Spiderman Gets It…

Wow.  I think that’s all I have today.  It’s been a trying week in our nation, in our cities, in our schools.  Social justice and responsibility.  Well guess what…? Spiderman Gets It. 

But I am afraid…really and honestly afraid the rest of us have missed the boat.  Collectively.  We blew it.  It bares mention, that my blog is mine.  What I say are my thoughts, and my words and I am ready, willing and able to accept the responsibility that comes with this territory and these choices.

My alma mater (high school) made local news today.  Some of our sports team have made a conscious decision to “take a knee” during the playing of the National Anthem.  Frankly, I find following in footsteps of Colin Kaepernick or Brandon Marshall isn’t how I’d exercise my right to protest. But that’s not important.  Here’s what it.  These student athletes are responding to what I perceive to the be their Civil Rights Movement.  Here’s the other thing… Baby Boomers, Gen Xers (I’m one of these) and Early Millenials aren’t quite sure what to do with this and believe me, the spectrum is as deep as it is wide.

Do these young people understand what it is they’re protesting?  Do they understand the consequences intentional and otherwise of their actions?  Do they know that there has been a member of my family involved in ever single war since the Civil War through the most recent Iraqi war?  Do they know that my Grandfather Capone spent the duration of his life after his service in WWII in a mental institution for the damage that being on a burial squad had done to his life? Rendering him unable to live a successful life at home with his wife and young son?  Do they know that I have a dear dear friend whose family suffered internment at the hands of our country during an elevated period of crazy?  Do they know that many of their classmates have escaped from intolerance and hatred that I don’t believe we can come close to enduring?

Do they know that a fifth verse to our National Anthem was added in direct support of our Civil War? Is it possible… even just for a moment to consider that perhaps Francis Scott Key wasn’t referring to slavery in the nation (though he was a slave owner) but rather the reach that the United Kingdom had exercised over the “New World?”  Is it possible that looking on historical data from more than 200 years ago is a dangerous endeavor when we’ve come so far? And view it with 2016 values and societal norms that simply didn’t exist in the early forming of our nation?

Do we know that we can track slavery to Biblical time?

I am in no way advocating for social injustice or it’s acceptance nor justifying its existence.  I am simply questioning.

I think on a surface level, the media, television, social and otherwise has created situational overload that has inundated our young people with sometimes subjective, and often times incomplete information.  And believe me, when I am referring to wrong, I am referring to wrong that lives in every space and place in our country regardless of race, creed, gender, sexuality or anything else.

At the end of the day… what are we left with?  I am left with an unending desire to demonstrate that I can disagree with you, without being disagreeable.  I don’t need to belittle your opinion, I don’t need to resort to name calling. 

We’re left with so many hurt feelings.  We’re left with confusion, because we know and have family and friends that have fought — and died, for our ability to have these freedoms that sometimes we and others may be just a touch cavalier with. We’re left with failing to understand the difference in our rights, versus our responsibilities.  We’re left in a space where neither the two shall meet.  I hope… that’s not true.

Spiderman Gets It…