It was on the news here in Maryland. Seems as though some woman is demanding her right to go topless on the beach at Ocean City. Her primary argument is, if men can do it, so can women. Well I understand the logic behind that statement and can't really disagree with that on legal grounds. It is the whole " equality " thing in a nutshell. I just take issue with the social conscience part of the equation. I mean, we are still supposed to have a social conscience aren't we ? As is expected the biggest opposition voiced was about it effecting the tourist trade. Ocean City and its' boardwalk adds millions of dollars to the coffers of the city, indeed to the whole state. Maybe people wouldn't bring their children there. But the city council has decided they will take no action at this time deferring to wait on a higher power, perhaps the state legislature or another higher court. Personally I don't think you will see a mass exposure on the beaches but rather just a few activists or whatever you want to call them. There will be those that want to " empower " women. I find the whole thing just silly. Maybe they could designate an area of the beach for that. I do think that would be a fair solution. Of course the argument is, if men can expose their chests in public, women can too. As I said I can find no legal grounds to say that they shouldn't but that doesn't mean they should. It really is a cultural thing. This is the United States of America and one of our social customs is that women do not expose their breasts in public. Call it silly, call it unfair, you can even call it puritan if you like, but that is the custom.
If you remove the customs and traditions of a group, or a nation that group or nation no longer exists. A very simple concept really. Isn't that what is behind the removal of those confederate memorials ? An attempt to erase that tradition and thus remove it from society ? Think about it, that is what the deal really is. To change the entire narrative of our nation. I know it sounds melodramatic but that is what it is. Women going topless in public, as a matter of course, would do the same thing. It would alter our social conscience. It becomes an acceptable behavior. I just read where this female senator was giving a speech to the college kids. She drew attention to herself by repeated use of the " f " bomb. She also interjected other " spicy " terms. Her spokesperson says she did that for emphasis, to show how serious she was about the topic. I recall the Democrats playing tapes of Donald Trump using questionable language and how unacceptable that was. Now when this Democratic female senator does the same it is for emphasis ? Really it is an attempt to change the narrative altogether. This language was meant to appeal to whom ? Those college kids. Well because we all know that the public use of and frequent interjection of the " F " bomb just shows how serious you are ! It is similar to Castro pounding his shoe on the table, if you are old enough to remember that. A shift in social conscience. " Salty " language lends credence to sincerity ? Hmm, I don't think so. I'll tell you why.
The term " salty " language comes from where ? It is obvious the language one might expect to hear from a sailor. We are all well aware of the reputation of the American sailor. I am doubly aware as I tried to be that reputation many years ago. So you could say I speak from experience. Yes, sailors are known for hard living, good timing, brash and bold actions. It was sailors that started the tattoo tradition. Yes we are some pretty bad dudes, and gals. But there is another thing I can tell you for a fact, sailors are not known for always telling the truth ! They do have a habit of embellishing the story just a bit, you know, to make it a bit more interesting. That is why they started using that " salty " language in the first place. It is really an Alpha Male sort of thing. I can swear more profanely than you so that makes me the winner ! Truly it is just basic stuff. A bunch of men crowded together on a ship for months at a time and the language gets salty ! No different than kids in the schoolyard. Survival of the fittest.
I see these little changes occurring and I see the America I love slipping away. It is always been so but that doesn't make it any easier for me to watch. I now know how my parents and grandparents felt. I am beginning to understand just what they were talking about. All the little chips in the wall will eventually make it fall. I keep trying to repair that wall, all the time knowing it is inevitable. It is a recurring theme with me, this lamentation. I repeatedly say, you can't legislate morality. In both of these instances I can see the legal ground these people stand upon and can't dispute it. Yet, I question the moral and ethical issues they wish to dismiss as irrelevant. I believe it is those moral and ethical values that make America what she is. That is why the motto, E pluribus Unum, was chosen. From many ,one. One people with a common goal, common traditions and customs. What I am beginning to see is quite different. Its' every man for themselves, just do your own thing. As long as it ain't illegal, its' cool. And if it is illegal and you still want to do that, make it legal without regard to moral or ethical considerations. Think, gambling as one example. But we'll call them lotteries , doesn't sound as bad. Maybe we need to change our national motto. The current one is, " In God we Trust. " That upsets some people. Maybe it should be " questio quid luris " which means, I ask what law ? A nation that is ruled solely by mans' law is doomed to perish. Our founding fathers knew that and it is my belief that all Americans need to be taught that truth. Sadly it is being removed from the curriculum.
If you remove the customs and traditions of a group, or a nation that group or nation no longer exists. A very simple concept really. Isn't that what is behind the removal of those confederate memorials ? An attempt to erase that tradition and thus remove it from society ? Think about it, that is what the deal really is. To change the entire narrative of our nation. I know it sounds melodramatic but that is what it is. Women going topless in public, as a matter of course, would do the same thing. It would alter our social conscience. It becomes an acceptable behavior. I just read where this female senator was giving a speech to the college kids. She drew attention to herself by repeated use of the " f " bomb. She also interjected other " spicy " terms. Her spokesperson says she did that for emphasis, to show how serious she was about the topic. I recall the Democrats playing tapes of Donald Trump using questionable language and how unacceptable that was. Now when this Democratic female senator does the same it is for emphasis ? Really it is an attempt to change the narrative altogether. This language was meant to appeal to whom ? Those college kids. Well because we all know that the public use of and frequent interjection of the " F " bomb just shows how serious you are ! It is similar to Castro pounding his shoe on the table, if you are old enough to remember that. A shift in social conscience. " Salty " language lends credence to sincerity ? Hmm, I don't think so. I'll tell you why.
The term " salty " language comes from where ? It is obvious the language one might expect to hear from a sailor. We are all well aware of the reputation of the American sailor. I am doubly aware as I tried to be that reputation many years ago. So you could say I speak from experience. Yes, sailors are known for hard living, good timing, brash and bold actions. It was sailors that started the tattoo tradition. Yes we are some pretty bad dudes, and gals. But there is another thing I can tell you for a fact, sailors are not known for always telling the truth ! They do have a habit of embellishing the story just a bit, you know, to make it a bit more interesting. That is why they started using that " salty " language in the first place. It is really an Alpha Male sort of thing. I can swear more profanely than you so that makes me the winner ! Truly it is just basic stuff. A bunch of men crowded together on a ship for months at a time and the language gets salty ! No different than kids in the schoolyard. Survival of the fittest.
I see these little changes occurring and I see the America I love slipping away. It is always been so but that doesn't make it any easier for me to watch. I now know how my parents and grandparents felt. I am beginning to understand just what they were talking about. All the little chips in the wall will eventually make it fall. I keep trying to repair that wall, all the time knowing it is inevitable. It is a recurring theme with me, this lamentation. I repeatedly say, you can't legislate morality. In both of these instances I can see the legal ground these people stand upon and can't dispute it. Yet, I question the moral and ethical issues they wish to dismiss as irrelevant. I believe it is those moral and ethical values that make America what she is. That is why the motto, E pluribus Unum, was chosen. From many ,one. One people with a common goal, common traditions and customs. What I am beginning to see is quite different. Its' every man for themselves, just do your own thing. As long as it ain't illegal, its' cool. And if it is illegal and you still want to do that, make it legal without regard to moral or ethical considerations. Think, gambling as one example. But we'll call them lotteries , doesn't sound as bad. Maybe we need to change our national motto. The current one is, " In God we Trust. " That upsets some people. Maybe it should be " questio quid luris " which means, I ask what law ? A nation that is ruled solely by mans' law is doomed to perish. Our founding fathers knew that and it is my belief that all Americans need to be taught that truth. Sadly it is being removed from the curriculum.
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