Let’s live in peace

Published 8:30 am Friday, November 3, 2017

Over centuries, people have knelt for different reasons: honor, respect, love, devotion, including religions, sorrow, before their royalty, and probably others. Yes, and some for different forms of rebellion or protest.

The creators we believe in gave humans freedom of choice. I believe if the current form had been accepted as “it’s their choice” and not become this target for people’s hostility, we would be better off.

Back in the ’60s, I believe, there were the flower children and the rebels. And guess what? The world continued on. Many of us know that the Jehovah’s Witness religion doesn’t believe government should be honored before God. Is it up to any of us to say how they should believe or act on their beliefs?

The Star-Spangled Banner was written at a certain time, and other than the last line, seems non-threatening unless the “Land of the Free” doesn’t strike a chord for all. People of different races and religions, or age, have been unjustly singled out for accusations, violence and with our current political climate, it’s a bad time for many. We look at our words of welcome on the Statue of Liberty, and think, yes, that is who we are, and we have some who don’t agree.

I don’t believe all people of any group are good or bad, but also think it’s often a bad judgment call to assume anybody is always innocent, or always guilty.

This country, except for the Native Americans, was founded on immigrants, or most of us wouldn’t be here. We all need to try to live in peace, or we will no longer be America. Politics shouldn’t be our reason for fairness.

– Carol Baker