by Mike Mercer, Hamilton
When I was a kid we would debate as a family at dinner time around the kitchen table; this was during the start of the Vietnam war and the flag was flown at our house every day. Conflict was in abundance and emotions ran high but dad kept it civil and I learned from his wisdom, just didn’t know it at the time. As an old dog myself I see the flamboyant and permissive attitude of those who foster “Progressive” ideals as not very trusting of the rich wisdom this country has garnered from past mistakes and short-comings; no one can cast the first stone.
Dad and I disagreed many times at the kitchen table but he never pulled rank or shut me down because free speech was more important than ego just as wisdom is to knowledge. We found common ground in the small things and it was enough of a bond to grow into a fellowship that lasted a lifetime. I was privileged to spend the last ten years of his life with him and sat with him eight months ago as he drew his last breath just two months shy of 99 years old.
As we age our knowledge may be considered irrelevant by some but our wisdom should not be ignored. Common ground is always preferred but not often seen as possible by all, as seen in the myopic viewpoint of many “Letter to Editor” contributors of late.
At the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War, Pericles spoke of the blessings of Athenian democracy. “Indeed if I have dwelt at some length upon the character of our country, it has been to show that our stake in the struggle is not the same as theirs who have no such blessings to lose….” Or as we say; “We hold these truths to be self evident…“
American exceptionalism begins at the kitchen table, which is unique in the world, so pull up a chair…this ain’t rocket science.