Why Don't I Shut UP?

Think of how things have changed over the last twenty years....hell, the last ten for that matter. Aside from the obvious stuff like horrible hair styles (king mullet), and horrendous clothing (everything), stop and think of whats really changed. I have to apologize in advance here cause I may have to pull out the proverbial soapbox and haul my fat ass up onto it. I get in these moods every once in a while. They feel more like moments of clarity but they may be better described as temporary nauseating enlightenment.

Very temporary, I might add.

There are certain groups of people out there that are very dangerous to the "american way of life." Right about now you're thinking i'm driving around with a gun rack and a rebel flag. no, i gave them up a long time ago. Most of us are brought up to believe that this is the land of the free. Apple pie...coke and a smile...yada yada. We have these super But let me tell you, we have folks poking holes in that pie with things I'd rather not think about.yay americacatch phrases like "freedom of speech" and "its my constitutional right." But when you sit down and look at it, how much freedom do we really have? How free do you think you are?

Before you get all up in my Kool-Aid, you better reck-a-nize the flavahh, my friend. I'm not saying I'd rather live somewhere else. I"m not a communist, capitalist, leftist, rightist, third-day advocatistical nutjob...no! I'm in no way implying that America sucks. I'm USA A-ok all the way so put down your flaming torches and your whipping sticks. I don't need another militia in my front yard. Last time they trampled my flower bed.

But the truth of the matter is our choice of words and the repercussion of said words are slowly getting out of hand. I'm not a Conservative. I'm not a bible thumper, but I have a tad bit of commonsense....it happens once in a while. Perfect example of what i'm trying to get at with choice of words. Kids dont have to say the Pledge of Allegiance if they don't want to. Why would they not want to? Think back to elementary school. Did the Pledge of Allegiance really have that huge of an affect on you? I mean, other than separating the time you got off the bus from the time you crack open a book, what other purpose did it serve. Did you sit there and reflect on the flag or on the nation you live in? NO, you rolled through the Pledge in your monotone zombie voice because that's what you were told to do. The pledge was more of an organized group activity and it was harmless. Way less dangerous than dodge ball, thank you very much. So I'm thinking, is Timmy Thirdgrade standing there saying "Hmmm...i really don't believe the words I'm saying...I think they're against my belief." NO!!!! NO NO NO! All Timmy was worried about was whether he was going to get chocolate milk at lunch or orange drink.

The problem is that EVERYTHING is under a microscope. Speech, religion, music, art...it is all being highly scrutinized when the stuff we SHOULD be focusing on is ignored. Everyone is standing there saying "HEY YOU CAN"T SAY TITMOUSE IN SCHOOL...ITS DEROGATORY TO WOMEN." We're all wearing comfy T-shirts with "MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY" enblazoned across the front. We all have a nice pointy finger and we know how to use it.

So we have people fighting to ban Gay marraiges. We have people trying to enforce religions of choice on us. People are running around with tape across their mouths in fear of saying something offensive. Do you realize that in a Georgia elementary school they want to remove the word "evolution" from the studies because it goes against their Christian beliefs. I don't think someone just made up that word. I'm pretty sure its still in the dictionary. And I"m also pretty sure evolution in the basic sense is a fact. We're not talking about witchcraft here. Just because something doesn't conform to a rigid ideal doesn't mean it should be ousted. That's like saying "man, i think lasagne tastes like someone's toes...lets banish it forever!"

That's my gripe in a nutshell. People are looking to jump all over everyone else at the drop of a hat. Bob's parents are Christian so he's suing the school for teaching evolution. Mary's parents are atheist so she can't say "one nation under god." Ricardo's parents are mexican and are picketing the grocery store to have Spic-n-Span removed from the shelves. Can we get realistic about this crap? Pull your head out of your hole already.

posted by Michael Witmer @ Tuesday, February 10, 2004