Memorial Day: Moment Of Silence For Those That Bore The Cost Of Freedom

Today, on this Memorial Day, I hope that each and every writer on The Bleacher Report would take a moment of silence and humility for the brave men and women that have sacrificed the immeasurable price so that we can safely live in a country and ponder the true meaning of freedom.

So of course, we can blog our flames about some athlete or team, and athletes can make millions by playing a game and then gripe that three million dollars is relatively little money compared to their expenses.

I had an interesting moment this weekend in which the universe may have aligned. Several years ago, I wrote an essay called "The Incredible Shrinking Democracy," which centered on the 2010 Census and the size of districts for the US House. I feel like I was prescient in saying that the Congress needed more voices back in 2007, when the economic crap hit the fan in 2008.

The US Census Bureau recently employed me as an enumerator. By recently I mean, today was my last day, due to lack of work. Last Friday, I had a run-in with a paranoid neighbor because I was standing on the porch of a house across from his. I did so to verify the address of the vacant house.  After which, I noticed a tattered American flag hanging over the porch and decided to take it down in respect of not only the flag but also Memorial Day — since I knew the house is vacant.

The neighbor stormed out of his house to say that the police knew I was there. I informed him that by doing so, he just interfered with the work of a Federal employee. He responded by saying that I may have fabricated my badge and credentials. I informed him that he was harassing a Federal employee, which is a felony.  He responded by saying that if he went to jail, he would sue me for everything because I had, “no right to be there.” 

I informed him that he (was) an idiot acting on fantasies. I decided to call the police, whom quickly responded and warned this man that he had been acting on false information.

I found it rather telling that this kook would act the way he did rather than stop and realize that I was doing something of virtue by taking down that tattered flag and pulling the pieces of it from the tree branches.  At most, I hesitated afterwards for a moment of silence.  Funny how the type of people that think that the Constitution is being destroyed are unwilling to participate in a constitutionally mandated process.

I can also appreciate the poetic justice in being the target of accusations based on misinformation, after I once asserted that ESPN should have its license to broadcast revoked, when in fact, ESPN has no license to broadcast.

The universe may have aligned at that moment, because I do know that whenever someone is willing to do what he or she believes, serendipity can happen. I be no fool. I have written some caustic articles on The Bleacher Report, and while people could deny ever reading those articles, I would like to believe that this moment would convey the center of my raison d’être.

I have my issues, like anyone. I write songs, humor, and stories to capture it and move on. I realize I have done some desperate things in the past, because I was too afraid to take a risk and do what I believed I needed to do.  Now, I just live by doing what I believe and frankly, I’m much happier.

And I thank God everyday that I live in a country that is free to do that.