Them's Fightin' Words

Good Morning, Breakfastpoppers. Today is Sunday, April 8, 2018. Our wise friend, Wasp Tevya, is at the stove preparing Banana Pancakes and pondering the political tensions that are tearing family and friends apart. Tevya has asked for the pleasure of your company this morning. Please come to the table as quickly as you can, and leave your firearms at the door!

Thanks so much for coming to the breakfast table this morning. The picture above depicts a toy gun. Whether it's a toy or a real weapon, a discussion of either may lead to trouble. It is practically impossible to discuss anything in today's world that doesn't lead to problems. Take the toy gun. Those on the left would say that the toy gun is a symbol of everything wrong in our society. Guns kill people. Toy guns make a joke out of killing people. Those on the right might say relax, it's only a toy. Teach your children the difference between a toy and a real gun, and you are good to go. Keeping guns out of the hands of responsible citizens serves only to give the criminals a huge advantage.

The same argument can be had about everything. Whether it be arming citizens, requiring voter ID, securing our borders, sanctuary cities, identity politics, racial tensions, sexual preferences or the food pyramid, mostly everyone is ready for a fight. Was it always this way?

When friends and family get together these days there are so many topics that could ignite an argument, that it feels like we are all walking on eggshells. These are incredible times in so many ways. A man was elected to the presidency who is not a Washington hack. He sees a problem and says, let's fix it. That alone is worthy of a rousing discussion. But wait, there is a catch. Some of our loved ones are unaware of what President Trump has actually accomplished. They are also woefully unaware of what he hopes to get done. Their sources of information are heavily biased. They are slowly and steadily being brainwashed by the media. The media is just an extension of the Democratic Party, so there is no way they are going to give President Trump a break. At the end of the day, the media wins, the loyal watcher loses, and the nation suffers. Without access or a desire to get the whole story, the truth will never see the light of day. POP and I watch all the stations. We like to know what is going on from all corners, and we will go that extra mile to sort out the truth. That's our "thing", but it isn't everybody's cup of tea. Most people don't have the time or desire to delve too deeply into the workings of the government. They have time for soundbites and headlines. Depending on the MSM for the truth is like asking Billy the Kid to guard your bank account. It doesn't work. If most people don't have the time to dig deeper, why do they still have an appetite for fighting?

Years ago POP worked for the Democratic Party. Her in-laws thought she was a Communist. She thought that was funny. Now POP has relatives who think she's a gun toting fascist because she wants to secure our borders, preserve the 2nd Amendment, require voter ID. and rid ourselves of political correctness. She wouldn't mind discussing any of these issues. POP is always up for a healthy debate. The problem now is that debating is out and name-calling is in. It is virtually impossible to have a difference of opinion about anything and keep relationships intact. Evidence of this is everywhere from the dinner table to Hubpages. Years ago, liberals were willing to sit down and talk because free speech and open dialogue were a cornerstone of their belief system. Things are different now, and we can thank the left leaning teachers, the left leaning media and the left leaning political figures for destroying the concept of free speech and tolerance. When POP identified as a liberal, she believed in free speech, free exchange of ideas and a willingness to explore just about anything. Slamming the door in the face of differing opinions was not acceptable. Today it is the norm.

It is 2018, and this should be a time for discovery and progress. Instead, there is an ugliness abounding that threatens to tear us apart from the dinner table to the halls of Congress. We have lost our civility. We have lost the ability to listen. We have lost the willingness to compromise. We have lost the ability to learn. We have lost respect for the truth. We protect liars. We let the guilty walk free and we punish the common man. We name call and ridicule those who disagree with us. We separate ourselves from our loved ones, our friends, our co-workers, and in the end we separate ourselves from our humanity. I mourn the loss of common sense and decency. If we are to return to what we once were, we are going to need a miracle. Do you believe in miracles?

Tevya's Song

Dear God, you have made so many liberals

It never was a sin to be a liberal

But these days, it is no great honor either.....