On Respect & Pride and the Despicable Actions of the Ravens, Jaguars. Their Owners & Supporters

Dammit, just what I didn't need - something political to get pissed off over and start me ranting -- The display by the NFL "kneelers" was absolutely intolerable & despicable.

When I am in the privacy of MY OWN HOME and the anthem plays - even if I am the ONLY PERSON HERE I stop what I am doing and 

STAND FOR THE PLAYING OF "OUR NATIONAL ANTHEM" 

It doesn't matter that no one can see me, it is because I am PROUD to be a small piece of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - because I respect the soldiers who fought and died for us, & I respect the flag that represents us. I do it to HONOR our nation. 

"America - Love it or Leave it"

does anyone else remember that phrase? I grew up with it, I agree with it wholeheartedly.
These players showed the entire WORLD that we are not a UNITED nation, but a DIVIDED one, tearing itself to pieces from the INSIDE - it says to the world - "Just sit back, watch & wait - they (the USA) are easy prey" - a potentially dangerous face to present to a world that would LOVE to see us fall - because they have for so long envied us our freedoms, our strength, our prosperity & our temerity.
Shame on you - every last one of you - the players and management who support them, the fans who are cheering them for their disrespectful display - "America - LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT" - can you say "Bye Felicia" & start packing?? I SINCERELY HOPE SO!

At this point, I had thought I was finished, but then proceeded to read a statement by the owner of the jagu-offs (oops) jaguars- excerpts and my reactions to his "statement".

I saw this:

And immediately thought...
One of the most moronic statements I have ever heard -- & that is saying a LOT
Scene: An event being televised WORLDWIDE - 
Some standing in Honor & Respect, others kneeling to protest the display of Honor & Respect - exactly how is this supposed to signify unity or even potential unity? Is this guy for REAL??

Sadly it got worse...

He also said...

 "Our team and the National Football League reflects our nation, with diversity coming in many forms – race, faith, our views and our goals" 

Do you see where he says they REFLECT OUR NATION?!!? If this is what he or they think is a proper reflection of our nation, I for one say:
 You know what, you jag-ass? Take your reflection and stick it where it can't reflect on anyone else!
 OUR GOALS? To disrespect "OUR NATION" to the whole world? I don't know who the hell the WE & OUR is he refers to, but I damn sure am not one of them. Screw you jaguars, ravens, and anybody else who sees this as the PROPER way to "REFLECT OUR NATION" PLEASE go reflect someone ELSE'S nation with that mess.

Empty Your Trash Can!

Gonna tell a little story, some may find relevance in it to apply to their own lives or to the larger world in general, some may not. Either way...

My husband and I have 4 grown kids between us - for the most part, we see them a couple of times a year, or less - they are busy living their lives, as grown children are generally expected to do.

All, that is, except for one-

The one, we can just about expect to see him show up on the doorstep every few months- out of options yet again...

And this one is the most bitter person I have ever met. He carries a chip on his shoulder so big it is a wonder the sun ever shines on him. He has a list of grievances dating back to his earliest memories, a finger to point in every direction imaginable for every single wrong (real or imagined) that he thinks was done to him, and a finger in every direction for why he is back "this time" (every time) & not one time has that finger ever pointed to himself.
Not...once...EVER.

He carries a sense of entitlement that has no business being there- we taught all of our kids from early on that what you want in life you have to earn - but this one thinks that it's all supposed to just fall in his lap without having to put forth the slightest effort- because, he thinks, of all those past wrongs & grievances done to him...

Now my husband is not the most profound person in the world, at least not when it comes to practical advice - his approach is more along the lines of "Walk it off" or "Rub some dirt on it" (LOL) but a few months back when this (in his own eyes) poor, maligned soul was back for yet another pity party I walked in on a conversation that struck me because it was so unlike my husband and his usual gruff "get over it" manner. And because of that difference, the conversation has echoed in my head many times and I have started to see it as applicable to a LOT of issues & situations - so today I am going to share what he had to say.

In an attempt to get to the core of this young man's unhappiness my husband asked him to remember a time when he WAS happy - in response, he began his usual litany of what his co-workers, friends, brothers, strangers, & myself & my husband had done over the years to "ruin his life" & somewhere in the midst of all that blaming my husband said:
"Your problem is that you are carrying your past around in a trash can, son. You have been for years, & that trash can is filled to overflowing - has been for a long time. As long as you are carrying that can with you, you will never be happy. There is not any room to throw in one more scrap of bitterness or anger or blame, & at the same time there is no room around you for anything good. You are carrying the weight & the stench of all that garbage and people can see & smell it in the way you can smell an overflowing dumpster from down the street, and it turns them away. Sit that can down, dump it out, hell burn the damn thing & once all that garbage is gone, you will see your life get better."

To say my jaw hit the floor would be an understatement, I was awed by the simplicity of his words and how accurately those words summed up this young man's situation. So much so that I myself took a long hard look at my own trash can & gave it a good thorough dump-&-cleaning. So much so that I have begun applying it to the world around me, in just about everything from political differences, religious disputes, racial disputes, family disputes, you name it!
Genius emerges from simplicity!

Think of all the unhealed wounds that continue to fester is because of the echoes of the past. Get rid of it, I say! Yes, it is important to learn from history - but it is detrimental to continue to blame the past wrongs for a present situation - especially when those wrongs date so far back in time that there is not a living soul left who experienced them. Watch your life - your entire world - get better! What have you got to lose? After all, you only get one life, why waste it being bitter and angry about something that you have no control over, or that happened long ago?

Needless to say, this son of ours was too stubborn to follow this sound advice. In fact, in less than a year since the conversation took place, he has been back twice - I guess some people are determined to hold on to everything until the department of (mental) health comes in and condemns the area or until their walls cave in under the weight of all that garbage... hard for me to comprehend how anyone would rather be miserable and spend their precious time - and life is precious, as I said earlier, you only get one - trying to suck the happiness out of the lives of others to compensate for whatever they think was done to them, instead of finding some well-earned happiness all their own. I'm not saying that it will work for everyone. But those who sincerely try, I think will be well-rewarded. 

Karen Register
2017 - Sep - 12
https://spoiledrottenweilers.blogspot.com