Country Chatter

One day when I was three or four years old, I took a crayon and scribbled on the white pillars on the front porch of our house as far up as I could reach. I don’t remember doing it but I do remember the consequences. I had to scrub and scrub and scrub and then scrub some more until it was all removed. At the time it felt harsh but I can promise you, I have never, not even once, considered doing it again!

I see the lawlessness, destruction and vandelism that is sowing seeds of evil intent in our nation’s young people. I would never, ever, consider damaging a statue, building, lawn, artwork, vehicle or property of another person. That goes against the DNA of who I am. I was raised better than that and disciplined if I trespassed. Where are the parents? Where are the leaders of our nation that they would stand glibbly by and wink at this great evil? Where is respect, decency, dignity and honor?

My rights as a landowner stop with my property line. I can not cross over the fence to eat blackberries, hunt, dig a hole or plant a tree. In the same way my free speech stops when it is unkind, untruthful, hurtful or expressing intent to harm, insult, or destroy another person, business or nation. Free speech is controlled not mob motivated. Free speech respects the rights and dignity of other persons and does not seek to bring them harm. We need to allow each other space for our differences of opinion, religion and beliefs in a civil platform. We do not tread on, stomp or silence those differences nor do we demand our own agenda on others.

There is a solution and it is so easy. The offenders should first be made to physically clean up every inch of their mess and should be required to pay for and help do the repairs. If in school, they should have to repair and clean up their mess. Repeat offenders should be arrested with serious consequences. I can almost guarantee most offenders will never consider doing it again. Consequences harsh? Absolutely, but the offender made a negative choice and they need to face the consequences. The victims are the ones who suffer the worse and way too often they are the ones who have to bear the consequences. Consequences speak.