“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” — Abraham Lincoln
One of the most unforgettable movie scenes for me was when the union boss in “On the Waterfront” took a bunch of tickets for work that day and tossed them onto the lawn to watch unemployed men wrestle with each other in the mud over the right to work for eight hours. The boss was laughing, watching desperate men fight for the right to put food on the table for their families.
These days, I just can’t get over the fear that someone out there is getting a big kick out of watching us fight with one another, only this time it’s not over something that’s actually important. Sometimes, we’re told that someone is Russia, using Facebook and other electronic means to divide us. The vehicle used too often is Fox News.
With apologies to Rod Serling, five examples considered for your approval:
• The annual phony “War on Christmas” cooked up by Bill O’Reilly, Sean Hannity and Fox Friends that suggests somebody is forbidding the salutation “Merry Christmas” in favor of “Happy Holidays.” This, despite only anecdotal evidence that such crimes are occurring. And when they do, the “Happy Holidays” crowd actually is recognizing that more than just Christians celebrate this season as special.
And don’t forget that no less than Bing Crosby famously crooned more than a half century ago, “Happy Holidays.”
• The uproar over whether Santa Claus, a fictional character, should be male or female. This one was cooked up in the last couple of years despite the fact I had a college female friend who landed a seasonal job portraying Santa at Grand Rapids malls during the Christmas season more than 45 years ago.
As Shakespeare once called it, “Much ado about nothing.”
• New this year, the song “Baby It’s Cold Outside” is somehow threatening to women by men who want to keep company for nefarious intentions. This, despite only a year ago when Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett were paired singing the song for a commercial.
Aren’t there more important things to fight over?
• The facebook memes that erroneously suggest American children are not allowed to recite the Pledge of Allegiance in school every day. Just about all teachers and school officials I know have said they say the pledge routinely.
Who is getting their jollies spreading such false information in order to pick fights?
• The overblown controversy about athletes “taking a knee” during the playing of the National Anthem at football games. During my many years of covering football games, the practice of taking a knee has been a show of respect of athletes toward a teammate or opponent who has been injured. I’ve been told Colin Kaepernick chose that gesture in order to still show respect for his country and its flag and anthem.
We don’t really respect the free speech rights of others when we don’t like what we think they are saying.
• Special bonus, a sixth example — Remember when the Rev. Jerry Falwell of the Moral Majority insisted we boycott the Teletubbies because they were actually promoting the homosexual agenda? In the words of Rush Limbaugh, “I’m not making this up.”
I challenge all who see these kinds of suggestions everywhere to stop and think critically about who wants us to fight over such trial matters.
“What mighty contests arise from trivial things.” — Alexander Pope
You forgot the one about prayer not being allowed in public schools. As far as I know anyone is free to pray in schools, they just aren’t allowed to lead or compel students to pray. I have yet to hear of anyone getting arrested for praying in a school.
The right wingers are pretty good at getting their base all riled up by lying to them.
You are correct, Mr. Borr. I am embarrassed and ashamed to have forgotten this special instance.
Who benefits when we fight? The media, the makers of “security” from military to sellers of books about the scourge of homosexuality. and people who want power by dividing those against their agenda.
Your question who benefits????
The answer just might be everyone. who has an opinion benefits.
What good is having a belief, a sense of right and wrong, a cause if you can not defend it??
Seems those opposed really would enjoy living in a dictatorship..where voicing your opposition can end your life.
Today values and beliefs are comprised…the old ways , beliefs, history, all have to change to not offend someone.
But changing things that have been important to me ….I can not voice.my opinion because you are offended, but it is fine for you to do something offensive to me.
Sounds to me that I must agree to the changes you want….even if I’ve been doing it for years without opposition.
So if what you support is not what I believe is appropriate. I will voice my opposition, you do not have to change, but you now know I do not support your line of thought.
As long as I can disagree without fear of losing my life …than I benefit
It seems to be our (homo sapiens) nature is to fight. Our close cousins, the chimpanzees, often fight viciously. At times, chimps actually do conduct war, with large troops going after other troops, with apparent planning, sometimes even to the point of genocide. Our other close cousins, bonobos are much more peaceable. Interestingly, chimps have a patriarchal heirarchy, while bonobos are matriarchal. We can, and should strive to do better. Self-defense strikes me a a justification for violence. Greed, that is, wanting what other have, not so much.