What does it mean to be patriotic? Once again looking up the meaning of a word, I found several sites defining patriotic as “having or showing great love and support for your country”. So, are you a patriot? Do you think that everyone that is a patriot should show love and support for the country in the same manner as you? Have you heard our political leaders and media pundits questioning anyone not believing as they do, love of their country I have. I have captured some of these quotes on my phone so that I have them handy. I think it’s disgraceful.
I am a Conservative Republican. Should that or does that matter to anyone that interacts with me on a personal or professional basis? Have you, maybe, enjoyed reading my blogs or are looking forward to reading my book, but now with just those 5 words that started this paragraph, you have turned off your computer? “No more of her”, you are saying to yourself. Am I no longer able to give parenting or business advice or have opinions of my own because I am a Republican, that I don't maybe have the same political opinions that you do? Have you cancelled me? Maybe this Giggle Chog should have been my second Giggle Chog right after my first one that talks about people having different opinions. I almost typed “respecting” other’s opinions, but let’s face it, I don’t always “respect” other people’s opinions and I’m sure you don’t either. But I don’t condemn them for it. I just think in my own way that they are wrong….because obviously I think I am right (insert giggle giggle) and so do you. But it’s no giggling matter.
So, I wrote a chapter to be included in my book, INSERT GIGGLE GIGGLE, Laughing Your Way through Raising Kids and Running A Business, on Patriotism, which you wouldn't think would be a controversial topic. If you know anything about my book, the chapters are based on articles that I wrote on parenting and business issues through the 25 years of owning my preschool and these articles were published monthly in various magazines throughout the city. The reason I wrote articles on Patriotism each July, was in honor of our country’s fight for independence and to keep the American spirit alive in our children. At my preschool, we did many things to promote patriotism in our young students, among them opening each day by saying the Pledge of Allegiance, every class, every age group. I proposed to parents each July to reflect on what they are doing to instill patriotism (defined as “having or showing great love and support for your country”) in their children. My articles never made even the slightest hint of what political persuasion that support needs to ascribe to or to my particular political leaning. We can all support and love our country and show that in different ways. The key is that America was based on these differing philosophies and the right and privilege we all have to our opinions and our expression of being a patriot ~ not the obliteration of the way others’ show their love and support for our country in any manner they choose. I was “strongly advised” to take out this chapter by several sources, and I caved, I am sad to say.
While my July Kids & Kay articles never shed light on my political choice, I will admit that I made my opinions clear in my book. I will admit that I highlighted situations and ideologies that I don’t agree with. I also admit that I showed each side in various ways of “misbehavior” and questioned the actions of both political parties. What’s wrong with any of that? I have a right to express my opinion as well as my dissatisfaction with political game playing and policies of either and both parties. I very distinctly and precisely said in that chapter that you cannot make someone else believe as you believe and that is why we have, every 2 and 4 years, a chance to change the way we govern; the people have this right to steer our own course, and if you don’t like what is going on with the country, get involved and help to get your party in power. Not scream down, cancel, de-platform, physically threaten, and censure and SILENCE the opposing view. WHAT ARE WE DOING?
Why are we letting young and insanely rich ideologs that run these “super” tech and other companies, that WE ALL MADE RICH by using their product, censure the United States of America voices. Aren’t they even remotely embarrassed that things they de-platformed as misinformation are now ACCEPTED as TRUTHS by EVERYONE, themselves included, not to mention that they should be held accountable for what they did that had rippling effects in so many ways, politically and socially. WHO DO THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY ARE? And maybe more importantly, who do we think we are? What has happened to us?
I could rant and rave further. If I wanted to try and make you see my point of view – if I wanted to try and make you feel “stupid” because you believe the way you believe – I could again, rant and rant about what I see as wrong about your opinion. But that’s not what I’m going for, or ever have. It’s been my experience that YOU aren’t going to change anyone’s political opinion. In my first Giggle Chog and podcast, I go through this…the only way (I believe) your opinion is going to change on ANYTHING is by your own lived experience.
But I just want to leave the Patriotism blog with this. I believe in the tenets that have always made America the home of the brave and the land of the free. If we don’t have brave patriots, hopefully on both sides of the political spectrum, and I am talking about everyday Americans, not the political elite or the tech elite, bravely stand-up and reclaim the freedoms that (I guess) we have always taken for granted and now are desperately in jeopardy of losing, and we are just sitting by, watching it happen, then NONE of us will be free. Your party won't always be in charge, so who do you think might be coming for your freedoms next and when?
I want my political party to be in charge and so do you, again, what’s wrong with that? I have never been afraid of the transfer of power to the “other side” in my 63 years of life – it swings back and forth, and you know what, that’s how it really should be, one-party rule would not be a fair and probably not a sustainable way to live in my opinion. But this censorship that we have allowed unelected people to wield, and now it seems that we are discovering that our non-elected government agencies have been involved in this as well, will (in my opinion) be the destruction of America. Not which party is in power – the censorship of Americans that we are seeing now.
Please don’t let that happen. Whatever happened to the American spirit of, I may not agree with you, but I will defend to the death your right to say it. Huh? What happened to that? Someone dictating to us what we can read, what we can say, what opinion we can express, what shows up in our internet searches, even to the point of losing our job and the respect of others? What is that all about – are you understanding the depth of destruction in that? If not, read pages 116 and 117 in Fredrik Backman’s book, my grandmother told me to tell you she’s sorry.
See, this Giggle Chog nor the chapter (not) in my book tries to dictate my political beliefs on you - what’s everyone so afraid of? So, let’s all be patriots (defined as showing great love and support for your country) and not accept, in fact fight together against, what we ALL know is unjust, unpatriotic, and just plain wrong.
Next up…….Are You Self-Promoting? I am!
Always remember to insert (and share even to those you don’t agree with) a giggle giggle And be sure to VOTE for the candidate of your choice ~ Kay 😊
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