By Arthur Moore
I have spent my 75 years here being a flag waver and a person who was fortunate to be raised in a household that did not tolerate racism. As for the flag we have a set of rules for the care and honoring of it. I will not tolerate disrespect for the flag. Kneeling is not appropriate. We have freedom of speech and people can speak out whatever they want regardless if I like it or not. What’s more disturbing are the highly paid sports figures who are in the public eye. They have more than anybody a chance to go before the public and speak their mind. Any tv station will be more than happy to let them speak. They have freedom because so many have fought and died for them to have this right. People gave up their children to serve for this country. So many died or came back with physical or mental problems due to what they were put through for serving our country. For this you could certainly have the courtesy to stand up and salute the flag for your freedom. Although there is not much I can do but speak out and protest I can at least boycott any sports where they dishonor my flag. We will not only give up watching that sport we will not purchase anything associated with it. I will not associate with anything related to it. Try this in another country or better yet go there.

As for the BLM terrorist movement as I will call it for what it is I do not see that destroying property and looting of stores and assaulting of police as anything more than a terrorist act. When I saw it here a number of years ago where people blocked off a highway and endangering lives of people trying to get to the hospital and worst of all going unpunished it was the start of a problem. Now it has expanded to more violent actions. It has gone way too far. Most people and also the police are not racist. Granted some people and police are. Racism is alive and well sadly. I don’t have the answers as I am not expert. My theory though is it is taught to children and that is the root of it. One good thing is some children are growing out of that as they get out into the world. I believe it is a process that will take many years. Far too many I am sure sadly. If you want to be taken seriously and make your points you need to be civilized about it. I see the politicians all over themselves trying to act like they know and want to help. I listen to them and I don’t find most of them sincere. I do not like the fact that erasing history is an answer. It needs to be there as part of our history and a reminder of our stupidity. As for the statues I may have asked for a plaque explaining the bad history of it again as a reminder. The police. I think the police need to be able to speak out against the bad police and not have fear of retaliation. I see that being a union that has to be one of the problems for stopping the ones that are committing a bad action. I don’t know how to weed out racist cops unless they do something to show they are racist. I have read where cops got fired for speaking out. I think we need someone on the force or was that is willing to provide more accurate information on this would be something to consider. I find it similar to the problem with the priests where the ones who knew and did nothing are just as guilty. These are hard times with the virus and people out of work and this. If indeed this movement has good intentions then they also need to weed out the destructive people and just maybe people will take them seriously. Some of us do have an open mind. I am going by what I see and read and the actions. I am not seeing much good here. But I will listen.

This weekend I will have a cookout. I will have my flag up as usual. I will listen to Kate Smith singing God Bless America. I will stand for my flag. And I will not be hating or disliking anyone because of the color of their skin. It’s just not in my nature.