war, ISIS, famine, drug abuse, jihad, disease, genocide, etc., although many of these situations are improving each decade, still exist throughout the world; just not enough to stop some people from complaining about their victimhood.

Being criticized does not scare me. Maybe I will learn from those critiques, as I hope others learn from mine. Criticism from others is their fears coming to light! That’s what I am doing here. But what scares me most? That there are those who will not speak up, afraid to admit their opinions publicly because of an apathetic will, fear of confrontation, or the loss or their incomes, even friends. How did we get to this place? A place where only one side can speak freely without fear of reprisals!

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