Much has been said recently about Colin Kaepernick’s (Quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers) decision to NOT stand at the playing of the National Anthem. Frankly, I never liked his brash attitude and demeanor and now I have had to rethink my assessment of him. It took major ‘cojones’ to do what he did in either sitting down or kneeling when it was played. He has taken a great deal of flack from redneck patriots and blind nationalists for his stance. He has pledged to donate $1 million to organizations that are trying to level the playing field for ALL Americans who are profiled by the police for being certain ‘races’.
CK has taken his stance based on the First Amendment. He has a right to not honor a flag and song that has represented separation, profiling and discrimination; just as it has represented unity, diversity and strength among different peoples from all over the world. The nationalist yahoos who don’t make the time to go to library or pay attention in school are the first to stand up in this nationalist fervor against a man who has taken a stand and committed some of his earnings to educate, enlighten and strengthen our unity in our diversity. Yet, many have put him down for his stance.
We, as Divine beings, don’t have to listen to any of the rhetoric that incites negativity in others. But, we cannot ignore it as well. Any person that demeans anyone else without facts to back it up has no veracity. Anyone who is intentionally fomenting violence and a negative emotional response in their listeners or viewers is a professional prevaricator with an agenda to destroy instead of build. They are the fig tree that deserves to be cursed for bearing no fruit.
We have a right to free speech; but not speech that incites negativity in others by lying or stereotyping those who are 'different' than us; especially when that speech cannot be backed up with facts. Hate speech against any group of people based on race, sex, creed, religion, color, or national origin is clearly a form of discrimination. Employment discrimination is protected by Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Executive Order 11246 (1965).
Arguably, the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution states that ‘freedom of speech is the freedom to speak freely without censorship or limitation, or both. The synonymous term freedom of expression is sometimes used to indicate not only freedom of verbal speech but any act of seeking, receiving and imparting information or ideas, regardless of the medium used. In practice, the right to freedom of speech is not absolute in any country and the right is commonly subject to limitations, such as on "hate speech".’ (Source: Wikipedia).
We all know what is going on when hate speech is disguised as viable through incessant rhetoric. Don't be a part of anything that separates, isolates and divides us. The Spirit of God is within all and it is up to us to unify our purposes together in the spirit of truth and unity.
For example, whether you believe in gay marriage or not has nothing to do with the issue of human rights in this country. The second paragraph in the Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.” That is the basis for our Constitution and as discrimination of ANYONE is against our founding principles, the issue of gay marriage being legal in this country has nothing to do with anyone’s beliefs about it.
Our strength is in the diversity of our beliefs and that those beliefs should have no influence whatsoever on the equality of the laws that we all should obey. We all have the right to choose a religion (or no religion) without interference by the government. Freedom of religion is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the Constitution and we have no right to impose our religious beliefs on anyone for ANY reason; including anyone who chooses to believe in freedom FROM religion. The First Amendment emphasizes the principle that government must maintain an attitude of neutrality toward religion and never adopt, officially recognize or favor ANY religion. If you don’t believe in gay marriage that is your right; however, it is not your right to persecute anyone who practices their beliefs when they are contrary to yours.
If you truly love God more than self, you will trust in God to bless us all no matter what we are taught to believe. God is beyond religion; religion is an invention of humankind and we must no longer allow it to bully, chastise or offend anyone who believes differently than us when they base their beliefs on the facts and NOT their opinions of the facts. We are NOT in charge of what anyone believes; we are in charge of what we believe and hopefully our beliefs will lead us into knowing God more than following the egotistical whims of self.
In one Law and Order episode the character prosecutor Jack McCoy stated, “The First Amendment protects words that protect; not words that incite.” When it comes to the rights of the citizens of this country, any misuse of religious, social and personal beliefs against any individual or groups of individuals falls under the authority of the Federal Government! Some revisionist history separatists believe that the separation of church and state is derived from a letter written by Thomas Jefferson to a Baptist congregation, and is never mentioned in the Constitution. They are so wrong! It was IMPLIED in the First Amendment.
The First Amendment guarantees freedoms concerning religion, expression, assembly, and the right to petition. It forbids Congress from both promoting one religion over others and also restricting an individual’s religious practices. It guarantees freedom of expression by prohibiting Congress from restricting the press or the rights of individuals to speak freely. It also guarantees the right of citizens to assemble peaceably and to petition their government. Following is the Constitutional text of the First Amendment:
Amendment I
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”
Anytime your religious, social and personal beliefs being imposed on ANYONE against their will, it becomes the purview of the Federal government. When the states try to impose the predominant religious beliefs of ANYONE over the rights of others it falls under the regulation of the Federal Government!
Freedom 'of' religion implies freedom 'from' religion as well! Since religions and science are belief systems based on observations and perceptions of those observations, then any and all belief systems are subjective and a choice of the individual to follow. Hence, making a choice NOT to believe in a particular belief system is equally as valid. When our choices based on our beliefs undermine the freedoms and rights of others in any way shape or form, they are not only an imposition, but a denigration as well.
Our Constitution is set up this way for us to respect others beliefs, lack of beliefs or choices in regard to what makes them feel who and what they were created to be. If you don’t, you are allowing your ego to command and your awareness of your spirit to diminish. Be true to yourself by knowing that we are all connected and accountable for how we treat all of life. Choose to respect it for what it is and not what you BELIEVE it should be.
Wikianswers.com states the following: “The preamble to the U.S constitution contains a quote - “securing the blessings of liberty”, which means that the Constitution safeguards the liberty of American citizens at all points of time. The “blessings of liberty” also means that the freedom of speech, the liberty to do what one desires, without any fear or prejudice is also applicable. Of course we are responsible for these civil liberties and should have self-limitations. For example you can be arrested if by shouting fire in a crowded theatre (where there is no fire) causes damages and injury.”
When your heritage enslaves any portion of humankind for your own selfish profit it reveals just how self-centered you truly are! Ego will defend its aberrance at all costs; even in the revelation of the truth! Don’t allow their pure and utter BULLSHIT to be spread any longer. Freedom of Speech STOPS when it oppresses anyone from expressing their rights as guaranteed in our Constitution. Remember that the next time nationalist and pseudo-patriots claim that their heritage is being spun. Their constituents killed and oppressed many for their own selfish profits. Despicable humans can only be stopped when all of us demand the truth and punish those who violate it.
My wife made an excellent point this morning about these yahoo nationalists who claim that CK is dishonoring our soldiers that died for our ‘freedoms’. Let’s be honest here; the last time our freedoms were truly threatened was in WWII. The armies of the world joined forces to defeat megalomaniacs who wanted to enslave the world to their racist, nationalist, fascist and imperialistic agendas. All of the subsequent wars have been fought to ensure the profits of the military-industrial complex and the banksters control over big oil and the natural resources of land, minerals and water. These wars were NOT to protect our freedoms but to ensure major profit for unscrupulous and selfish people! Calling them out for their lies and greed is speaking the truth as protected by the First Amendment.
It has been said that if you cannot be kind, then be quiet. In most cases that is true, however, when you don't need to be quiet, be kind and speak the truth! Say it how it is despite the threats of the puppet masters who seek to control, dominate and manipulate YOU as a resource more than an asset. As for CK, I applaud him for standing up for the truth and putting his career and life on the line. We should all be so strong in the face of evil. There are many good and honorable police officers in this country but some of the separatists slip through the cracks like weeds in a concrete sidewalk.
Removing the weeds requires the right tools and effort that can only be learned by national education of what the First Amendment truly means and NOT what yahoo redneck backward ass country fucks believe it should be. They should be weeded out just like the bad cops who use their jobs for racial profiling and racial ‘purification’ as touted by the KKK and other hate centered organizations. Don’t allow their spin-doctoring to influence their historical records of violence and separatism. Be honest and forthright in defending everyone’s rights to speak freely! ~Dean A. Banks, D.D.
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