There are a lot of news stories right now about the usage of the Confederate Flag.

Now let me be very clear: I’m not sure where I stand on whether the flag is a symbol of racism. I do not know enough about the history. This is not a post intended to discuss the racial, or lack of racial, history of the flag or the Confederate army/ideals.

The Confederate Flag was used by the south during the Civil War. I am not a student of Civil War history, and so I’m not an expert. But I do want to consider one part of the argument. Just because the flag is racist or not (I’m not sure either way), is irrelevant. Our Constitution and Bill of Rights provide Free Speech. Of course this “freedom” is trampled on all of the time, but it is provided to every person in the United States.

I don’t understand why we allow ourselves to be compromised by this stuff. Remember The American President? Great movie! Here is one of my favorite lines from the movie:

“The symbol of your country cannot just be a flag. The symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Now show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then you can stand up and sing about the land of the free.”

Should not the opposite be true as well?

As a white person I have to listen to the unReverend Jesse Jackson and other African American’s who hate white people. I dismiss them, just like I dismiss the white people who call African Americans names and speak terrible hatred from their mouths.

As a Catholic I am stuck listening to all of the ill-catechized Catholics say they want to vote for Obama who stands firm is his anti-Catholic and pro-death stance. I’m stuck listening to Gary Wills write complete junk and completely misrepresent the Church and what it means to be Catholic, let alone what it means to be obedient to the Church teachings.

As a moral and sometimes level headed person I have to live and listen to people like Hugh Heffner, Howard Stern, Rush Limbaugh, and every other morally degenerate person. I have to listen to the pro-death side of the homicide abortion issue tell me that a billion babies aren’t worth discussing because every woman should be able to commit murder. And I have to listen to those that would ruin our beautiful country by electing someone who doesn’t care about Americans.

But these are examples of the free speech God gave us, and which is present in our founding documents as a country. It is what makes the United States of America great.

None of them should be able to speak in public in my opinion. Not one. Not a racist, not a person who misrepresents their faith, not a propaganda spreading extremist, not someone who doesn’t care for the most innocent of us… Not one of them.

But lucky for them, and for me, our founding fathers and our God give all of us the right to free speech. President Shephard in The American President also says this,

“You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil who is standing center stage advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours.”

Let’s stop fighting unconstitutional battles in court. Let’s stop fighting about what we can and cannot say. It can all be said. The battle to fight has nothing to do with what someone says and everything to do with what we say to their soul. We will never get someone to understand God’s plan for the world by telling them to shut up.

“The battle belongs to the Lord.” We don’t have to speak to the racist, or the murderers, or the propaganda. We speak on a higher and deeper level. If we pay more attention to God’s plan, and allow Him to do His work as King and God, our words will speak to people’s souls.

A soul always longs for God.

My kids are amazing. I cannot put into words how much I love them and I’m sure they will never fully realize it. A friend in my men’s group said one evening that he gets a glimpse of how much God loves us through how much he loves his children. I fully agree.

Today we went to the Harley Davidson store, one of my favorite places to go. One the way home my wife and kids were in the van and I was on my bike, as we met there. At one point we came to a stoplight in dif lanes and stopped right next to each other. I tried to play it cool and just glance over, but I couldn’t help it. Upon seeing my oldest son Ben in the window I broke into a smile that only a proud father can know.

My kids are truly the apple of my eye. Even in the midst of being the cool Harley dude, I can’t help but get this geeky smile when I see my kids and am overwhelmed at the marvel they are in my life.

Thank you God for my family, and the joy they give me.