Very few of us are blessed with
friendships which last a lifetime. I have such a friend. His name is
Frank.
Frank and I have been arguing about
every subject possible for about 64 years. The fun thing about our
arguments is the fact that when one of us makes a statement which is
debatable, the other will immediately take the opposite position
(even though we might really agree on the subject). I find this
relationship intellectually stimulating, and I am sure Frank does
too (even though he may not be intellectually aware of it).
Frank enjoys an occasional cigar or
pipe, but I would not really consider him a smoker.
With the recent change in Washington
State smoking laws, Frank has asked me if I would ever consider
quitting. I told him I expect him to put a carton of cigarettes and
a bottle of good whiskey in 'the box' with me when I am planted.
Actually, I have told Frank that I expect to outlive him because he
spends a lot more time working than I do.
The topic of this article is 'The
Box' and sounds very morbid. Actually, 'the box' I am referring to
is a box society tends to put us all into. If you are a white,
Anglo-Saxon, single, protestant; you are a WASP, and put in the WASP
Box. If you are a republican, you are put in the republican box. If
you are a democrat... You get the idea.
Before I retired, I had an
administrator tell me that I not only thought 'outside of the
envelope', I thought 'outside of the box'. I am not sure if he was
insulting or complimenting me, but I accepted it as a compliment.
There are experiments being conducted
regarding our voting practices. Some feel we should declare that we
are democrats, republicans, independents, etc. etc. If these
practices are accepted, we will lose our right to vote for the
candidate we feel is best. We are being placed in 'a box'.
I don't know about you, but I am not
ready to be placed in a box (at least not without a carton of
cigarettes and a bottle of good whiskey).
The great thing about our country is
our individual rights. We are allowed to think, act, and vote
according to our personal beliefs. With these individual rights,
come individual responsibilities. When we cast our votes, they are
our votes and we are responsible for our vote. If you vote for
something which deprives others of their rights (even if the right
does not effect you personally) you are responsible. If you vote for
something or someone which you know nothing about you are
responsible.
The next time a vote is cast
regarding a personal right you now have, you might lose that right.
DO NOT LET ANYONE PUT YOU IN THE BOX (without a carton of cigarettes
and a bottle of good whiskey).
