Sunday, November 13, 2016

A Thought on Flag Burning

There’s been a lot about flag burning in the news and on social media lately. There have been cries from well-meaning patriots to outlaw the practice, impose fines and jail time, and even make it a felony. While I personally find the act reprehensible, I think there’s more than at stake here that just what appears on the surface.

For better or worse, the flag has different meanings to us all. Some see it as a sign of freedom. Some see it as a sign of nationalism. Others a sign of racial inequality. Some simply see it as the standard of the United States of America. But to others, it means so much more. To some, the flag represents their hero; their son, daughter, mother or father, brother or sister, husband or wife, who gave their life in the service of their country. It drapes their coffin and stands as a symbol that their life had purpose and their death was not in vain. It represents the promise of the American People to families of the fallen that we will never forget their sacrifice and that we are forever grateful for their service and that we owe them a debt that can never be repaid.

To others, the flag represents American Exceptionalism, or the idea that the United States of America is the greatest country in the world. To those that subscribe to this belief, the flag stands as a symbol of hope, courage, bravery, and the freedom to pursue one’s dreams. It stands for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. It stands as a stark reminder of all the times America has stood up against the evil forces of the world and said “Not on my watch.” It reminds them of all the good our country has done and continues to do. It represents the movement to bring freedom to all peoples of the world.

Still to others, the flag is seen in other, more negative ways. It reminds them of the faults of our country and the difficulties we still continue to face. It reminds them that inequality, poverty, and discrimination still exist even after all these years. In those red stripes, they see the protests, crime, violence, and injustice that sometimes plagues us as a nation.  They feel marginalized, hated, and victimized because their American Dream has turned out to be a nightmare.

The thing about our flag though is it represents all of these views and they are all legitimate. Our flag is a symbol of who we are as a nation, as a culture, and as a people. It represents us all. It represents the liberty that we have to have our own opinions and views on any topic we wish and to express that opinion without fear of reprisal or censorship. It represents our freedom. And to me, that is worth protecting.

To those who seek to outlaw flag burning, I get it. It’s about respect and honor. But if we did that, we lose a part of who we are. There’s a quote from Star Trek: The Next Generation that reads: "With the first link, the chain is forged. The first speech censured...the first thought forbidden...the first freedom denied – chains us all, irrevocably."

If we outlaw flag burning, we take away peoples’ rights to self-expression and we limit freedom. To me, that’s a blow to who we are, and to what makes America great. Sometimes this is what our freedom costs. Sometimes it means looking right in the eye of someone doing something you hate, and respecting their right do it. It means trusting in our Constitution. It means recognizing that those that fought and died for us, fought and died for them too and for them to have the right to do what they are doing.  Freedom is costly. Freedom is messy and sometimes uncomfortable, but I can promise you, it IS worth it.


“Don’t let anyone tell you that America’s best days are behind her, that the American Spirit has been vanquished. We’ve seen is triumph too often in our lives to stop believing in it now.” – Ronald Reagan

Thursday, October 6, 2016

A Thought on Integrity

I attended a seminar a few weeks back on “Leadership through Storytelling.” Basically, how to ensure that people listen and remember whatever message it is that we want to impart to them. About halfway through the course, the topic of values came up. The presenter asked us to list of some of the things we considered to be our values. The seminar was geared toward workers in the public sector and most of the room was cops and firefighters so things like honor, courage, truthfulness, professionalism, and accountability were thrown out. Inevitably, as someone in law enforcement always will, the word integrity was said. The speaker stopped and asked “What does that word; integrity, mean?” Answers were given. Someone said “It means being honest.” Another, “It means standing up for what’s right.” Someone else said “It means always telling the truth even when you don’t want to.” The speaker nodded and agreed and then called on one more member of the audience. The man, sitting next to me was tall and thin, and hadn’t said very much the whole day. He stood up and said something that I’ll always remember. He said “Integrity is an engineering term. It means: “Being whole. Undivided. Complete.” It’s not just about telling the truth or doing the right thing. That’s part of it. But what it really means is “how intact are your values, morals, and ethics?””

When he said that, it hit me in the gut like a Mack truck. Having integrity, is not just about being honest, telling the truth, or doing the right thing. Like he said, that’s part of it, but having integrity, means having the whole shebang, being the real deal. It means sticking to your guns, upholding ALL of your values, ALL of the time. It means telling the truth, doing what’s right because its right, standing up for what you believe in, fighting the good fight, leading from the front, having honor in spades, keeping your word as if it’s your bond. It’s every cliché you can think of and a bunch you probably haven’t. It’s being the best person that you can be. It’s being true to yourself. It’s being able to look in the mirror and like what you see. It’s being able to go to your knees at the end of each day and say “Lord, today I did the absolute best I could.”


That was one of the best lessons I think I’ve ever learned. 

So if having integrity is something that matters to you, then think about how you'll respond the next time anger, hate, or jealousy rears its ugly head in the middle of an argument or fight. Think about what having integrity really means when you've been at work too long and some last minute item pops up. Next time someone cuts you off in traffic and you're tempted to respond, remember your integrity. 

Just a thought...

Friday, May 15, 2015

A Thought on Bullying


Time and time again, I read news articles and see stories about schools who punish not only bullies but their victims and those that are willing to stand up to the bullies. This is the wrong attitude. We need to cultivate a culture where people are empowered to stand up for what is right and speak out against those that do wrong. What happened to the world where we celebrated those who stood up for the good? Instead we now punish them and try and silence them when they speak out. To paraphrase Mr. Edmund Burke, all that is necessary for evil to triumph, is for good men (and women) to stand by and do nothing to fight against it.

It is time for us to rethink our school policies and our personal way of thinking. The world has changed. It is not enough to simply be a good person anymore. We must actively stand for good. We have to stand up for those that can't or those that won't. Someone has to. And if not us than who? Many of the problems that our society faces today exist, simply because the public at large tolerates them. The problems are allowed to exist and grow. In years past, members of the public would address them, and fight against their growth. Now most believe its' the Police's job. But they are ill equipped to deal with these societal problems. It is still incumbent upon us to stand up in our day to day lives to fight them.

“It is not enough just to be good. We must be good for something. We must contribute good to the world. The world must be a better place for our presence. And the good that is in us must be spread to others. This is the measure of our civility.” - Gordon B. Hinckley​

http://www.msn.com/en-us/lifestyle/family/bullied-12-year-old-girl-commits-suicide-after-school-allegedly-tells-students-to-toughen-up/ar-BBjPxSa

http://www.wptv.com/news/region-st-lucie-county/fort-pierce/student-suspended-after-she-says-she-recorded-video-of-teacher-bullying-student

http://rt.com/usa/texas-suspension-special-needs-923/

http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2014/09/24/father-says-son-suspended-for-standing-up-to-bully/

http://gawker.com/5951998/teen-suspended-for-standing-up-to-longtime-bully-back-in-class-after-dad-spends-days-protesting-outside-school

Saturday, March 1, 2014

A Thought on the Meaning of Life

A lot of people have considered the question of “the meaning of life” as one of man’s greatest inquiries. And while I won’t discredit any of the great philosophers’ theories, I think I have stumbled upon the answer quite by accident. The meaning of life is love. Religious views aside, most of us would agree that we are here to be good, moral people. But I think that our obligation and purpose goes deeper than that.

I was in traffic the other day when I saw a young woman across the way, trying, quite futilely, to push her very obviously broken down car out of traffic. Before I had a chance to turn around and help her, a homeless man who was selling papers in the median, what appeared to be a business man in a suit, and a gentleman out for a bicycle ride had all stopped to help her. The cause of love, through service, had brought them all together. It was such an amazing thing to watch unfold.

That’s what life is about: love.

 As humans, it is in our nature to do good, to help one another, to provide hope to others in this dark world. And we are put here to do just that; to lift the down trodden, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, and love those in need.  It’s quite simple, and yet amazingly beautiful and elegant all at the same time.


Or it could just be 42…. I guess we will never know. 

Friday, October 4, 2013

A Thought on Love

This evening I witnessed an older lady helping an older man out of a truck and into a wheelchair. They were both dressed rather nicely. She got a blanket and wrapped him up and gave him a kiss and they went in to a little coffee shop. I couldn't help but think: "Date night." It was so cute. It was a perfect little reminder that true love not only spans into the eternities, but that it can overcome all the hardships of this life: the maladies and infirmities, the jealousy and hate, the pride and contention and anything else mortality can throw at it. But the lesson to be learned from these two is this: lasting love is always a choice. It may begin with a feeling, but we must consciously choose to love another if there is to be any hope of that feeling growing into something more. And when we choose to love someone, it cannot be conditional. We can't choose to love someone based upon our circumstances, or what happens in the world. We can't choose to love parts or portions of an individual or choose to withhold our love when we think the person is undeserving. To do so is a sign of jealousy, fear, and selfishness. These are the antithesis of love. True love must be selfless.

To truly love someone is the greatest of all sacrifices because when we choose to, we remove our wants, our desires and our needs from the equation and instead choose to put someone else ahead of ourselves. Love can hurt though. It can wound us in such a way as nothing else can. It can come with such a high cost that some wonder if it is worth it.  I can tell you from experience that it is. Even with its cost, love will always be worth it.  Indeed, it is probably the only thing that ever was.

So when you choose to love someone, know what your undertaking. Know the risks, and the costs. Know what love entails. And then do it anyway. After all, as they say, "Love is what makes the world go round."

Friday, September 20, 2013

A Thought on Living Without Fear


“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” –Theodore Roosevelt

 It is said that of all the words in all the tongues of men, that saddest are those of “it might have been.” Often times in life, our fear of what could happen or how we could fail overcomes our desire to progress and we are left utterly paralyzed in inaction. As we watch the world pass us by, we utter a wish for more courage and bravery. But there must come a moment when we rise above our fear. We must make our wish reality. We must cast off the chains of self doubt and worry and rise toward the light so that we may have our day in the sun.

The greatest enemy we will ever face is that voice inside each of us that tells us that we will never be good enough. It tells us that we are weak and unworthy of achieving that which we desire. I tell you here and now that that voice lies. The greatest gift that God has given us is the free will and the ability to choose who we are and who we will become. Each and every day that we rise we are faced with a choice: do we cower and live in fear while our lives pass us by, or do we dare greatly, pursuing the dreams that we hold so dear? Even if we fail, we fail with the knowledge that we tried, that we gave our very best, and that at the very least we made a valiant effort toward a goal worth fighting for. Even in that failure, there is experience gained. Even in that failure, hope, the greatest and most essential of all human conditions, remains. And with that hope, remains the possibility of redemption.

My friends, we have but one life to live. May we live it well, without regret or fear. May we live it in such a way that at the end, when we stand before the Almighty and are asked to account for our time here on this earth, we can reply that we lived each moment with the courage to pursue the desires of our hearts, that we held on to the hope of a better tomorrow, and that we sought the goodness in the world. May we say that we lived our lives intentionally and with purpose.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

A Thought On This Day.


On this day, a national tragedy occurred. Thousands of innocent lives were taken away in the blink of an instant.

On this day, America was hurt. We as a nation mourned the loss of so many lives to such a senseless act of violence. We joined the ranks of those touched by the hatred and darkness of terrorism.

On this day, we saw so many families destroyed. Children said goodbye to a mommy or daddy who wouldn’t be coming home. Husbands and wives kissed each other for the last time. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, friends, said a goodbye that none expected to be their last.

On this day, we were angry; angry at those that hurt us, angry and those who could have prevented it. Perhaps we were even angry at ourselves for not preparing for such a tragedy.

But, on this day, we learned what true sacrifice was. We learned what forgiveness was too. We learned what it meant to be the UNITED States of America, something we had perhaps forgotten. We remembered what it was to be proud. We remembered that our true strength lies not in arms or armaments, but in our capacity for compassion, and love for our fellow man.

On this day, we were reminded how precious our time on this Earth really is. We were reminded that no tomorrow is ever guaranteed. We once again learned to focus on what matters most.

On this day, we remember 343 of the Bravest, 8 of the Best, and 60 of the Finest. They will forever remain in our hearts and our memories. Their sacrifice will always serve as a testament to the eternal truth that love, courage, and a hope in the goodness of man will always triumph over any evil.

On this day, we reflect on who we were, and who we’ve become.

On this day, we resolve to never forget.

On this day, we remember.