Tangible Respect

Kneeling during the National Anthem in the NFL has morphed from a protest of racial injustice into a politicized and angry debate over the flag being a symbol of respect for our nation’s veterans. I am saddened that the social message has gotten lost, yet at the same time thankful for this opportunity to promote honest and tangible respect for our veterans.

 Let me start by saying that I stand for the playing of the National Anthem wherever I am when I hear it played. I am an avid sports fan and watch most of the games on television. When the song begins, I stand with my hand over my heart. I also accept that those who choose to exercise their Constitutional right by kneeling are not necessarily disrespecting veterans. In fact, many veterans also take a knee. I applaud them for again showing us what true courage looks like. I respect them and I show my respect for them, not by standing alone in my living room with my hand over my heart, but by trying to make a positive difference in their lives. 

One of every fourteen people in this country is a veteran. If you are that one, thank you. Next time you’re driving through the city and see a homeless person and mumble, “get a job,” or “I’m not giving him money for drugs,” remember, if you see fourteen homeless people, it is likely that one is a veteran. Sometimes the worst wounds can’t be seen. In fact, right here in Phoenix there is a place called the Mana House (https://www.manahouseaz.org/) where fifty homeless veterans reside. I show my respect by making donations once or twice a month to “my guys.” If you are interested in showing actual respect for these great men, please visit the website or message me and I will be happy to collect your donation. I recommend making the trip yourself; however, as interacting with these men is unforgettable. 

There are so many other organizations supporting veterans that if you go online you can find a group to help either nationally or locally. The Wounded Warrior Project is an excellent group as is the Pat Tillman Foundation. If you go to these sites with the expectation of reading more about the Anthem debate, you will be disappointed as these organizations exist to assist veterans with their lives. They know why they served and don’t want to engage in political debate. In fact, Pat Tillman’s widow echoed that sentiment (http://www.abc15.com/sports/sports-blogs-local/pat-tillman-s-widow-reacts-to-national-anthem-protests-president-trump-s-tweet).

It seems that as of late most everyone has an opinion on what it means to respect our veterans. In my opinion, it means to serve them as they served us. 

We Really Are Family

The Most Dysfunctional Family of All

I have labeled myself a Globalist. I don’t even know if that’s a real thing, but I like what it entails. A Globalist is pretty self-explanatory in that it is one who celebrates, studies, and respects the diversity of life and physical properties of the earth. For without the earth, there is no life. There are an abundance of legends as to how life came to exist on earth and how and when humans appeared. The belief one holds as to the origin of life, however; either falls into the category of science or spirituality/religion….or if you’re like me, a little of both. My ignorance of the religious creation myths throughout the world limits me to speak only of Western religious myths. Western religions state that God/Allah created everything in a week. Man was created, then took a woman out of his ribs and they started making babies. As they were the only two people on earth, every offspring from ALL future generations MUST share the DNA of those first two people.

 Scientists present concrete proof that evolution occurred. I myself have participated in the Human Genome Project, which traced my ancestry over more than 150,000 years back to East Africa. The same is true of all who have participated. So, like religious beliefs, evolutionary science traces human life back to one source. In both cases, we all share DNA; we are all related. With all that being said, the bottom line is, regardless of which origin story you accept, the end result is the same…..we are all part of one family. 

My immediate family is weird. Dysfunctional. Challenging. Crazy! Seriously, I will throw down the “weird family” gauntlet and take on all challengers. There is deep and irreparable division between all possible combinations of siblings, parents, nieces, etc. Most of the vitriol stems from the fact that those who have held hate in their hearts for so long, refuse to communicate. The hate grows over time and spreads to those other family members who listen only to the opinion of the hater. Being armed with biased, and more often than not, false information, the hate among the followers grows and spreads, like cancer…it kills. If then, this takes place in one small family, what happens when it occurs to the entire human family? I think we’re seeing those results more clearly than ever.

We all started from the same place, wherever you believe that place to be, and migration got us to where we are now. Clans that stayed close to the equator have the darkest skin and those who travelled furthest from the equator have the lightest skin. All of the other shades depend on where the clan went and for how long. People who live in higher elevations, have a greater amount of hemoglobin in their blood; hemoglobin oxygenates the blood. At higher elevations there is less oxygen therefore more hemoglobin is needed to supply the human body. I can’t look at someone and determine her hemoglobin level. I can look at someone and determine her skin color. I can see what is on the outside but not what is happening inside. The only way to do that (aside from lab work) is to engage in conversation. In other words, rather than judge someone based on what I can see, I can try to understand someone based on what I learn from that person.

  I don’t like everyone and I can say with absolute certainty that an enormous number of people don’t like me. That’s ok. My reason for disliking a person is based on the actions of that person. Even more than that, perhaps. It may even be that person’s intentions. Sometimes we don’t ask “why” often enough. And we only need to ask “why” when that person is doing something that affects another. I don’t ask “why” when someone goes to a church that is not mine. Or when someone lives a heterosexual lifestyle. Or when someone speaks a different language, looks different than me, or learns differently. I do wonder “why” when someone is cruel, selfish, or hateful to another being; human or otherwise. 

You see, this globalist does in fact believe we are all related and when one suffers that means a family member is suffering. And the worst pain endured is that inflicted by another family member. We are all on this earth for a relatively short time and must learn to be at peace with our global neighbors. The idea of an all loving planet is a naïve fantasy. I know I don’t like everyone, but I also don’t hate anyone. Like my immediate siblings, however; I can love someone I don’t like. I can bask in the diversity of this wonderful planet while at the same time practice introspection to determine how I can improve myself and subsequently the fortunes of my brothers and sisters of the world. Peace.