#WeCanBeBetter

When I grew up, my folks taught me to be a good person.  I should mind my manners.  I should play fairly and nicely with others.  I should strive to achieve the best I can and allow others to do the same.  I learned the Golden Rule.

I learned to love reading, to appreciate education, and to honor those who could teach me.  Confucius said, "When three people walk together there is certainly one who can be my teacher."  I learn stuff every day from an interesting variety of people.  I learn their thoughts and ideas.  I learn skills and abilities.  I learn stuff.  Hell, someone on the Internet once taught me how I can pee standing up!  

I didn't say everything I learned was useful....

I was taught that America was the land of the free and all were welcome.   The Statue of Liberty stands on the Liberty Island in the New York Harbor.  It is waiting there to welcome all who enter our incredible country.  It was a gift from France to celebrate America’s first 100 years as a nation and commemorates the alliance between France and the U.S. during the Revolutionary War.  My favorite part of this glorious statue is that her right foot is raised as if she is continually on the move, forever bringing freedom to others.


The inscription on the plaque at the base of the statue is a poem written by Emma Lazarus.  It was written to raise money for the base of the statue itself.  It is often called the "Statue of Liberty poem," but it's true title is New Colossus. 

New Colossus

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame,
With conquering limbs astride from land to land;
Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand
A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame
Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name
Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand
Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command
The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame.
“Keep, ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she
With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

I was never taught to ignore what others have to say, to bad-mouth those who disagree with me, call people names.  When I was in junior high school, as a tall girl I was called "Jolly Green Giant" and asked "what's the weather like up there?".  Truth is these things bothered me.  It was suggested I say retorts like "grow up and find out!" or "hey there Little Green Sprout!"  I never did; I couldn't because I thought it might hurt their feelings.  Respectfulness.  I was taught to always be respectful and to respect those who have earned it for me.

I know politically we have always had fights and arguments between parties, between people, between the three government branches: the Congress, the President, and the Supreme Court.  We have always had disagreements over policy and ideas.  Hell, we have had gunfights between political people.  The Burr-Hamilton duel was fought between Aaron Burr, the sitting Vice President of the United States, and Alexander Hamilton, the former Secretary of the Treasury in 1807.  Hamilton died.  Apparently they didn't like one another.  

But hey, c'mon folks.  We can be better than this.  We. Can. Be. Better. Than. This.  We can DO better than this.  Respectfulness.  Caring for others.  We--you and me--are the ones to show others what America is really about: the people.  peace~~~