This blog was archived from July 5, 2015.
Ohhh America! Everyone is out celebrating 4th of July today, and like with most holidays in this country, the vast majority of people don't quite get the significance. Well, in a brief note, the 4th of July is a federal holiday commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, by the Continental Congress declaring that the thirteen American colonies regarded themselves as a new nation, the United States of America, and no longer part of the British Empire. (You can Wikipedia this.)
In a letter than John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail: "The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more."
I will say honestly that I have lost quite a few "friends" in recent years. I don't get invited out as much as I used to. My daughter was left out from several events in her preschool this year because mothers who were throwing weekend shindigs weren't too thrilled that she was not fully vaccinated... really? Amazing logic there, so my child is okay in the same classroom with your child Monday through Friday but on Saturday she is contagious? I cringe to know what type of behavior must've gone on in the classroom. I remember Amelia complaining a few times that she isn't allowed to talk to __ or __. F&*king PRESCHOOL. When I wasn't invited to a yearly celebration with a group of people I thought* were friends, I couldn't help but feel hurt, naturally. But then anger set in when I bumped in to an acquaintance who filled me in letting me know that it was because I am too vocal sometimes about issues that make people uncomfortable.
Wow. I can admit that in my younger 20's I had much lighter meaningless conversations with people. Carefree conversations that mostly sounded like:
Where should we go Friday night?
What movie should we all see?
Did you hear about __ & __ not dating anymore?
What should we wear?!
What color should I paint my nails?
Do I go back to those old Talia ways of gabbing about nothing? I am not like this 24/7, I promise. I do have my moments where I just want silence, or to sit and eat ice cream in bed, or to binge watch a show on Netflix. I do enjoy moments where I can be at peace and have comfort to myself. I'm also about progression. So how I view those old friends is; they were there for a season. I'm sorry that I don't want to play beer pong every Friday night now that I've hit 30. It's okay to have fluff every now and then, but a friendship without meaningful dialogue is not a friendship.. it's not real. It's all .. fluff. Why can't friends talk about topics such as illegal immigration? Child abuse? Prescription drugs? Why does bringing this up make someone instantly think you're trying to have a debate and make them uncomfortable?
The major work has already been done, folks! There's no aristocracy, women have equal rights, there's no slavery, and there is (currently, who knows for how long) FREEDOM OF SPEECH. A right that is still not given to most of the world. No one is asking you to be a martyr. Just push back every now and then when you see injustice! People who don't want to talk about important topics because they might be feeling uncomfortable are known as such: parasites. They get to sit back and enjoy all of the freedoms and fruit of those who've fought, been imprisoned, died... yet they won't contribute one thing! No one is asking you to sacrifice yourself or turn it in to your life's mission. If someone says something REAL, with TRUTH that you weren't prepared to hear, what's with the slander? Spread a little something that gets people thinking. A post here and there. Some encouragement to someone who is speaking out for something you believe in but are a little too uncomfortable to say yourself.
When was the last time you picked up the phone and called someone to just vent about something that is troubling you? A true friend who can sympathize and listen to your frustrations without judging you? But no! The idea that "Oh.. I don't want to talk about it because it makes me uncomfortable." The fear of social attacks will keep you from speaking the TRUTH to one another. Isn't that why language was developed? To speak and to listen.
The best among our species did not sacrifice their lives so later down the road, tyranny would creep up because people don't want to be uncomfortable! They were true human beings of virtue and integrity. Thank GOD they were speaking up back then or who knows where we would all be right now! So what? Do we just get to hang on the backs of their labor? Enjoy the fact that you have economic, political, and social liberties because other people better than you were willing to talk about things that were uncomfortable, and willing to DO things that were uncomfortable. People who gave us these freedoms had to deal with much worse than a social frown, a "tsk tsk" from a neighbor, or an internet troll. What is happening to the spine of our species?! There are not enough strong, stern, and moral souls around anymore!
How can we progress as a nation if we are so divided at this point? This is how we all sound: You don't believe in gay marriage?! You're a BIGOT. You believe in gay marriage? Then you don't believe in God. You don't vaccinate your kids?! You are putting them (and mine) in danger! You vaccinate your kids?! You're putting them in danger! You think the Charleston shooter was doped up on drugs and it wasn't a hate crime? You're a racist! You think the shooting was purely a hate crime against black people? You're ignorant. You don't believe in stricter gun laws?! You are a hazard to society! You believe guns should be taken away? You're a modern-day Nazi!
Meanwhile, in all this fighting, a bill was just passed right from under our noses that completely takes away a parents rights to decide what enters their child's body. Not only has that right been stripped, they're coming after adults next. And the worst part?! No one is responsible should a life-altering side effect take place. This is the danger and the punishment for COMFORT. Any politician who is delivering TRUTH to the masses, they are frowned upon? They are made fun of? Yet we have elected a socialist to deal with our crisis of over-spending? You NEED someone to tell you when there's nothing left! You need a leader who will tell you that if you continue in your ways, you will be left with nothing. You need a leader who is not afraid of being uncomfortable.
Do you know that this is stopping progression? Can't we all agree that we have indeed come SUCH A LONG WAY from the days of slavery? Don't you think that by posting things like, "look at how this black person was treated vs this white person" all you are doing is stirring up hate and anger? Why are there so many bullies now in our society? A very wise man said, "bullies are the demons created by the vacuum of courage." The absence of courage. When a culture becomes cowardly and afraid to speak up, it summons the bullies who will continue to slander the few who stand up. They will scream out things like, "that's sexism!" or "that's racism!" Bullies smell that fear! Isn't it better to be uncomfortable now than enslaved later? Wanna know something else about bullies? They won't stop. They're never satisfied. You think that Stalin in his older years said, "you know what? We've oppressed these people long enough, let's let them off the hook now." They only get more powerful until people WAKE UP and realize the consequences of not doing a damn thing. You think Abraham Lincoln would've rather lived to see his grandchildren play and lived to a ripe old age and enjoyed his plantation/s and taken long walks with his wife whenever he damn well pleases until he is unable to walk? If he could see our freedoms being stripped in the year 2015 he would likely roll over and think, "What a waste! What was I fighting for? What I was murdered for?" You think MLK would be pleased seeing the HATE that continues to spew out of the mouths of ALL RACES and the comparisons without open minds? I'm sure you've heard things like this all the time: Great men and women died for your freedoms. Have you actually pictured life for them (and yourself) if they didn't? Sit back with your juicy burger or hot dog (or both! You lucky duck!) and think about how much Dr. King's family would have loved to have him every around every Christmas. How his grandchildren really missed out on what an amazing grandfather he would have been - the stories he would have been able to tell them! The lessons he could have continued to teach his own children just about life. You know what they learned? Standing up for what you believe in can be really uncomfortable and costly, and in the end, most people will squander that given freedom or right, because they'd rather sit at home and play xBox or have pointless dialogue with their "friends".
So you know what folks? I am NOT going to let your comfort silence my voice. Great men and women sacrificed too much to allow me that freedom. I get to blog on the 4th of July and throw my opinion out there to this nation because I have that RIGHT and freedom to do so. *Plus, my kids are napping... so that helps too. I invite all of you who agree to continue these conversations! Continue having meaningful, deep conversations because dammit! Life is too short. Care about SOMETHING. GIVE BACK a little something! Or at the very least, when you notice that certain liberties are being attacked, shine some light on the bully. It's just maintenance! Fine, you're not a warrior, but don't sit back and be a dish rag! Let your voice be heard, practice that freedom of speech before it gets taken away, because no one wanted to do or say anything.
With all of that being said, we have four new bloggers joining us by August. Going on another hiatus to clear my mind and prep all of it for more opinionated and more meaningful posts that will get people to sit back with their morning cups of coffee and stir up their brain cells just a tad.
Happy Independence Day, America. There I am, below, in the comforts of my own home, drinking a glass of wine as big as my face. ♥
All content and images copyright Talia LikeItIs ©2015 and cannot be used without expressed permission.