Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Equal

I have written about the expression," it is no worse than." I explained why I thought it was an invalid statement. The implication is that whatever you are comparing it to, is not a good thing. The thing you are now talking about is no worse than that. It isn't better than, but it is no worse than. My opinion is that we should always strive for improvement. I don't think we should be settling for, not worse than.
Now another bit of logic I hear a lot but don't understand is the notion that whatever happened ten years ago, or a hundred years ago, is somehow my fault. I am held responsible. I should give reparations or grant special privilege because of a past wrongdoing. I find myself wondering why this should be so. I mean, I can plainly see where a situation that was acceptable say, 200 years ago, is completely wrong. I can read in the history books about past injustices but am I accountable ? I advocate for, and encourage others to accept responsibility for their actions. In fact, I have written blogs about that very thing. Yet, this whole logic remains a mystery to me. Is there some method to undo the past ? Or is it that doing right now will pay for the mistakes of the past ? Other than the understanding of past transgressions and correcting that behavior what more is required ? Something that was denied to your grandparents should now be given to you ? I don't understand how that benefits the Grandparents, and is it not the grandparents that were wronged ?
We can not change the past only learn from it. Hopefully we learn to not repeat those mistakes of the past. I do believe forcing people to pay for what happened years ago does little but create resentment. An injustice can not be corrected by enforcing further injustice. Also I believe teaching our children to seek some form of reparation for injustices of the past, even when those injustices are just perceived, is not beneficial to society. How can it be ? Does that not foster a sense of entitlement ? And just what is entitlement ?  Something owed to you ? The notion that something in the past, that happened to your ancestors entitles you to something today is just wrong thinking. At least in my mind it is. Change was effected and we must move on. The old saying " don't cry over spilled milk " applies. It doesn't matter who spilled it, or why the milk got spilled ! The goal is to avoid it happening again.
Well, that is my little rant for this morning. Certain things annoy me and this one of them. Sounds like a bunch of children arguing to me. Grow up and put your big boy, or big girl pants on. Take advantage of whatever rights are granted to you. Remember those in the past that suffered so you could achieve those rights. Do not cheapen their efforts by now demanding more. They did not want more, only to be equal. They wanted to be the same as everyone else, not special or entitled. 

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