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Charles Jaco has written opinion and commentary pieces for dozens of magazines and newspapers. Each week, read and comment on a fresh on-line version. The discussion page enables you to share your view points world wide. If you would like to make a comment go to the " Join the discussion" link below. If you would like to view past editorials visit the Editorial Archive.
Editorial: 6/25/99 If you don't have a future, you worship the past. With that apparently in mind, the ultra-pessimists in the House of Representatives have okayed a Constitutional amendment to outlaw burning the American flag. This is just what we need to get us out of a moral sewer---a misguided attempt to pass an illegal amendment to stop a threat that's not there. Even the amendment's co-sponsors admit that it's all about symbolism. They say it's like their attempt to allow the Ten Commandments to be posted in every classroom. They're looking for something, anything, that we can all agree on, that unites all of us, that says "See, there's a right way and a wrong way, and this is the right way." In their defense, it's hard to blame them. American society seems to be the cultural version of the Exxon Valdez--on the rocks and spewing filth in every direction. So people who worry about this sort of thing are trying ro resurrect the symbols most of us grew up with, and restore them to their former places of honor. But you can't legislate civic duty and honorable conduct. And even if you could, you wouldn't want to by taking a scalpel to the First Amendment. Flag burning is political speech. No one burns an American flag unless they're protesting some policy of whatever government happens to be in office at that time. And most veterans I've talked to say they fought so people could have the right to burn the flag. They also note they reserve the right to punch flag burners in the nose. The real problem is selfishness and greed. And the real solution is each of us refusing to put up with it anymore. Parents are too busy, or too selfish, to spend time with their kids. Corporate CEO's are so selfish and greedy that they'll slash workers benefits, or just fire them, to line their own pockets. Union leaders and members are too selfish to care that a strike may hurt thousands, maybe millions, of people. White folks are so selfish that they could care less about what happens in black inner cities. Black folks are so selfish that they'll blame everything, from bad housing to bad teeth, on white people. I demand my right to carry a gun, drive a car fast, play a radio loud, breathe clean air with cigarettes, smoke cigarettes in public, yada yada yada. It's all about rights, and not a word about responsibilities. So here's an idea. We just stop tolerating it. Hey pal, it's the National Anthem. Take your hat off. Hey bub, turn the radio down. Yes, I do mind if you smoke. Or conversely, yeah, I'll agree not to smoke around you if you agree to stop being a self- righteous horse's ass. No I won't by stock in your company because you earn ten million times what your employees earn and no, greed ain't good. You get the idea. Contrary to what the every-man-for-himself brigades of the extreme right squawk, it does take a village. But not just to raise a child. It takes a village to make sure streets are clean, gangs don't shoot children, and that the old-fashioned notion of the common good is still in vogue. Without a village caring, what we end up with are a bunch of self-centered individuals running around, isolated, alone, grasping for every advantage they can get and all the money they can pocket, no matter how it effects the other guy. Which sounds a little too familiar. |
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