My dear blogging friend, Julie Cook – cookiecrumbstoliveby.wordpress.com – has a beautiful site which often expresses her disappointment with what’s happening in our country. Unfortunately, it seems when we have an opinion these days, it’s often seen as stirring the pot or creating more dissension. We still have the right to freedom of speech in the United States. By producing a blog, we’re also placing ourselves on a soap box and may or may not reach someone or open their eyes to the things that are really happening around us. We have a responsibility to choose our words carefully. I have been known to get up on my platform from time to time and have been trying to get off of it, because it doesn’t seem to make any difference except for getting something off my chest – which, by the way, is OK too.
When our founders laid out the Constitution and the Bill of Rights for all Americans, I’m sure they didn’t realize the depth to which political correctness would take us. It truly has descended into a totally different realm in the past few years. I’m almost afraid to say anything. The words we use today are under constant scrutiny and subject to disdain in some way or another. As part of the older generation, I’ve never seen anything like it. As a writer, I’ve had to edit beyond comprehension in order to satisfy those who might criticize. Still aren’t these rights to voice opinion still available to all Americans? It seems we’re going from one extreme to another. When a boulder must be removed from a campus, because it once was black, that in my opinion is nonsense. When we can’t use certain words that might make someone else feel uncomfortable, but when there is no problem with discussing gender neutrality, promiscuity, pornography, sex trafficking, rape, murder, incest, child abuse or drugs, there’s something amiss.
There are things that offend me too. I still should be able to speak my mind about those things, but I choose not to – or at least try to keep it to a minimum. I don’t care what happens in someone’s bedroom. I don’t need to change my standards because someone is offended by them. I still believe that God is in control of the rotation of the earth and the number of stars in the sky. He is almighty and my only hope for salvation, and if I express that, I’m deemed a threat to society.
The image I’ve chosen today reveals the truth about what happens when we try to silence all thinking except the popular opinions of the day. We’re better than that. We’re a country different, unique and built on Judeo/Christian values. Those values are under attack. We ALL have the right to speak.
atimetoshare.me 
That we close our mouths is a victory for evil. It almost guarantees a generation lost.
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Indeed❤️
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thank you my friend—it’s time to we get back on the soapbox
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I know I’ll get in trouble again but seriously we’re being led by a pair of losers and all we can think about is who we’re offending. Did you see that Notre Dame is getting rid of their leprechaun mascot because it’s offensive. I wonder who is offended – other leprechauns? We’re gonna need more than a soap box. And we might be facing a revolution again.
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Yep that was in my post today— the offensive rocks and leprechauns— we are off the rails and I don’t know who but Jesus can save us— the life rafts are lost— surprise — you’ll be lucky if you can find a life ring 💍
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We have Gods word on that. There’s no doubt about it.
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Amen
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I’ve been aware of political correctness and the possibility of offense for some years now. A few things I’ve learned… If someone is offended by a word I used carelessly or a story that seemed insensitive, I apologize and try not to repeat the mistake. That’s not political correctness; it’s courtesy. If someone offends me by a word used carelessly or an insensitive story, I consider whether it matters. If it does, I correct them gently. If it doesn’t, I keep silent. That’s not political correctness; it’s courtesy. If someone tries to silence me with claims that I am careless or insensitive, and their goal is to deny the truth of what I’m saying–and if that truth matters–I try to correct that person gently, and I continue speaking the truth. That’s freedom. If I want to silence another person, not because that person is careless or insensitive but because that person believes something I don’t believe, I try to correct that person gently, describe the truth respectfully, and I also permit that person to remain on the soapbox. That’s freedom (and also treating others as I want to be treated). J.
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Amen😀
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Thomas Jefferson, the main writer of the “Declaration of Independence” would be at the front of this discussion. He understood that any nation cannot hide behind hollow words filled with unlimited emptiness.
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Amen❤️❤️
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