You Are Wrong! (But Not Today)

America has seldom in it’s history been a “kumbaya” kind of place. There have been moments, of course; times of joy that have brought us together despite our differences, but any land of free ideas and free speech is bound to be a land of contention. If more than one American is present at anyplace in any moment then there will likely be those who will and those who won’t, those that do and those that don‘t.

The coming together of Americans following our WWII victory allowed for a brief drunken fiesta lasting about 12 hours and then the debates were back whole-heartedly; Russia, Korea, McCarthy, Russia, Vietnam, school segregation, Elvis, Civil Rights, Kennedy assassination, Russia, women’s rights, Hippie movement, busing, King assassination, The Beatles, Russia, Manson murders, Roe vs. Wade, Watergate, Muhammad Ali, Libya, Drug Wars, Russia, rap, Panama, Iraq, Iran, Oklahoma bombing, Snowden, Afghanistan, Cuba, China, Russia, Trump, etc., etc., etc.

To think that our times are any worse or better than any other is pretty vain. Yes, we get passionate, but so did our parents and our grandparents get passionate. They also had a dream for tomorrow. The vision for this great country is constantly changing, and that is it’s innate beauty. The masses ebb and flow over the “next big thing” with a toe in the water, testing whether it is safe to dive in while the extremists on either side attempt to sway them.

It is why freedom of speech is so important. Those debates are what makes America great. Yes, passions can spill over… once to the point of all out war, but goodness always comes of it. Always. The better vision always prevails, even if it is not always your vision.

So today… relax. Hang a flag. Grab a dog and a lemonade. Crank some ice cream. Watch a ballgame. Attend a fireworks show. And while watching the bombs burst over our flag, think of those whose struggles ended as they attempted to make her a better place no matter which side of which argument they stood on, and take a little pride in being one of them.

And for heaven’s sake, if you are so sure that all of your views are absolutely right, then maybe this America is not the place for you? Your neighbor likely believes otherwise… so let’s quit the argument and put it to a vote.

God Bless America.