Keeping At It

I like to understand things. Sometimes I am successful in my quest and sometimes I am not. One thing I have noticed when trying to understand something complicated the understanding sometimes comes in stages. It's good to keep at it. I also like to talk. Some would say ALOT! I like current events, news and politics. It therefore comes as no surprise I often find myself in some pretty interesting debates. There are in fact a few people out there who can rise above the ignorance, the name calling, and the stereo typing and actually have a constructive, respectful debate about important issues. I am VERY lucky to have several of them as my friends on Facebook. I am also VERY happy to report I am seeing a trend of improvement in this regard. It was in one of these debates on Facebook that a small layer of understanding came to me.

We were discussing Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. (It is well beyond the scope of this post to discuss this landmark case. If you have read this far but need a refresher now would be a good time.) Judging from some of the memes on facebook you would think every female employee of Hobby Lobby was in imminent danger of a severe hormone deficient death or at least being impregnated by forced rape! As our debate progressed I asked my learned friend (a self professed liberal by the way) “You surely don't believe this mess has anything to do with womens health do you?”  His reply “Not even a little bit!” Well ok, I had a pretty good idea my friend didn't pay much attention the facebook memes!

It behooves one who is debating learned opponents to use the same strategy on himself. Again, judging from the memes on Facebook you would believe every church in the USA was going to be re-purposed Monday through Saturday as an abortion clinic on the taxpayer dime. Further each employer was going to be mandated to provide not only the customary 10 minute coffee break but also to grant each employee 30 minutes a week to engage in “UN-Godly” behavior and of course at time and a half! I asked myself  “You surely don't believe this mess has anything to do with religious freedom do you?” My reply “Not even a little bit!”

Given the fact all party's in this debate seemed to agree with Justice Ginsburg's remark in her decanting opinion "The Court, I fear, has ventured into a minefield...” What the hell then IS all this mess about? That was the question I was pondering as our little discussion came to a close.

Well of course it's about the politics. That's the first answer that popped into my head, but “politics?” What did I mean by that? “What are politics about?”  “Politics are about....well, politics” I heard myself thinking. It sounded about as crazy in my head as it looks in writing, but with that came my little morsel of understanding. You see we humans have a need to understand thing at our level. The “Facebook meme makers” try to make that simple for us. “No one is in charge of  MY body!” “You will NOT turn My Fathers House into a den of thieves!” “Not on my dime!” Pretty simple to get behind any of that! The media, while a little more subtle, still tries to keep it simple for us. We have the ability to choose an outlet that best fits our style, our beliefs. (Just for full disclosure I personally am a  “Fox news fan.” Do I believe they are 100% “fair and balanced”? NOT EVEN A LITTLE BIT!)

We humans (We the People if you will) are all out here operating under the belief that our government is trying to do things to/for us (take your pick). I believe the sad fact is they are simply playing politics, getting votes, doing what politicians do. The meme makers and the media are simply throwing stuff out there to give use the illusion it's about us, keeping it simple, ratings, hit's, likes, advertising, doing what they do. That needs to change. SOON! I believe governments function is not simply to play politics for the sake of politics! The media SHOULD be keeping We the people informed. They should be explaining the complicated issues so we can understand. Social media should be a place to discuss not name call and ridicule. Folks it's not simple!

I hope it's not too big of a disappointment that my friends and I did not come up with a simple answer to the minefield known as Burwell V. Hobby Lobby. Equally I hope you are not expecting simple answers on how I expect to effect the afore mentioned changes in government. I can tell you how I plan to proceed. I plan to continue diligently trying to understand. I plan to continue debating with my learned friends. I further plan to keep seeking out such friends. I plan to continue doing my best to look out for the interest of my fellow man regardless of politics! It's not simple and it is sure not getting simpler but I plan to keep at it! It is my hope to perhaps start a trend! If enough of us across this great nation were to develop this attitude, the politicians will be forced to take notice!