Friday morning thoughts

There's a song by Paul Simon in which he says "I can gather all the news I need from the weather report" Some days I think about that and and wonder if all I really need IS the weather report.  I don't need to look at the TV to know the weather these days, my knees tell me.   I have been diagnosed with severe osteoarthritis.  I am dreading what Winter will feel like, but am trying to remain optimistic in the face of this small bump in the road.  Yes, I am afraid, but I remind myself that fear means Face Everything and RISE.  I can do this.

I have been thinking about the Confederate flag "controversy" I am having trouble understanding why some people think it's ok to display it as part of an official banner over a capital building.  Yes, it once flew there, or flew in that State, but by THAT logic, the flags of Mexico, France and England need to be displayed, as they are part of the "heritage" the supporters are citing.  I know people who claim it represents "Heritage not hate" but the same can be said for the Nazi flag.  I don't mean to go all "Godwin's Law" here, the theory that at some point a conversation where two parties disagree, one will invoke the Nazi's in some way, but my point is this; the Nazi Party was founded by people seeking a national identity after World War One devastated Germany economically and emotionally.  They went about it the wrong way, certainly, but it can be said that the banner represented national pride to some. I will also say this.  No mater what you believe the original intent of the flag was, it no longer represents that.  Too many hate groups have co-opted it to wave as THEIR standard when they are spewing out their violence.  It no longer represents States Rights or anything remotely unifying.  It is divisive in nature and should not be a part of our daily lives.  In the same vein, I do not believe that the statues and artwork should be removed.  They are a part of our national history and those who forget history are condemned to repeat it.  I know American history tends to oversimplify the reasons behind the Civil War as Black and White, literally and figuratively, and while this was a huge part of the reason, it is not the only reason we fought each other.  I don't think we should try to erase that history, but we should learn from it.  After all , England has statues of Guy Fawkes, the guy who tried to blow up Parliament . I'm oversimplifying again, but you get my meaning.  I have a friend who was saying that the American flag represents oppression and imperialism, but then, don't most flags represent the "winner" in the battle?  I don't think we are ready to give up our national flags around the world quite yet, if ever.