Safe Zones - Lethal to Freedom

Safe Zones – Lethal to Freedom

 The View from the Middle

In the wake of the terrorist slaughter in Paris, a discussion of “safe zones” seems a little silly.  Actually, even in the best of times a conversation about the need for safe zones in the America should sound frivolous.  In a world where we seem to see daily beheadings, kidnappings, rape of young girls, people being burned alive and suicide bombers, our entire country looks like a safe zone to me.

But, in the land of participation trophies, helicopter parents and bubble wrapped kids, safe zones could be tempting.  We must, however, take a step back and think about what we are sowing.  In our effort to keep our kids safe, are we raising children who can meet the challenges of the future or are we spawning a generation that will shrink from adversity and usher in the decline of this great nation? 

My wife, Brenda, used to have a refrigerator magnate that said, “don’t pray for an easy life, pray for strong character”.  If you are looking for evidence of the wisdom of that adage, look no further than the greatest generation of Americans that rescued Europe and the world in World War Two.  They didn’t have safe zones.  They had sacrifice zones called Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal and Normandy, and they sacrificed at home through rationing, war production (envision Rosie the Riveter) and worry.  These hardships made that generation stronger and they delivered a better country and life for their children than they inherited. 

And besides the weakening of an entire generation, there are a couple of fundamental issues I have with these so-called safe zones.  First, for whom are they safe?  If I believe in traditional marriage or if I’m pro-life or if I favor of a balanced budget amendment, am I allowed in the safe zone?   These safe zones sound more like “restricted speech and thought” zones.  And if we accept these politically correct thinking and speaking zones, how long before the bullies running them want a “safe country” as defined by their belief system.  We must be careful because we also know that these safe zone apostles are not confined by the truth.  They justify any means as long as “their” ends are met.  Before we completely throw out the first amendment maybe 1984 (the Orwellian classic) should be required reading in every high school because that is the final destination of this kind of safe zone thinking. 

Finally, I’d like to ask what these safe zone advocates think about The Black Panthers or Louis Farrakhan.  Are they as offended by terms like “cracker” and “honky” as they are about the “n” word?  Al Sharpton, may try to rationalize these words as terms of endearment for white folk, but in reality this is just racism in the other direction.    My guess is that all of these guys will be welcomed into the “safe zones”, but I won’t be.

I certainly don’t advocate using derogatory terms to describe anyone.  I constantly pray for unity in our country, and I think the vast majority of Americans are just like me.  I also believe, however, that we will always have a few idiots who will try to elevate themselves by putting others down.  Unfortunately, this is the human condition, but we can’t allow a few morons to drive us to throw out the fundamental principles on which this great country was founded - freedom of speech and thought.