Resolve to love yourself!

As the final days of 2015 begin, many of us are naturally looking ahead to the New Year. What will 2016 bring us? A new job? A new love? New goals? A new mission? Let us all make a mutual resolution, shall we? Let’s resolve to improve our own self-image.

How many times have each of us gazed at our own reflection and wondered “what if?” What if I were thinner? What if I could lose ## pounds? What if I were taller? What if…

Don’t get me wrong, losing weight can be an important goal to help improve health. But I would argue that it can be detrimental when the primary reason for losing this weight is to make someone better looking. When will we grow out of this obsession with attaining the “perfect body?”

Much of our obsession can be blamed on media and advertising. But so what? We can’t control advertising, but we can control our reaction to it. We can refuse to purchase products of course, but our best reaction is to refuse to give in to the obsession.

Vintage advertising - Can you name the product?

Another vintage ad... for men's sweaters

Not everyone can be a bodybuilder, athlete, or super model. Whether it is genetics, financial limitations, or a love of pasta and red wine (GUILTY!), the vast majority of people are simply not wired for these so-called perfect bodies.

Although everyone has been subjected to the pressures of body image, unfortunately this obsession primarily affects women. Women have struggled with body image far more than men. The vast majority of anorexia and bulimia nervosa sufferers are women.

How does this impact woman's body image? 

Yet for women, body image is more than just a matter of being thin or fit. I saw one billboard near campus that floored me. It was advertising breast augmentation/plastic surgery. Can this possibly appeal to women enough to get them to consider invasive, unnecessary surgery? Apparently, it can.

I ran across a blog from a young college student that I knew when she was in high school. This young lady is a beautiful person with possibly the best singing voice I ever heard for a high school student. Her blog says it all, and I hope she doesn’t mind the cross post: https://positivelypaigec.wordpress.com/2015/12/28/thinner-beauty/

We all have had people express their dislike or disgust with their body. I have had people close to me express their “horror” at their fat ______ (insert body part here). I know--I am one of them. And yet most of these people are usually healthy. How can we healthy people hate our bodies so much when others have cancer or some other life-threatening disease?

So for this New Year, let us all resolve to live healthier, embrace longer, love deeper, experience life, and accept ourselves and all others for the beautiful people we all are!

-- Food for Thought

Refugees: What is wrong with us?

Forgive me, but what am I missing? After the string of terrorist attacks that culminated with the recent Paris tragedy, what do we in America do?

• We express our sadness and offer prayers to the victims of the Paris attacks, but ignore the suffering of the victims of the Beirut and Kenyan attacks, the Russian airliner tragedy, or the Syrian refugees, and the countless other meaningless deaths of innocents.
• Our political rhetoric gears up for another invasion while our chicken hawk leaders all scream about ISIS (or is it ISIL) while pointing fingers at the opposing party.
• Social Media is flooded with memes and cherry picked statistics that prove or at least infer that all Muslims are prone to or associated with terrorism.
• Our state leaders refuse to accept refugees being repatriated by the Obama Administration.
• Senator Ted Cruz suggests that we accept only Christian refugees, since we all know only Muslims are terrorists. So much for “Love your neighbor as yourself.” -- Matthew 22:39.
•  We change our Facebook profile picture by adding an overlay of the French Tricolour. Again, did anybody add the flag of Lebanon or Kenya to their Facebook profile pic?
• Security measures are in place and getting tighter.

Flag of Kenya

Flag of Lebanon

Is America really the land of the “free?” With today’s technology, it should be relatively easy to track refugees. According to many sources, Americans are, or at least can be, under constant surveillance. I am not an expert on surveillance technology, nor do I wish to become one, but if all it takes is a mobile phone or a fitness device to track our movements, certainly we can repatriate refugees with enough security to prevent the imagined mass incursion of terrorists we all hear about.

Most of us are descended from immigrants; my ancestors came from Western Europe. Most Europeans who arrived to this country were not the nobles, the rich, or the elite. Most were poor. Some were criminals, fleeing from prosecution. The North American colonies were used by the British Empire as a penal colony; the State of Georgia was first settled by European indentured servants. So why is the "home of the brave" so afraid of aiding refugees who are more victimized than most Americans will ever be? 

MS St. Louis -- Google it!

America has a history of leadership through fear or bigotry. Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany were turned away. Japanese Americans--many who were born in the United States--were interred in camps due to their heritage. Never mind the atrocities committed against the Native, Hispanic, and African Americans throughout our history. We seem to be repeating history.

When will we stop looking for simple solutions to complex situations? Simple solutions like believing ALL Muslims are terrorists. People have criticized recent comments by Bernie Sanders that climate change and terrorism are linked. Yet, I am convinced that the majority of Middle Eastern terrorism against the United States is not simply because of our “freedoms,” as the fear-mongering media has claimed. It is because we are over there, on their land, "stealing" their oil, and imposing our will. I do not care if my neighbor disagrees with me, or even despises my personal views. I am sure many of them do. But I will fight him if he enters my house uninvited, takes my property, and tries to impose his beliefs and views upon me. 

We have a long history of interfering within the Middle East. Here's just one example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Reza_Pahlavi.  Perhaps if we reduced our dependency on oil -- and thus help address climate change -- we could begin to divest from the Middle East and remove our troops. Maybe then we wouldn't be hated so much.

-- Food for Thought

Pardon My Insanity

During a recent social media debate on gun regulation with a friend and Masonic Brother, I had an epiphany. No, he didn’t convince to purchase a handgun any more than I convinced him that some gun control might prevent the next school shooting. It was more the way we concluded our discussion. Nothing bad, I assure you. We parted on the square, still respect each other, and remain friends. He even paid me a compliment by telling me that our discussion gave him and his lovely wife something to discuss and think about. He then said, “You will never make sense in the real world.”

Don Quixote by Pablo Picasso

At first I was a bit put off by this comment. It was like complimenting a dueling opponent by telling him, “I so admire how your blood shimmers on the edge of my blade.” But then I realized something:  He’s right.

It reminded me of one of my favorite passages from “The Man from La Mancha,” the Broadway musical based on El ingenioso hidalgo don Quijote de la Mancha (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha) by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. I love this musical and would love to play the lead character someday, and I have read the Putnam translation of this magnificent novel.

I use the following passage as an audition piece. It occurs after the imprisoned author Cervantes is confronted by his fellow prisoners. The prisoners wanted to know why he and his character, Don Quixote, don’t see life as it is. His response is:

Richard Kiley as Don Quixote

I have lived nearly fifty years, and I have seen life as it is. Pain, misery, hunger ... cruelty beyond belief. I have heard the singing from taverns and the moans from bundles of filth on the streets. I have been a soldier and seen my comrades fall in battle ... or die more slowly under the lash in Africa. I have held them in my arms at the final moment. These were men who saw life as it is, yet they died despairing. No glory, no gallant last words ... only their eyes filled with confusion, whimpering the question, "Why?" I do not think they asked why they were dying, but why they had ever lived.

When life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies? Perhaps to be too practical is madness. To surrender dreams—this may be madness. To seek treasure where there is only trash. Too much sanity may be madness—and maddest of all: to see life as it is, and not as it should be!

So there you have it, my philosophy. I may not be clad in rusty old armor carrying a broken lance and a crooked sword (OK, I would carry the sword if I could get away with it). But I do tilt at a windmill or two on occasion. This blog is my sword, perhaps a sword as ineffective as the one carried by Cervantes’ gallant, armored madman.

So, what are these windmills that I continue to combat? Here are a few examples:

• The ongoing pollution and destruction of the land, water, and air as well as the wholesale squandering of natural resources by entities that put their greed and profits ahead of the common good.  And don’t get me started again on the billions of dollars in subsidies many of these entities receive from the U.S. Government annually.
• Organizations that refuse to pay a living wage, or hire full time workers, and expect the
  
  government to subsidize their workers with food stamps and other assistance. Since it has been argued that approximately 70 percent of our economy is based on consumerism, doesn’t it make sense to reduce the record profits and top-end salaries of these entities, their stockholders, and their CEOs to put more money in the hands of the consumers? (SOURCE: Bureau of Economic Analysis.)
• The arrogance of some religious organizations and individuals who consider bigotry, hate, and intolerance as religious rights or freedoms. If you are unable to do your job or provide service to all people equally, perhaps you are in the wrong line of work.
• The hypocrisy of many who claim to be “pro-life” and yet are also pro-death penalty and in favor of eliminating assistance to the poor. It reminds me of a child that is no longer interested in a toy once it is out of the package.
• Politicians who express their “regret and sadness” over another church or school shooting, yet refuse to engage in an intelligent conversation about what we as a society can do to try and prevent the next one. If the answer really is doing nothing, then perhaps we should stop publicly expressing sympathy. This usually only serves to make the expresser feel better about him or herself. Instead, perhaps these politicians should express the same callousness as GOP Presidential Candidate Jeb Bush who, when confronted with news of the school shooting in Oregon, said, “Stuff happens.” Are these deaths inevitable, merely the price we pay for our Second Amendment rights? If that’s the case, maybe they should be treated with the same indifference as traffic fatalities.
• The oligarchy that our nation has become through the pressures (and money received) from corporate influences, special interests, religious organizations, and billionaires effectively purchasing politicians in both parties.
• The bullheadedness of the American citizen who insists all government is bad despite the fact that he doesn’t vote, can’t name his federal, state and local government officials, and doesn’t research the issues. Our government isn’t perfect, but the vote is our only chance to reclaim it.

Well, that is my Quixotic Manifesto. Will anything change as a result of my blog or other social media rants? Will my efforts help educate anybody? I doubt it. As I have said on several occasions: education is the art of pounding abstract ideas into concrete heads.

My ideas may not be, as my friend asserted, based in real life. So maybe I am insane.  But when life itself seems lunatic, who knows where madness lies?

Food for thought

Are We Doomed? Doing Our Part.

During a recent commentary, liberal talk show host Bill Maher stated that if every person on the planet lived as we live in the United States, we would need five planet Earths to provide all of the resources.

While researching this comment, I found an article written by Jason Jeffrey Semon in 2012. According to this article, Americans make up for roughly 5% of the world's population, but we consume 20% of the world's energy, eat 15% of the world's meat, and create 40% of the garbage on Earth. Mr. Semons concludes that we would need well over four planet Earths to support the world if everyone lived the American lifestyle.

However, it is clear that most of the world’s population does not live as well as we do. According to the World Health Organization (http://www.who.int/ ) and UNICEF (http://www.unicef.org/) report titled Progress on drinking water and sanitation - Joint Monitoring Programme update 2014, approximately 748 million people worldwide still lack access to safe drinking water and 2.5 billion people worldwide lack improved sanitation facilities. Imagine for a moment if nobody in the United States had access to safe drinking water and DOUBLE IT! Then assume that nobody in the United States had access to a flush toilet and MULTIPLY BY 7!

If these figures do not scare you enough, consider that the world population has more than doubled between 1960 and 2000. Most population studies indicate that the population is still rising and will likely continue to rise, especially in the areas where access to water, sanitation, and other humane support are still difficult.

Clearly trying to gain control of the world’s population is a major challenge to achieving a sustainable future. Hopefully the world’s governments, NGO’s, and religious organizations can work together to develop solutions to what has been called our Human Population Crisis. This crisis has been the subject of numerous scientific, demographic, and statistical studies as well as the focus of fiction, including Dan Brown’s latest Robert Langdon adventure, Inferno.

However, a sustainable future does not have to begin with killing the first born of every family (for which I am eternally grateful). Nor should we throw up our hands in exasperation, completely overwhelmed at the scope and magnitude of the problem. It also doesn’t begin with dismantling every coal plant in America. It begins with each and every citizen in America and eventually around the world.

We may not be able to control the world’s population, but we can control how much of this ONE planet’s resources we consume. The first thing we need to change in this country is we all must CONSERVE our natural resources. Each and every citizen must play an active part in this effort.

I have done this before and I will do it again: I challenge everyone who reads this to develop a list of just 5 new things you CAN and WILL do to reduce your consumption of natural resources. For those readers who don’t believe conservation is important, DO IT ANYWAY! Just think about all of the money you’ll save! Here are a few inexpensive or money saving examples:

·         Take the bus or walk to work if possible.

·         Reuse the plastic bags from the grocery store or, better yet, use canvas or other reusable bags and avoid plastic altogether.

·         Take shorter showers. Use an egg timer if necessary.

·         Reduce your consumption of processed foods. One food-processing factory I worked for uses approximately 3 million gallons of water per day to produce frozen, processed potatoes.

·         Choose one day a week to eliminate meat and dairy from your diet. It takes 1,000 gallons of water to produce 1 gallon of milk and 1,850 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of beef (source: www.waterfootprint.org). Furthermore, according to several sources, the meat and dairy industry accounts for more greenhouse gas emissions than energy production worldwide.

·         Use energy efficient lighting.

·         Unplug or use a switched outlet/surge protector to turn off appliances and chargers when not in use. Many appliances have digital clocks which are not necessary and chargers have transformers that ALWAYS use power when plugged in, even if the device they charge is not connected.

·         Plant a garden and/or trees. Although it may be bit late to plant a garden, it is the perfect time to plant a tree, depending on the species.

·         Keep you vehicles tuned and proper air pressure in the tires, which saves gas when you do drive.

·         Brew your own beer and wine (I have a lot of friends who encourage me to continue my brewing activities, though I doubt conservation is their primary focus).

·         Join and become involved in local environmental groups.

·         Use the internet to find other ways you can help conserve our natural resources.

This list is hardly all-inclusive, and I have left off items such as insulating your home or purchasing more efficient appliances or vehicles that cost more than a few dollars to accomplish.

Once you have begun your conservation efforts post your results on social networks and encourage your friends to do the same.

We can all make a positive difference on the environment and the future by researching these issues and voting wisely. Our political system may not be perfect, but it is the only positive opportunity we have to influence the government. Use your intelligence and the vast sources of information that are available to most Americans and make informed decisions on all federal, state, and local candidates and issues.

I am aware that many of you may consider what I am asking to be a sacrifice or an inconvenience, but that is exactly what it will take if we are to make positive changes for our future.

Judgement Day revisited

Remember May 21, 2011?  What was significant about this date?  That was the day preacher and Family Radio founder Harold Camping predicted the world was going to end.  He purchased billboards advertising the rapture located all over Southern California: “Save the date! Jesus is coming on May 21!”

Well, May 21^st has come and gone a few times.  We all survived and many of us had a pleasant laugh at the expense of the prognosticator who inaccurately predicted Judgment Day.  Of course, there are many similar predictions. Remember the predictions based on the Mayans’ calendar, which ended on December 21, 2012.  Some took that as an indication that signified “the end of times.”  Most of us just assumed the Mayans run out of rock. 

Our periodic fascination with “doomsday” and tragedy reminds me of an old joke I attribute to the late Lewis Grizzard, former columnist from the Atlanta Constitution:

During a terrible flood, the preacher of a small community stood on the top step of his church as the flood waters continued to rise.  Soon a row boat came by:

Boatman: Preacher, get in the boat sir, we have to get you out of here.  The flood waters are still rising and there is no end of this rain in sight.

Preacher: You boys go on and help others, I’ll be fine.  If I need saving, the Lord will save me.

The boat left.  Soon, the preacher was forced to move to the second story of his church.  As he looked out the window at the rising waters a second row boat came by:

Boatman: Preacher, we have to get you out of here.  Please get in the boat

Preacher: You boys are doing good work, go on and help the others.  If I need saving, the Lord will save me.

The waters continued to rise and eventually the preacher was left standing on the steeple holding onto the cross.  As the waters rose to the preacher’s ankles, a helicopter spotted him, flew over and dropped a rope ladder.

Chopper Pilot:  Preacher, grab the ladder, we have got to get you out of here before the dam fails.

Preacher:  No thank you boys, I appreciate your offer but I have faith, if I need saving the Lord will save me.

Eventually, the Preacher was lost to the flood.  As he stood before the Pearly Gates, Saint Peter expressed shock at seeing the Preacher, since it “wasn’t his time.”  The Preacher expressed his disappointment, saying he thought if he needed rescue, “the Lord would save me.”  To which St. Peter replied:

“We sent two row boats and a helicopter, what did you want?”

It occurred to me that this joke, which I first heard over 20 years ago, is a perfect analogy for our current political and climatologically situation.

For the record, I am neither a theologian, nor a climatologist.  However, it occurs to me that the political left and right can at least agree that something is happening with our weather, and perhaps our planet as a whole.  For evidence, I offer the following observation: Since the beginning of the new millennia, we have experienced the following extremely devastating and record setting natural phenomena:

·         Hurricanes along the Gulf Coast and in the Atlantic.

·         Shrinking polar ice caps.

·         Volcanoes in Iceland.

·         Earthquakes and Tsunamis in Haiti, Indonesia and Japan.

·         Record heat & droughts in California, Texas, Russia, South America, India, the American Midwest and throughout the world.

·         Record rainfalls and floods throughout the United States.

·         Blizzards and ice storms with intensities that haven’t been seen in over 30 years.

·         Invasive species, such as the Emerald Ash Borer, the zebra and quagi muscles, and purple loostrife, attacking and displacing native flora and fauna.

·         The increase in tropical diseases, such as West Nile, hitting the United States, which is supposedly a temperate zone.

This is by no means an all inclusive list, and this list does not include purely man-made disasters, such as war.  However, it does offer an alternate version of Mr. Grizzard’s joke:

Imagine a similar scenario, where a “do nothing” politician, constantly denying climate change in spite of evidence to the contrary, continually screams:

“If mankind’s actions need to change, I have faith, the Lord will tell us they need to be changed.”

He and his followers (or mankind if you prefer) are killed in a tragic flood. As they stand before St. Peter, the politician explains why he did nothing to help address climate change. The politician concluded by saying that he thought that if man's activities needed to change, the Lord would have sent him a sign, St Peter replies:

“We sent hurricanes, droughts, floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, blizzards, water shortages and disease, how much more of a sign did you need?”

So what’s my point?  Whether you call it global warming, climate change, or the will of God, something IS happening in our environment. And before people start pointing their fingers at me and leaving comments to the contrary let me make one other statement: I am NOT being paid for saying this. I will wager that where ever you are hearing information that is contradictory, there is money involved (advertisements on radio and television for example).

In my learned opinion, there can be little doubt that the principal causes of these climatological oddities, at least in part, are the activities of mankind.  Between the world population that has almost doubled over the past 3 decades, the increase in energy consumption, the demand for more food production leading to deforestation, and the industrialization of China and India; one question must be contemplated: Are we are in a midst of a climatological disaster?  Perhaps Judgment Day isn’t as distant as we may think.

Primary Voting - May 4, 2015

Tomorrow is a primary election day here in Ohio. Many local offices are up for grabs, including Columbus Mayor and 4 seats on the City Council. I cannot understand why people, many of whom valiantly protect their other rights (real or perceived), ignore their one real chance to affect change. You can post opinions on social media until your fingers turn blue; carry signs and protest government action or inaction; write editorials or blogs; or just stand and yell on a street corner on just about any issue you can imagine. Yet nothing the average person can do will impact government more than simply exercising your right AND RESPONSIBILITY to vote.

Speaking as a former mayoral and council adviser, while serving as a city or town engineer, consider the impact your local government has on your everyday life. The U.S. Congress and President may set national policy, but when you think about it, how much does national policy affect your everyday life on a personal level? Tax rates, trade policies, and similar policies do have impact, but no more impact than local policing policies, sales tax and sewer rates, street cleaning and pothole repair schedules, traffic control, fire protection, public parks, libraries, and public schools!

I have had my frequent rants on social media, and I do doubt whether I provide any positive influence at all. But if I ever do have influence, I hope it is through encouraging each and every person reading this post (both of you) to do a little research beyond sound bites and attack ads, and VOTE in every election. I have often heard that American deserve a better government. I disagree. Voter turnout in the last election was around 20% nationwide. If 80% of eligible voters cannot be bothered to vote, then Americans have the government they so richly deserve. Our founding fathers fought for the right of the people to have a say in the operation of their Federal, state, and local governments. Is their legacy a country of people too lazy and ignorant to exercise that right?

The Value of Water - June 19, 2015

In all the reports I've read and opinions I've shared there is one thing that is eminent and undeniable. Something that even to the most radically self-interested human on the planet cannot dispute. Water is a priceless commodity, period. Society simply cannot function without water, whether you are an environmentalist interested in the preservation of vital habitat, an industrialist producing goods, a farmer producing food, utility producing energy, or a consumer simply surviving in a complex society.

Sadly, water is also an exploited and wasted resource. In many regions water is an increasingly rare and valuable commodity. Unfortunately, in the developing world, entire villages have disappeared as a result of water mismanagement. The Aral Sea, located along the Kazakhstan - Uzbekistan border was at one time the fourth largest lake in the world. As you can see from the photograph, it hardly qualifies as a lake anymore because it has dried up due to misuse of water for economic purposes (cotton farming primarily). In the US, the west is in a midst of a crippling drought caused in part, by unsustainable agricultural practices and increasing population.

I do not mean to "pick on" agribusiness because it is certainly clear that waste occurs in every aspect of society. My point to this particular rant is the we ALL must start focusing our efforts on reducing ALL waste in our lives. Our children's future can no longer afford to live in a society based on single use or throw away goods and the false perception of infinite resources. Those disposable bags/boxes/razors/paper towels... all represent water and energy used in their manufacture or production. Those food scraps we all throw out represent water as well, not to mention carbon. Our future is going to depend on the management and balance of our food, energy, and water resources. We cannot continue to waste them or sacrifice one for the other.

Can we put the Confederate Flag issue behind us now? Please? - July 21, 2015

Anybody who knows me knows that I am a liberal. I say this without shame or embarrassment. I was among the many who called for the Confederate Flag (actually the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia) to be removed from the State House in South Carolina. I was also living in Alabama in the late 80s and supported the call to remove the Confederate Flag (actually the C.S.A. Naval Battle Flag) from that state house.

These flags are historic, and to many they do represent Southern Pride and State’s Rights, among other things. But to a large share of Americans, they represent slavery, racism, treason, and hate. Do not blame liberals for that, as it wasn’t long after the Civil War ended that hate groups including the KKK adopted the flag for its own hateful purposes. It has also been adopted by Neo-Nazi groups in Germany because flying the Swastika in Germany is illegal.

In a recent discussion, a good friend relayed a mutual friend’s belief that this is a non-issue (tempest in a teapot). White Americans (such as all the participants in this particular discussion), and indeed most Americans of non-African heritage, cannot fully appreciate the loathing many African Americans feel when they go to THEIR State Capital and see a symbol used by racist groups flying on the dome. I imagine it would be similar to seeing a flag from ISIS or Nazi Germany to me. So these flags should be removed from all State Houses and other government buildings. This does not eliminate racism in America. But it is a good first step.

Most liberals are content with removing the flag from government buildings. So any further repercussions or restrictions on displaying or selling this flag are not our fault. If a business chooses not to sell these flags, than that is their decision, which I assume is done for business reasons. Don’t blame the liberals. Walmart is among the many establishments that will no longer sell this flag. The Walton family is hardly considered a bastion of the new American liberalism. If these businesses were “forced” or pressured by their customers to stop selling these flags, well, that my friends is called free enterprise. The business chose to honor their customers’ wishes

However, I do oppose laws that restrict the private sale and/or display of the Confederate Flags (whichever ones are used). The State of Ohio recently passed a law that forbids the sale of Confederate flags at the State Fair. That, in my humble, non-legal opinion, flies in the face of the first amendment. According to the First Amendment, we all have a right to express ourselves in non-threatening ways. If a displaced Southerner living in Ohio wishes to display the “Stars and Bars,” I believe he has the Constitutional right to do so.

-- Just another useless rant.

Confederate Flag - June 22, 2015

When I lived in Alabama there was a similar controversy (without the tragic killing of 9 people in a church). While I was debating the issue with a friend he raised several points. His points and my reactions are below:

1. "The flag is historic and should remain on the capital as a reminder of our history." Then states in the East should fly the Union Jack; in the Great Plains should fly Le Ticolore of France; Florida and the Southwest should fly the Flag of Spain... Nope, that is no reason to fly the Stars and Bars (the one that fly over the Alabama capital was the Confederate Naval Battle Flag) on Government installations.

2. "It is a symbol of Southern Pride." Not true if you consider the thousands of African Americans and other minorities who live in the South and find it offensive.

3. "It doesn't cause any harm." According to whom? I do not have to elaborate on the atrocities of groups who have adopted the flag as their symbol, chief among them the Ku Klux Klan.

Put simply, there are many in America, of varying skin tones, who consider the Confederate flag a symbol for either racism or treason. It doesn't belong on a Government facility. If Southerners wish to display it at their homes, in their place of business, in their pick-up trucks (pardon the "redneck" stereotype illusion) then by all means do so. The flag should definitely be displayed over Civil War battlefields, memorials, and cemeteries as a tribute to the fallen soldiers who gave their lives for the Confederate States of America. If people wish to use the flag as a personal symbol, no worries. The main issue facing the Southern States, including South Carolina should focus only on removing the flag from Government facilities.