Transcript
APWA Hamilton College 198 College Hill rd Clinton, NY 13323-1218 June 12, 2020 "outside the Box" Granted, laws, policies, rules are not being followed by many-everywhere. Our once freedoms of expression (and speech), are being taken away. Everything now has to be "politically" correct least someone might be offended. But have those who feel offended stop to realize they are taking personal what's not met to be? It's a known fact that countries without freedom of speech, like China, N. Korea, produce people who don't and/or won't, "think outside the box." It's is also a well known fact that "thinking outside the box" is what has produced research, results, invention, and innovation - things that make our country great. Entrepreneurship drives our economy because of our rights to free expression and speech ("Thinking outside the box"). But now we are no longer able (it seems) to use names we choose, have works of art we want (like statues), seemingly because of mistakes our forefathers made over a century ago. Some of us americans haven't been able to move on and take advantage of our "freedoms". (Which we are on a "slippery slope" of loosing.) Many want to blame our President for the separation of race we are seeing. But come on, do you think in this country, one man can have that kind of power and influence? (You are giving him a lot of credit!) When violence is used to try to change it doesn't pg 2 - box - 6/12/20 usually give the desired results. When you use a race-oriented slogan - instead of one like "All Lives Matter", what is really being promoted? Part of prison life is the suppression of expression and control of information - a limited freedom of speech. Isn't that the exact thing those outside are demanding in their efforts to make changes? They are limiting the rights to freedom of speech and expression - just as they do in prison (and some other countries). The very demands being made are not only costly but are the very opposite of "freedom." The real way to change names, statues, etc - given for what was thought as a remembrance of history or achievements - is to go out get an education, take advantage of this countries opportunities, and make some historical achievements you can be remembered for too. Stop living in the past - use the means this country gives to make change happen within the law - without violence and racism. Obviously there is enough support out there for those changes. But when you refere to each other using what you yourselves consider derogatory slang - how can you hope for respect? If you only want to "tear down" and not "build up" a country - living within its rules and constitution - what can you hope for? Certainly not respect. And isn't it the very thing that you are exersizing (freedom of expression and speech) that you are protesting when you want statues removed and names changed? Can we have it both ways?? Pg 3 - box - 6/12/20 Change does need to happen - but its a much bigger than race. Accountability is lacking because our government, in granting itself "immunity", has created a false sense of impunity from its laws and those in government think they can do whatever without consequences. That's the real bottom line - not racism! So purhaps some "thinking outside the box" is now needed to get accountability that's lacking - but it isn't thru violence and looting!!!
