Change Is Painful, But Necessary

The South Carolina House (led by a speech from a fiery Republican member) has voted to pull the confederate flag down. Further east, the Redskins found out (again) that they can't renew their trademark. Here in Texas, our own state government is finding out that you can't argue with a federal ruling on marriage equality.

Some of this stuff makes people panic, but for the rest it's "about time."

This is about new generations and what they want for their lives. Unfortunately, there are older generations and a few dissenters along the way that want to stop progress. It won't happen.

Change is inevitable. In 10 years, the next generation may decide that all of these changes are unnecessary, but right now popular sentiment and the current interpretation of the laws on the books make these changes necessary.

When all of this stuff is bundled together, some immediately scream: "they're taking our liberties away!"

My question in response is simple: what has been taken from you?

You can still fly a confederate flag in your Redskins PJs while believing that gay people should not be able to get married. YOU still get to do what YOU want. But what YOU want shouldn't have any power over other people getting what THEY want.

I could cite example after example of these types of things, but alcohol prohibition and the lifting of alcohol prohibition are probably the greatest examples of people deciding what they want in the times they live in.

That's pretty much the historical context of what we're going through now. Just like those old pictures of scrunched-faced temperance league women, pictures of supporters of the confederate flag, the Redskins and the "one man, one woman" folks will be something we look back at one day and say, "wow, look how far we've come."

I personally respect the fact that this generation and most of the people of this time, believe everyone deserves equal protection, respect and love.

P.S. To the trolls out there: As I write this, Led Zeppelin's Rock & Roll is on the radio (with Papa Roach up next). I'm a multi-tasker who can both "worry about the music" and write at the same time.