I don't usually discuss current events in a public forum but it seems as if so much has happened lately and everyone has an opinion that I might as well put my two cents worth in also.
It started with the US Supreme Court striking down Section 4 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. Now, Southern states (those that were part of the Confederate States during the War of Northern Aggression) no longer have to get permission from the federal government if they want to amend their voting laws. According to the powers that be, that decision is going to immediately thrust us back into the pre-Civil Rights era and minorities will have to go back to taking literacy tests and paying poll taxes. The media gurus seem to think that voter discrimination will run rampant throughout the nation. I've got a bit of news for them. Voter discrimination existed without the help of the Supreme Court. Why is it that I, born and bred in these here United States and raised in the Southern region of the nation, have to show my ID to prove that I am at the correct polling place and legally eligible to vote, and those individuals in other sections of our country who may or may not be correctly following voting procedures, do not? Reconstruction is alive and well.
Then there is the uproar over Defense of Marriage Act ruling. According to the Supreme Court, it's unconstitutional. My personal opinion is that the definition of marriage is a union, sanctified by God, between a man and a woman. Does this mean I am going to stop talking to my gay friends? No. I don't have to agree with them to love them. That's like saying my husband and I have to see eye to eye on everything (like that's ever going to happen!) or my kids have to agree with every word that comes out of my mouth. (Just because they do...) Having said that, I believe, in this case, the Court is correct. Nowhere in the US Constitution does it say anything about the federal or state governments being responsible for mandating marriages. That is not the government's job. This was not the intent of the founding fathers when the US was established and I am of the opinion that the topic did not even come up in the conversation. Move on, people. Our job is not to try to force others to accept a specific viewpoint through legislation. All that happens is that it continues to divide people and eventually becomes fodder for media rants.
Updated July 11, 2013
http://www.churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/168778-7-must-know-facts-about-same-sex-marriage-and-the-supreme-court-ruling.html?p=1
Which brings me to the real reason for this particular post. These two rulings were pretty big issues, I thought. However, they were both completely overshadowed by what should have been a minor footnote in the media annals if it were even worthy of mention. The Paula Deen "scandal." It seems that some 25-30 years ago, Ms. Deen made an off-color comment, using the "N" word in conversation. She has since apologized (repeatedly), apparently cleaned up her vocabulary and changed her racist ways. Yet she continues to be vilified in the media, losing her cooking shows on The Food Network along with numerous endorsement contracts. That does not even take into account the so-called "Plantation Party" that never actually happened. (Read the deposition, people. It's a public document.) The odd thing about this whole ordeal (other than the fact that it won't go away) is that most of the millions of people who have come out in support of Ms. Dean and her family are from the South. I mean, aren't we supposed to be the backwoods, cousin-marrying, hypocritical, rednecks down here? Isn't the enlightened media monster supposed to be the all-knowing, all-loving, forgiving entity where everyone makes mistakes and should be given second, third, fourth, and fifth (etc) chances? Does anyone else see the juxtaposition of this picture?
What does this have to do with me? I've done plenty that I not particularly proud of, but thinking back over my relatively short lifespan (ahem), I'm pretty sure I can honestly say that I have never called anyone the "N" word. At least, I cannot consciencely remember doing so. In fact, just trying to remember ever having made such a vulgar remark in reference to another human being makes my skin crawl. I want to cry when I even try to picture what my mother would have done to me if I had barely thought about using that word. Nor do I condone it in my own family. I hope that I have taught my children that all people are to be respected, simply by virtue of being God's creation and that there are no circumstances that justify racial epithets. When we discussed this whole topic, my children assured me they felt the same way.
Have I ever said the word "nigger"? Of course. I am a teacher. That word appears in numerous historical and literary documents and I have read it aloud several times in context within my classroom. I always preface those lessons with discussions about time period and culture and belief systems, and I have never had a problem or a question raised. Kids appreciate honesty.
(Rabbit Trail: I do not condone racial slurs in my classroom, no matter what the student's cultural background. Disrespect is disrespect. If I don't say it, they don't say it.)
Have I ever told a racist, religious, or sexist joke? Not since I was a stupid kid trying to look cool in front of my friends. And even then I wasn't very good at telling jokes, even clean ones. I always got the giggles before I got to the punch line and ended up spoiling everything. Plus, I've always been too fascinated by other cultures to make fun of them. These days what few jokes I do know are usually at the expense of Alabama fans, which is entirely acceptable.
Where does God fit into all of this? He tells us to forgive and to love. A great many people have forgiven Paula Deen for her mistakes and continue to love her. While I may not agree with others on the definition of marriage, that doesn't mean I don't love them. Even if they stop loving me (which is certainly possible). The federal government appears to have forgiven the Southern states for their stupidity in trying to keep minorities from exercising their right to vote (whether or not they love us remains to be seen). Some of us are trying to inch our way in the right direction.
But...can I apply these principle to my every day? Can I forgive The Hubby when he makes a disparaging remark about something I've done (or haven't done). Can I keep on loving the Free Spirit when she makes decisions that cause me to want to wring her neck (or at least shave her head)? Can I forgive myself for the utter chaos I have made of my life by not listening to the Father's guidance even though he has forgiven me? Can I love myself, OCD, wrinkles, grey hair and all, believing that I am beautiful because I am made in the image of the Creator? If I have learned anything from the headlines these past days, it's not been about the stones that I've thrown at others. It's been about dealing with the ones I've hurled at myself. If I am to be a follower and love people then I cannot be selective about the people I love. Not even to the exclusion of myself. That would make me the biggest hypocrite of all.
No comments:
Post a Comment