PAX Centurion - Fall 2017

www.bppa.org PAX CENTURION • Fall 2017 • Page 29 “In order to form a more perfect union…” Kneel, sit, stand, or spit when and where appropriate By James W. Carnell, Pax Editor B EYONDTHE SHADOWOFA DOUBT, the authors of the above words, which forms part of the first sentence of the preamble to the United States Constitution, were themselves far from “perfect”, and they would probably be the first to admit it. Among them were conniving politicians, wealthy landowners, womanizers, drunkards and all sorts of less-than-perfect people; in other words, just like us. They lived in dangerous times in a divided country, with widely-disparate opinions of what our priorities should/ shouldn’t be; the coastal merchant sailors hated the inland farmers, the Northeast hated the South, yadda, yadda, yadda; in other words, just like today. And they knew they could never, ever, create a “ perfect union ”, because Heaven and Utopia are the only two places where that exists, and nobody has ever sent back a verifiable, first-person account of exactly how they got there. Just “more perfect,” you know, like getting a detail or overtime assignment that’s “more better-er” than the one you had before? Or sort of like what BPPA office manager Annie Morley does every year at our annual retirement banquet: seating about 430 people in a tight banquet room in such a manner so that everybody enjoys a nice, civil dinner, but people who hate each other are placed far enough apart to prevent stabbing each other in the throat with forks. The reason I mention this is the recent controversy about athletes taking a knee during the short two minutes that our national anthem is played before game-time. Some will tell you they’re protesting police brutality or President Donald Trump or racism or economic inequality. (I’d love to have economic equality with the worst NFL linebacker.) Some will say it’s their first amendment right. That might be true, out of uniform and OFF THE FIELD, when they’re not representing their employer. If any of the NFL owners were to actually show some intestinal fortitude, they would tell their players in no uncertain terms: show disrespect while you’re on my field, and you will not play . But too many of them, like so many others, have been cowed into meek acquiescence by the stifling winds of political correctness. The constitution gives you the absolute “right” to act like a classless, disrespectful fool and pampered idiot, and it also gives me and millions of others of fans the right to turn off the TV and refuse to buy tickets or NFL merchandise. “Respect” is a two-way street, after all. Disrespect OUR flag, and I have the right to disrespect YOU. Fairly easy to understand, isn’t it? But some of these grossly overpaid, immature athletes – and their supporters – don’t seem to get it. (Strange how most of the older, retired, veteran players DO seem to “get it” and are most often seen shaking their heads at the younger generation. Geez, I wonder why…) The point is not that protesting is bad, it’s not. It’s as American as apple pie. But one woman who was being interviewed seemed to possess all of the wisdom and intelligence that none of these athletes could collectively muster. I’ll try to paraphrase what this young mother said: “I kneel before God, I stand for my flag, I yell at my husband and I’ll slap my kid’s butts when they get out of line, sometimes all within the span of five minutes. But I make sure I kneel, sit, stand or spit when and where it’s proper and appropriate. I don’t spit in the house or yell at my husband in church. There’s a time and place for everything…” Brilliant. How come this woman could put the current controversy in such proper perspective but all of the King’s horses and all of the King’s men can’t seem to understand the simple basics of decency, respect and class? It’s not that you can’t , it’s that you shouldn’t. Not to get biblical, (because I already have reserved seating in the third circle of Hell), but didn’t Ecclesiastes say something about “A time to throw stones, and a time to gather stones together,.. a time to keep silence, and a time to speak” etc. etc.? Lately, it seems like we’ve become a parody of ourselves, like a big episode of Seinfeld, specifically the one where George’s father invents the new holiday of “Festivus” where everybody gathers around the “Grievance Pole” and bitches, complains, gripes and moans. Yes, by all means; protest, whine, join victim-nation and exercise your first amendment right of speech to your heart’s content. Just remember, free speech works two ways: Just because you say something doesn’t mean I have to listen; ( and just because I’m writing this doesn’t mean you have to read it and get all offended; just stop reading it!) And if you really want something to complain about, take your protest to Pyongyang and see how long you last with Kim-Jong-Un. Or travel to the socialist-worker’s paradise of Venezuela and get in line for a roll of toilet paper. Or, if you’re really aggrieved, try walking clockwise around the Kaaba in Mecca when everybody else is going counter-clockwise, and then call the US Embassy for help. Best of luck… No, we ain’t perfect inAmerica, not even close, never will be. But we’re “ more better-er” and “ more perfect” than anywhere else. Don’t spit in church and don’t kneel in a barroom. Don’t pick fights at a family reunion. Time and place. If you want respect, show respect. We have precious few unifiers in this country because we came from so many different places. The flag and the national anthem are two of them; don’t ruin that for everybody else because you want the spotlight on yourself. That’s petty and selfish and childish. People DIED for that flag, always remember that. Our national problems will always exist, in one form or another. Leave the two minutes before kick-off alone, for Christ’s sake. It might just do us all some good.You can stand, while many of our veterans lost their legs. Even if you hate this country, stand for them because you can, if for no other reason. And if you’re really concerned about “police brutality,” Mr. NFL superstar, trade places with us for a day. Answer a domestic violence call and put yourself in the middle of a family dispute, with both sides of the argument in your face and screaming at you, because you’re now the common enemy. Stand silently before a picket line and have bottles of urine thrown at you. Or, try to break up a barroom fight in a “nice” way. And then, let’s sit down and talk about that issue of “income inequality,” huh…?