Wednesday, September 27, 2017

what's fair

 It was pointed out that a great deal of the protest we are seeing today was the same as in the 1960's. I would have to agree with that, I was there. I was there when the civil rights movement really got some traction and things began to change. Now I was quite a bit younger then and not so politically aware. I was also from the North, living on an Island pretty much isolated from the real goings on. My town was no big city, everybody went to the same school and all that. Yes there were " colored " folks as was said back then. I didn't give that a thought as being a derisive term, it was just a descriptor. There were other words that you used if you wanted to start a fight ! We were taught all about that and it worked with lots of people. There were names ( descriptors ) for all kinds of people. Now we call them ethnic groups. I was called a dirty Kraut on more than one occasion. I just fought back against being called that. All I knew about being a Kraut was they were Germans. Yes, my family name was German but I wasn't and still ain't.
 I don't believe anyone can say that change hasn't taken place. Rights are equally distributed these days. There are no restrictions due to race, creed or gender. So what are we now protesting ? We are protesting perceived injustices. It makes no difference if it is race, gender social status, religious beliefs or anything else you want to name it is perceptions that are being rallied against. I've said it before and I'll say it again, equal opportunity does not guarantee equal results. You have to actually do something in order to better your condition. I will not attempt to list a bunch of statistics and facts, few people pay any attention to that in any case, it is all about feelings these days. It is all about grabbing onto the first excuse I can find. The only group that can not do this are " white " folks because we are all so privileged. Strangely Black pride is celebrated, whereas white pride is labeled as being racist ! And now that same notion has spread to our National identity. Was a day when it was a good thing, expected even, to take pride in America.  Today that can get you labeled as a Nationalist ! And Nationalists are Nazis !
 I'll go out on a limb here and point out a few simple truths. There was injustice and inequality in this country. It was written into law ! Any fool can see that. Those laws were based on race and gender . They have since been erased and rightfully so. There is no group of people in this country that is not afforded every right guaranteed and protected by the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights. If there is, someone show me were it is ! So, a simple truth is this, there are no laws in this country discriminatory to any one group of people.
 Having changed the laws what is the impediment to success, to achieving the dream, that is America ? It is a perception, ingrained into our children, that they are " entitled " to that success. Nothing could be further from the truth. Being an American citizen does not guarantee that you get whatever you want, whenever you want it, simple by virtue of that citizenship ! You may pursue that dream, you are not guaranteed to catch it !
 You can not legislate how people respond. You can't ! You can march and protest all you want, in fact you are guaranteed the right to do so, but that will not change the heart of people.  Oh you may gain a few converts, no matter the cause, some folks just like joining in. But does anyone seriously believe you are going to change people by protesting ? I'm just going to tell you I don't like what you are doing, and you'll stop doing it. Well, good luck with that approach.
 The marching and the protesting can and does get laws changed. It did until all Americans stood on equal ground under the law. We even instituted regulations guaranteeing all groups are represented in our police departments and other civil institutions. That was done in an effort to afford a balance that wouldn't have happened for a number of years. They called it " affirmative action. " I believe it was a necessary thing, although it makes me feel sad that it should have to be so. It would be much better if everyone wasn't really paying attention to ethnic groups, gender or whatever. But a simple truth is, people are and will continue to do so.
 It is that simple truth that I am trying to point out here. Not everyone is going to feel that are being treated fairly. Can you legislate that ? Fact is, we already have. So what is left ? When you were a child and you felt you were being treated unfairly what was the remedy ? Getting your way is the short answer. That is what it took, be honest with yourself. You got your way or a promise of something better in the future. That was your concept of fair. You could go down a list of reason you were being treated unfairly rather quickly. I'm the oldest, I'm the youngest, I'm a boy, I'm a girl and the list goes on. What's fair ? When I get what everyone else has whether I earned it or not, I'm entitled to it by the simple virtue of being me.
 There is a form of government that will guarantee that. It is called socialism. Everyone gets the same thing. Of course the " leaders " aren't included in any of that, they get whatever they want. What you get is " equality " guaranteed by law. So, I am left scratching my head and wondering about all of this. Just what is it that we want ? And by " we "  I mean America. America is the whole. That is what we should be concerned with, the whole. Do you really want equality guaranteed under the law ? Or would you rather live free ? Freedom comes at a price, sometimes the price is real, and sometimes nothing more than a perception.  

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