And some are just wrong to ‘feel’ offended

In reading our Ph.D. counselor, NCC Core Faculty, Walden University, USAF vet neighbor’s letter made me think of the old GEICO commercial with the guy on the couch opining, “I think the color yellow makes me feel sad, I think.”

We are elevating “whining” to an art form in this society, exacerbated by the supposed educated class. And quite frankly I’m offended, in fact I’m very offended, that too many Americans are finding new and innovative ways to be thoroughly offended by just about every damn thing and thus avoid ever having to “grow up” or read an unbiased history book. I find that very offensive.

I find it rather offensive when so called “atrocities” of the United States are never put into historical context. How about my ancestors? They were pillaged, robbed, murdered, raped, villages and towns burned, and yes, taken as slaves.

A following hegemon literally tried to starve my ancestors to death causing many of them to finally immigrate to the United States where some were chased across this country with the governor of one state actually signing an order making it legal to do a “hit” on them.

I’ll match the “atrocities” inflicted on my ancestors to those of yours any day. “Oh, how terrible,” you say. Any details? What difference does it make? What matters is what you do afterward.

There has never been a time in recorded history when there wasn’t one group of people “offending” another group. All of our ancestors had to dig themselves out of it, learn from it, and build their future. Or you can “whine.”

If you choose to do that, don’t be surprised if most of your perceived problems are self-inflicted. And possibly made even worse by “counseling,” which may keep re-infecting wounds which should have long ago been healed.

The appalling parade of current Democratic candidates lining up to kiss the ring (or as portrayed in a South Park episode) of professional race baiters like Al Sharpton and Jessie Jackson, which more than anything prevent what the Rev. Dr. King Jr. sought, which was the elevation of an individual’s character.

The example of the neo-Nazi/KKK incident at Charlottesville is wildly out of proportion. There aren’t enough neo-Nazi/KKK members in this country to fill a phone booth and no rational person left, right, or center supports the minuscule number there are.

The death of the girl involved lies squarely at the feet of the Charlottesville mayor, who was complicit with the media in orchestrating what was hoped to be an embarrassing political event gone horribly wrong. The murders cited, I would think one would know the difference between racists and insane homicidal psychopaths where any excuse will do in their crazed world.

In a country where an individual can earn a Ph.D., be on the faculty of a university, serve in the USAF, I find it rather bizarre that there is even time to get “daily negative messages” that are “offensive” and “that oppressed” without actively going out and conjuring some up or possibly having an over sensitivity to the “color yellow.”

In every professional job I ever had, including the Navy, a thumb has always been on the scale in favor of minorities, with the exception of Asians, and now they are even fighting back against the inequities at the elite universities.

And as for being offended by a person’s presence. Really? Here in Fayette County? Certainly not in Atlanta. And if you’re in danger, it certainly isn’t from racists. Just watch the local Atlanta evening news.

As an informed empathetic citizen, I am appalled by the pathetic, biased education our kids receive in world history and especially United States history.

Read Thomas Sowell for an understanding of slavery. Spoiler alert: slavery didn’t start when the first African set foot on the American continent, and it was Western civilization that did away with it.

Ask the Slavs about that where the word slave comes from. And “The Coddling of the American Mind” is preventing our kids from doing the work necessary to “grow up.” Read Jonathan Haidt.

We live in a time where there is more freedom, unlimited opportunities for education and employment, safe communities, grocery shelves bursting with food, not to mention thousands of aliens trying to break into our “concentration camps” on the southern border.

And there will never be an equality of outcome. You don’t even find that in your own family. There will always be a brother, sister, gender to be determined depending on the time of day, or child, that is smarter, better looking, more talented in whatever skill, got luckier, better personality, got more ice cream or did more dishes than someone else. You deal with it and grow up.

I have an uncle, born on the 4th of July. Seventeen days after his 20th birthday, killed in action along with 80 percent of the other Marines in his unit fighting real oppression in the battle for Guam against Imperial Japan.

I have a son in the Navy along with 1,700 other Marines with the USS Boxer ARG currently steaming in the Persian Gulf defending against real oppression.

I’m guessing they wouldn’t have much empathy with people determined to dwell in the past or essentially “whining” over the “color yellow.”

The previous advice to “grow up” still sounds pretty valid.

Dennis D. Benson

Captain, United States Navy [ret.]

Peachtree City, Ga.