Our Four Ring Circus

Jul. 12, 2007

Harsh

I received an anonymous comment this week from a sweet lady who wanted to share her 'humble opinion' with me. I know she is sweet because though she wanted me to know her opinion, she didn't want me to know whose opinion it was lest she appear confrontational which obviously she is not.

I want all visitors to this site to know that I welcome dissent. I love debate and find 'humble opinions' of all sorts interesting. But please leave your name. If you have something you think is worth saying, you should have the courage to take credit for saying it.

I have left extremely confrontational comments before on posts with which I strongly disagree and I always sign my name. I think people respect that. I don't believe my comments have ever been deleted.

As for 'Anonymous', she is correct in her judgment that the title of my post re: flying the Mexican flag in America was harsh. It was intended to grab attention and harsh is an attention getter.

I also think 'harsh' is the correct societal response to wrong. Sometime in the mid to late 20th century, it was decided that society shouldn't be harsh anymore. But prior to that, a great many wrongs were kept in check by a harsh society that simply wouldn't tolerate them. Today, political correctness dictates that we tolerate nearly everything, but even the intolerable is to be treated in a kinder, gentler manner than it once was.

It's time to bring harsh back into society. If harsh ruled the day, no one would be flying a Mexican flag on Main Street in America. I think Jesus led by example on this when he got a little 'harsh' with the invaders who were defiling His temple by turning "a house of prayer into a den of robbers".

There is nothing wrong with being harsh if you are being harsh on wrong. That's my less than humble opinion. You can quote me on it.

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Comments

Jul. 12, 2007 - Not a good enough answer

Posted by Queeny

Tiffany, I hope you do not mind me using your first name because it helps to remind me to control my temper some. I admit that I responded with my heart first but now am thinking more clearly. Your comments very much anger me but I beleive I have ran across them for a reason....

I am still shaking my head over your comments. First you did not answer...how do you know for sure the status of someone's citizenship by a flag they have hung. I often see Irish flags in my area but I do not assume they are not American citizens. I often see flags of countries flown on front yards with the flag of their ancestors right beside them. This is grounds to you for being Un-American? I don't understand this way of thinking. We never know the true story behind someone else's reasoning for this.

Now let me give you a hypothetical question. What about someone who flies the Christian flag alongside the American flag. Is this a sign that Christ comes before America...are they now Un-American for doing this....we are talking about a peice of fabric here!

Anyway whose borders do you honor first? America's or God's. Do you seriously think there are borders and boundry lines in Heaven? Will God have a section just for us American's do you think?

I hope that if nothing else you might reflect for a moment on what I have written.

Traci

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Jul. 12, 2007 - Not a good enough answer

Posted by Queeny

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Jul. 13, 2007 - Amen!

Posted by naturalbirth

Bring on the Harsh.

Christians today are oblivious to the harshness of Jesus in the Bible - he was *really* harsh sometimes! You should listen to a GREAT Bible study about this, called Nicer than God - you can find it at www.kgov.com

Blessings,
Lindsay

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Jul. 13, 2007 - <i>Untitled Comment</i>

Posted by abcacademy

Traci,

I will try harder this time to answer you by keeping your questions on my screen as I reply. It is hard to remember the questions otherwise.

I certainly don't mind you using my name. Considering what you'd probably like to call me, my name seems like a really good option:)

I never claimed the people were not citizens nor do I know if they are but I can see why you would think I assumed they were not. Whether or not they are citizens changes nothing. If they are flying a Mexican flag they must consider Mexico to be home and that being the case, that is where they should be. The word 'invader' obviously conjured up 'illegal alien' in your mind but I didn't mean for you to think that. An invader is someone who has come not to adopt our ways but to impose their ways on us. Their status in our country is not important to me.

My problem is not just with illegal immigration. In fact, I am one of the few people I know who actually was supportive of the President in the recent immigration bill that would have offered permanent status to thousands of illegals.

My bigger problem is with multi-culturalism. While illegal immigration contributes to it, it is not just hispanic culture that concerns me.

I welcome anyone to come to this country who wants to be an American. But if you simply want to live in America and enjoy all our privileges while maintaining your allegiance to the country you call home, you should go home. I do not welcome those people regardless of their origin.

As for the flag being a piece of cloth. To me it is far more. It is a symbol of all that it means to be of a country.

I have known people who were of the persuasion that the Christian flag should be higher on the pole than the American flag because God comes first. I am of the persuasion that says lets just not put the Christian flag up the pole at all. Leave the flag pole as a symbol of our allegiance to country and lets find other ways to show our allegiance to God. In America, no flag should fly higher or in place of the American flag.

As for God, as far as I can tell, he is only going to welcome Christians into heaven. It is the harsh reality. Many will be turned away from heavens borders. God has a standard and it is that you must have received his son.

As Americans, we should have a standard to. Those who wish to enter our borders should be willing to assimilate into our culture and give their allegiance to our country. Without a standard, soon America won't be America anymore and all of us will be looking for a new place to call home.

Edited by abcacademy on Jul. 13, 2007 at 11:46 AM

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Jul. 13, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by MrsM07

Enjoyed reading your post. I agree with some of what you said.
I don't always see the truth as being harsh. The way one verbalizes such truths.. now THAT could be harsh.
I think we must stand up for what we believe in, but I think it can be done without criticizing others.

Just thought I'd toss in my two cents in here.

I'm adding you to my friends list. Stop by when you can.
~Teaching girls to become women~Loretta

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Jul. 14, 2007 - OK, I confess

Posted by 40winkzzz

The anonymous commenter was I, and you were *partially* correct in your assesment of why I chose to be anonymous. The main reason, though, was that I had really come over to your blog just to say thanks for commenting on mine, and didn't want my first signed comment to be critical! The first time I stopped over, that was your top post, and so I decided to come back later and comment when you had something else up top. When I returned, the flag post was still at the top, and since you by that time had several comments agreeing with you, I really felt the need to get in my contrary two cents, for two reasons: (a) so that others might feel more comfortable disagreeing as well, and (b) so that any non-homeschoolers & non-Christians who might happen to stumble across your blog would know that we don't all feel the same way! So I decided to comment on that anonymously, and then come back yet again another time to leave my 1st "official" comment underneath a more pleasant post. Which I have just done, under your birthday party post.

I agree with you that the American flag should be dominant; however, I disagree that it is always, under any circumstance, disrespectful to fly another country's flag in America. We are a "melting pot" and it is OK to show love for one's native land. BUT appreciation for one's adopted country should be shown at the same time, and if another country's flag is flown, it should be underneath an American flag. My SIL is a native of China and came here at age 27. I don't think she would ever dream of flying a Chinese flag in her yard, but if she & my brother did so, underneath an American flag, I think that would be cool. I would simply see it as a celebration & acknowledgement of their family's dual cultural heritage.

That again, is mho, and this time it is signed!

-BJ

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Aug. 9, 2007 - Untitled Comment

Posted by crazybusy

I LOVE your boldness, Tiffany! We need more Christians/Republicans/Americans like you! :)
Love, Alyssa

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Sep. 8, 2007 - Amen!

Posted by 1tiara1tractor

I agree with everything you've said in this blog and these comments! I'm adding you to my friends list!

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A few years ago, when our oldest was 4 and her two brothers were both in diapers, my in-laws were a few days into a visit from their home 3000 miles away when my father-in-law noticed that the rug under the dining room table was in serious need of vacuuming. He is not prone to domestic duties (his wife is a great housekeeper) but seeing the need, he decided to try his hand with the Hoover. As soon as 'Grandpa' declared his intention to get out the vacuum, four little feet ran for the toy box to get vacuums of their own. We had one toy vacuum and we improvised a second from a 'popper' push toy. The baby, who was not yet walking, was right in the thick of things on all fours, never one to be left out. Grandpa, trying to maneuver the self-propelled 'Wind-tunnel' around the 10 foot rug while avoiding the table legs and dodging his three little helpers, remarked in exasperation, "I just wanted to clean the rug, I wasn't looking to start a three ring circus." Welcome to my life!

About Me

My name is Tiffany. I am a 40 year old mother of 4. My husband, John, and I planned to homeschool even before we married 18 years ago but it would be several years before our oldest would be ready to start on this journey. We had our children in alphabetical order, quite by accident at first, but once we got started, we figured we had to keep it going. They are Alyssa 10, Brendan 9, Chase 6, and Emily 4. Our 4th baby, D, miscarried at 13 weeks. We have no intention of making it to Z.

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