We Are Community for the week of May 30th, 2022, by Joyce Steiner

We Are Community 99

It is Memorial Day Weekend.  When I was growing up, this was a time when everyone visited the cemeteries where their ancestors were buried.  We remembered those who had passed before us by putting live flowers on their graves.  Iris and peonies were gathered and put in cans or bottles for loved ones.  Hopefully this honoring of the deceased will continue though I am not sure it will as there seems to be little interest in “decorating the graves” by people younger than I.

This holiday has morphed into a time to honor those in the military who gave their lives to protect our freedom.  No problem here as we can honor both our fallen heroes and our ancestors.  What is a problem is forgetting why we celebrate the holiday at all and thinking more about camping and cook outs then about honoring those who have gone on before us.

This year we have even more to honor after the killing of teachers and school children in Texas and all the other killings that have happened recently.  We have politicians running on a platform of upholding the 2nd amendment and being against immigration.  There is a lot more to the constitution than the 2nd amendment.  It states “Well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed”.  The right to bear arms is necessary for a militia to protect a free state, this in my opinion, does not mean that every individual, no matter what their mental state, has a right to own an automatic weapon meant only for killing other people.  I have no problem with people owning guns, I do and I also have a foid card and obey the gun laws.  All people also have a right to justice, to pursue tranquility and happiness.  All have a right to feel safe when attending school, church or shopping.  Making our schools into a fortress needing to be guarded by an armed officer did not work in Texas.

There is personal freedom and then there is what we do for society.  None of us lives in a vacuum.  When we drive, we are expected to stop at a stop sign so that we do not harm another driver.  We are urged not to blow grass clippings into the street as a person riding a motorcycle may slip on them and be injured.  We do not take our guns into schools and shoot people because they have a right to live and grow up just as we do.  We have the personal freedom to worship as we please but we don not have the right to tell another how they should worship.  And yes, we have the right to make decisions about our own bodies but I do not feel that we have the right to tell others what they must do with their bodies.  Our freedom ends when we hurt society. We have personal freedom but when our freedom hurts others, we must think of the greater good.

Being against immigration is a bit short sighted as each of us only need to look back a generation or few to find that we too are products of immigration.

I do not need any lectures.  Yes, you have a right to own a gun.  But I have the right to shop, attend church, go to a school program, send children to school and more without the fear of being shot.

We got 2.5 inches of rain this week.  Was trying to till my garden spot when the heavens opened up.  Did get a nice hair wash.  The heavy rain was very detrimental to my peony bushes but know that later in the summer we will be very thankful for the spring rains.

Weeded Freddie Hoelscher’s strawberry patch this week.  I am sure he approves. Got a few berries for my trouble and  sore back.

Remember the Plymouth School reunion on Sunday.  I know there is a large crowd coming.  Thanks to everyone for all the preparation work.  Though I did not attend Plymouth schools, I have been invited and I appreciate that.  I have some Plymouth photos and memorabilia that I plan to share with the group.

Have a good week.  Enjoy the warmer weather.  Continue to send your thoughts and prayers for those who have so needlessly lost their lives but also understand that we must also do more than that.  Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Posted in Plymouth News