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Have A Little Compassion
Jan. 21st, 2010 04:41 amIn the past couple of days I've seen what I consider to be an awful meme circulating Facebook statuses:
"WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Press 1 for English. Press 2 to disconnect until you learn to speak English. And remember only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, JESUS CHRIST. And the AMERICAN SOLIDER. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. If you agree... copy and paste in your status."
Spelling and grammar aside, I do not agree and I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings.
At one time or another, whether in our lifetime or many generations ago, someone in our family came to this country speaking little or no English. Some of our family came here speaking English when there were few or no people here who spoke English. It didn't stop our families from moving to this country, settling in and finding a home and a life here. My thoughts and feelings on the atrocities afflicted upon Native Americans aside, that's what America is all about. Let us never forget that the Statue of Liberty was erected as a symbol of hope for our immigrant ancestors that our nation is one that welcomes the tired and huddled masses of the world and provides an opportunity to all who come. So you speak English. Press 1. Let someone else press 2 or 3 or 42 if it helps them get by and lets their children go to school and learn English and have an opportunity to carry on the family's new future in America. Is it really that much trouble for you to take the extra second or two to press 1? If so, consider how your immigrant ancestor(s) might feel of what has become of their family.
I'm not Christian, so I don't believe Jesus Christ was the only son of God that died for our sins and our souls. I do respect that he was a Rabbi wise beyond his years and times who taught most importantly that we should have love and compassion for everyone around us, especially the tired and huddled masses. Christ's death was the ultimate lesson to us in forgiveness, compassion, and peace. If you believe that he died for your sins and your soul, consider how he might feel to see us forget his message of love for our neighbors - whether literally next door or in another state or country - and compassion for the least of us. Jesus died for his belief that we should love each other and live in peace, forgiveness, love, and compassion.
I'm generally against war myself, but it doesn't stop me from respecting what our soldiers elect to do in defense of our nation and its beliefs. I think the treatment of our soldiers upon their return from Vietnam should be the ultimate lesson in what not to do. I agree that the American soldier fights for our freedoms. One such freedom is the freedom of speech so that we have the liberty to say what we want to say in whatever language we want to speak. Another such freedom is the freedom to worship or not worship whoever or whatever we wish and let others worship or not worship as they wish. Another such freedom is the freedom for people and families to come to our country in search of a brighter future for themselves and generations to come. Consider how much we devalue the battles fought by the American soldier when we try to silence those who speak differently than us or who worship differently than us.
In the words of one of my favorite bands, Jim's Big Ego, "Have a little compassion. Have a little bit of empathy. Have a little of what you are looking for. Have a little compassion. Have a little humility. Have a little compassion. Have a little more."
"WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA Press 1 for English. Press 2 to disconnect until you learn to speak English. And remember only two defining forces have ever offered to die for you, JESUS CHRIST. And the AMERICAN SOLIDER. One died for your soul, the other for your freedom. If you agree... copy and paste in your status."
Spelling and grammar aside, I do not agree and I wanted to share my thoughts and feelings.
At one time or another, whether in our lifetime or many generations ago, someone in our family came to this country speaking little or no English. Some of our family came here speaking English when there were few or no people here who spoke English. It didn't stop our families from moving to this country, settling in and finding a home and a life here. My thoughts and feelings on the atrocities afflicted upon Native Americans aside, that's what America is all about. Let us never forget that the Statue of Liberty was erected as a symbol of hope for our immigrant ancestors that our nation is one that welcomes the tired and huddled masses of the world and provides an opportunity to all who come. So you speak English. Press 1. Let someone else press 2 or 3 or 42 if it helps them get by and lets their children go to school and learn English and have an opportunity to carry on the family's new future in America. Is it really that much trouble for you to take the extra second or two to press 1? If so, consider how your immigrant ancestor(s) might feel of what has become of their family.
I'm not Christian, so I don't believe Jesus Christ was the only son of God that died for our sins and our souls. I do respect that he was a Rabbi wise beyond his years and times who taught most importantly that we should have love and compassion for everyone around us, especially the tired and huddled masses. Christ's death was the ultimate lesson to us in forgiveness, compassion, and peace. If you believe that he died for your sins and your soul, consider how he might feel to see us forget his message of love for our neighbors - whether literally next door or in another state or country - and compassion for the least of us. Jesus died for his belief that we should love each other and live in peace, forgiveness, love, and compassion.
I'm generally against war myself, but it doesn't stop me from respecting what our soldiers elect to do in defense of our nation and its beliefs. I think the treatment of our soldiers upon their return from Vietnam should be the ultimate lesson in what not to do. I agree that the American soldier fights for our freedoms. One such freedom is the freedom of speech so that we have the liberty to say what we want to say in whatever language we want to speak. Another such freedom is the freedom to worship or not worship whoever or whatever we wish and let others worship or not worship as they wish. Another such freedom is the freedom for people and families to come to our country in search of a brighter future for themselves and generations to come. Consider how much we devalue the battles fought by the American soldier when we try to silence those who speak differently than us or who worship differently than us.
In the words of one of my favorite bands, Jim's Big Ego, "Have a little compassion. Have a little bit of empathy. Have a little of what you are looking for. Have a little compassion. Have a little humility. Have a little compassion. Have a little more."
