It’s been a year since the world witnessed the barbaric acts of the Hamas terrorists upon a music festival and families in a small town in Israel. Thousands murdered, raped and kidnapped and still more than 100 hostages kept and tortured in those tunnels. It was the largest number of jewish people killed in one day since the Holocaust. A year later and they still are captive. It’s also been 23 years since the sept 11th attack of terrorists on our own country. Wanting the destruction of our way of life.
I’ve been thinking a lot about “our way of life”. Celebration of the right to be who you are. Jewish, African American, Gay, Transgender, owning a home, starting a business, the right to pursue what makes you happy. The right to criticize your government, privately, publicly and even to their own faces at city council meetings every Monday for 3 minutes at a time. The right to practice any religion that you follow. For men and women equally to pursue an education without any restrictions to a particular gender.
What is it about our “way of life” that upsets “them” so much? I could never send my daughter to any kind of school in Afghanistan. Being gay in Iran is punishable by death. I would be imprisoned for criticizing my government in China, and the list goes on. Last week I asked the city of wheat ridge to fix the non working lights in the underpass off Youngfield by the new Lutheran Hospital. It’s how my ICU nurse wife walks to and from home after her 12 hour shift. It was fixed within a few days. This is our way of life. The government helps the people. Parks and open spaces to exercise and enjoy mother nature. A police force sworn to serve and protect. Schools that are open to every color, culture and gender. That’s our way of life. We even have laws and commissions to create equal opportunities for all. Do we all agree all of time? Not a chance, but that’s the point.
I don’t care what religion you practice, as long as it doesn’t interfere with my right to breath. Social media doesn’t require any kind of license or permit to use. Anyone can say anything.When I attend local festivals and events with the Gazette booth that has a banner stating that “I Will Talk to Anyone About Anything”. It is amazing what people want to chat about. But the common theme is how happy they are to just “share” thoughts, ideas, jokes and points of view, without any retribution. From conspiracy theories to recycling ideas and even a 5 year old who wanted to talk about farts. That’s the freedom. That’s our way of life. I challenge every country to practice it.
As always, thanks for reading.
