Thursday, May 3, 2012

"Line In The Sand"

Last night my husband and I drove to Woonsocket Rhode Island,to attend a rally to help support the fire department over an old World War 1 monument,which an atheist group,from Wisconsin, and one resident of this town,feels its an infringement on their rights because it has a cross sitting on top of this deteriorated cement self.
Now not only does this group dislike the monument,but the fact that the firemen prayer,on the Woonsockets Fire Department web site,holds the words "God" and "Amen",in its prayer,imagine that.
Why,you may ask,does an atheist group,from across the country, care about a small poor,run down town like Woonsocket and their religious beliefs and monuments? Because they are just that,small and poor.
Its always easier to push around those who can least afford to fight back,its the bully effect.Pick on the weakest,win and become more emboldened, then work your way up to the bigger,stronger and towns.
Last night as we stood in the cool evening air,with about 1,500,like minded,though diverse, people,it became clear to me that if we want to save our way of life we need to make our presence known.
The a military veteran speakers said "We have gone to other countries to bring freedom and rights of worship to those in far off lands,and if need be we will also fight for the rights of this country."
"We have draw a line in the sand and its around that monument." "They will not tear it down,nor will it be moved." "We will encircle this monument and if need be fight for it."
We need to be aware and we need to stand up.
It's alright to afford others their rights but we also need to show we are not going to tolerate the abuse of our faith and belief systems,because of one person.
Several days ago,while some high school students sat at an anti bullying speech,many of these young people got up and walked out as the speaker berated,those who believe in religion,he called them "pansy assed".
Just because a few people feel religion is a joke,does not mean the rest of us have to passively be mowed over.Martin Luther King and Gandhi both knew that in order to win the fight we must make our needs know in a pacifistic way.
The rights of the one,do not surpass the rights of the majority,but if the majority remains silent and action less,then the minority will win every time.

No comments: