By Ed Sperry Col USAF (ret), Stevensville
Now our youngsters in Hamilton are suggesting a Rainbow Crosswalk! I am absolutely in favor of students with enough civic awareness to stand up and advocate an issue. But Rainbow Walks are for New York and D.C. And Portland, not the Bitterroot. Maybe they are not aware that our National Motto is IN GOD WE TRUST and our coins bear the statement One from Many (E Pluribus Unum). If you should wonder about the significance of these basic principles of our Republic I recommend you look up the words to the final verse of our National Anthem. The verse which we should but don’t ever sing. It states our commitment. The outgrowth of these principles is the concept of The Melting Pot. We welcome more migrants than any other nation on earth. But we always expected they would become Americans. For example we anticipated that an immigrant from Mexico would not be a Mexican living in America but become an American. Our ever present dedication to isms such as identity politics, Black Lives Matter, Social Justice, and above all, Political Correctness are shredding our national identity. A history and identity of which we should be absolutely proud! These are great terms; just what Commies have adopted for over a hundred years (like calling East Germany a Peoples Democratic Republic or the greatest verbal hijack of all the USSR or the Union of Soviet Socialists Republics). By the way, an aside, did you know that the USSR is where presidential candidate “the burn” Sanders spent his honeymoon?
The proposal by the students came on the heels of Memorial Day and the wonderful parade in Corvallis. Reflecting on the parade and them reading about the proposed rainbow crossing brought to mind the schism we living with in this valley. As a “degenerate” old white guy I am aware of and getting tired of the tirade against everything I believe in and sought to serve. That’s why the above title Enough Already. Over half of this valley’s population are routinely insulted by growing list of evil intentions and believes. Crap! Get off it! We love the USA! We are proud of our national history! This country has made the world a better place and that is why we get overrun with folks at our border. Quit teaching our kids to disrespect our country! It is so great that many of us our willing to die to defend it. Unfortunately due to the last few years of disrespect our youth are to say the least confused.
I suspect there may be many readers that agree with this little tirade. I think that is why the Corvallis Parade was attended by a literally overwhelming crowd. We have have had enough of looking at our national belly button and bemoaning the terrible things we are guilty of. Read your Constitution, support the Bill of Rights and lets look forward. My Grandfather was shot in the war to free slaves. I for one never owned a slave and worked all my life, so pardon my failure to enjoy the luxury of white guilt. I fear we may be failing our social contract with The Greatest Generation. So I’ll close with the final stanza of the our National Anthem—the one it seems no one knows.
Oh thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand—between their loved home and the war’s desolation—-Blest with victory and peace, may the heav’n rescued land—-Praise the power that hath made and preserved us a nation. —-Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, and this be our motto: “in God is our trust”. —-And that star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave!
a.i.85 says
I get the point im presuming your making, equality for all ect. but your headline, then post, are a little misleading and unstructured.
as a pansexual, 33 yr young white female, with honestly no stakes in either political or local favour, I, personally, read this and was genuinely confused. are you, all in and tired of hemming and hawing, saying yes, to and for this new movement? or are you saying enough is enough because you feel “we” (your preferred ‘we’ inserted here, local religious, whatever you are referencing yourself as a whole as) do enough as is and your tired of it, (‘it’ being here, others sexuality or freedom of choice, expression of such), being in your face and therefore do not support it??
please specify next time you write an article, because your quoting of our anthem in parting, comes across as some snub nosed biased jerks rendition of a tune none of us really ever knew to begin with.
your opinion and view is and are,
absolutely valid but dear lord get off that high horse and make some sense
Gomez says
Self reflection and acknowledgement of past wrongs is how we grow as a county, society & culture. It is sign of strength, not weakness, for only a weak, insecure person never admits mistake or error.
Denise says
I’m against painting the sidewalks in color.
Marc says
Well said!