AMERICA THE THINKING

In America, to be free, consider the old adage, “sticks n’ stones may break my bones BUT words will never hurt me.”

I live where a man shot and killed six and wounded two because “his feelings were hurt” when the hunting group (women and men) shamed him for hunting the land they owned for years. Way more to the story. DO NOT jump to your “hurt feelings” conclusion.

I live where a man sawed the tree down (at gun point) because it was too close to the line fence because “that man in the tree stand” might shoot over into his property. Way more to the story. DO NOT jump to your “hurt feelings” conclusion.

I live where the first thing I notice when a (person of color) approaches me is “he/she/it is a person of color.” Way more to the story. DO NOT jump to your “hurt feelings” conclusion.

I listen to the news feed that exploits “hurt feelings” and compares this welling up of emotion with an attack so deep rooted that action must be taken “to fix the problem.” Here is my best example: Driving in the fast lane of the freeway (15 MPH over the speed limit) and getting the middle finger of disgust because I can’t change lanes fast enough for the grown man driving a POS car with hurt feelings.

I read of many examples of hurt feelings on my Twitter(R) account that end in negative action. The football thing is making its rounds now. Burning. Vulgar language. Retweeting. Boycotting. Restricting access.

Now this has come to a new level of stupid sticks n’ stones. The words on the news feed have transformed into a “feeling so bad-show of hands” to muster support to act like a mob. Burn like a mob. Wreck and destroy like a mob.

I am FREE because to choose to look—listen—and ignore. Said in other words. This is America. Do what you want. If you harm me or my family with more than words, you may need to pay the price. No more buying your stuff. No more attending your meetings. OR—-I might just ignore you completely. Because your words no longer make sense or provide any sort of reasonable argument.

I am FREE because, where I live, sticks n’ stones always come with a warm welcome to join a church. Get counseling. Find some one who really gives a shit about your plight of help me because I can’t help myself. Go feed yourself by getting a job. Or my favorite—-a BIG SMILE and waving in helpful indignation.

In America, to be free, the truths we find self evident are—-

God gives us life.
God gives us liberty.
God gives us the freedom to enjoy our lives to NOT listen(or watch) your bullshit.