Traitors and Heroes and... rose-colored glasses

( the views stated here are my very own and you are allowed to disagree... as long as you remember that I respect your right to your views and expect the same courtesy as well...after all, that is what America is all about)

In the news they are promoting the interview with Edward Snowden...
A kid who grew up in my area...
who actually was in elementary school with my son-in-law.

A poll of american viewers has 60% calling him a patriot...
40% a traitor.

I don't have any answers, but...
Seriously, does the American public believe that it is okay for one person to directly jeopardize the lives of operatives around the world because the public NEEDS TO KNOW?

Why do we need to know?
Does knowing make a difference?

Well, actually, I think it does make a difference.
In a bad way.

I know that there are things the government does that I do not know about...
I probably don't even agree with...
But, I accept that in order to make my world a safe place things get done.

Covert operations happen all over the world that John Q Public has no knowledge of...
But these operations make the world a safer place for John Q Public.

And when JQP finds out about these things what does he do?
He complains about the rights of people to privacy and full disclosure...

If JQP would step back and look at the operations that have been declassified and use his imagination to imagine what would have happened if any one of them had not been carried out...

What a very different world we would be living in.

One where we speak German?
One where there are no Jews or any organized religion?
One where Mother Russia is alive and well and covers the entire globe?
One where every state is a separate country?
One where being different, having an opinion, being able to voice an opinion, are punishable by death?

And the list could go on and on and on and on...

So, John Q Public...
instead of complaining about what you see as an infringement on your rights...
stop and think about those rights and why you are able to have them...

Those men and women who have been fighting and dying...
on and off the battlefields of the world...
since Columbus stepped foot in the Americas..
Those HEROES who have been striving to make a difference since the beginning...
They deserve respect...and the same rights as everyone else...

And try, just try, to wrap your mind around the idea that the rest of the world is not a nice place and is filled with bad people...
As is our own country...
and isn't making it harder for those bad people to win...
well, isn't that what all of this is really all about?

Not everything is black and white...
But looking at the world through rose-colored glasses isn't the answer either...

Writers Workshop... Texting from Teens

Today's blog  post is part of the infamous MAMA KAT's Writer's Workshop :

The Prompts:

1.) A recent text exchange that made you laugh.
2.) A blog post inspired by the word: misunderstood.
3.) Talk about a time one of your siblings made you angry.
4.) What you’re most looking forward to (or dreading) this Summer.
5.) A list of 10 things every parent needs to survive Summer.

I am using prompt 1... you knew that already from the title, right?

So,  SIX spent the Memorial Day weekend at the NCAA Lacrosse Championship games in Baltimore.

He went home with a teammate on Friday and I heard nothing from him all weekend.

He had been given money to buy food with and told to text me score updates and to just touch base now and again...

Let's just say that it was a good thing BratChild went with them on Sunday and kept in touch via text throughout the games...they weren't televised and Salisbury was playing!

 ( Salisbury girls won...men lost to Tufts but hey, it happens!)

So, Monday I spent the day out by the pool.

I had a couple Leinenkugles and a couple blue pina coladas...

And then SIX texted me...

SIX: I just got back

ME: Okay. Are they bringing you home or can you call [BratChild] she's at Josh's

SIX: alright man!

ME: Who won today? Did Duke win

SIX: YES! Their my favorite team!

SIX: Can you come get me?

I had to laugh because:

1) obviously he was high on life after watching his FAVORITE TEAM win the Championship

2) since when was Duke his favorite team anyway?

3) he apparently was not really reading my texts...

4) I did mention I had had some adult beverages throughout the day, right?

I did call him and explain that no, I could not come get him, but that TeenBoy would be coming to get him momentarily...

He made it home safe and sound and totally psyched for summer LAX season...

First game next Tuesday!