In The Words of the Eagles: GEt OvEr IT!

I love this sign.  It states the obvious… that we all need to take responsibility for our actions and stop blaming everyone else.  McDonald’s doesn’t make anyone fat; a person’s choice to eat it every day and never exercise does.  I think we all like to have a scapegoat, someone we can point a finger at and say, “It’s your fault.  If this didn’t exist, or if that wasn’t around, nothing bad would happen.”  If fast food restaurants didn’t exist, obesity wouldn’t be an issue for Americans.  If we had stricter gun control laws, people wouldn’t shoot other people.  If we overturn Roe vs. Wade, we’ll increase the morality in America. 

It sounds ludicrous because it IS ludicrous.

If you take away McDonalds, people will still suffer from obesity because until they make the personal choice to improve their eating habits and exercise, nothing will change.  It isn’t about a restaurant menu, it’s about what a person chooses to eat. 

“Remove ALL fast food chains and our nation will be healthier!”  

Okaaaaay… while you’re at it, you need to remove soda, chips, most pork products, most breads, syrup, all desserts, most cereals, etc., from every grocery store.   I won’t go into the economic ramifications of such a stupid idea; but let it be clear that you cannot mandate health.  People either choose to live a healthy lifestyle or they don’t.  It IS their rightful choice to make and whatever consequences come with that choice is no one’s fault but their own.

The same is true of gun control.  If we outlawed a person’s ability to own and carry a weapon, only the law abiding citizens would adhere to the new regulation; thus, there would still be crime because the criminals would continue to carry illegal guns.   Committing a crime is a personal choice, and one the law cannot confine.

“If guns weren’t so easy to come by, then less crimes would be committed.” 

Okaaaay…if we make it harder for law abiding citizens to get registered and licensed to carry a gun, how does that lower the crime rate?  The people who are jumping through the hoops to follow the law are NOT the ones killing other people.  Despite the laws, criminals will find a way to get a gun if they want it.  Crime is a personal choice.

“If we overturn Roe vs. Wade and make abortion illegal, we will have raised the morality of our nation.”

I’m hitting the buzzer.  In the words of Jim Carey, “Wrongo!”  (But thanks for playing.)  Nobody likes abortion.  Nobody wants abortion.  Everyone agrees it's a bad thing surrounded by a devestating circumstance.  Nobody says, "abortion is good, healthy and right."  It's not.  It's tragic and awful and heartbreaking for everyone involved.  But, what must be understood is that morality is not something that can be mandated.  The people who are going to choose to have pre-marital sex are going to have it regardless of the law.  The people who are going to choose to have an abortion are going to have it, regardless of the law. 

In trying to mandate morality by overturning Roe vs. Wade, you will increase the teen suicide rate, endanger young women who will now have to seek help in back alleys, have more babies killed after they are born or abandoned, etc.  A law cannot increase morality in our nation; but, oh, the destruction it can bring.  Morality is a personal choice.  It starts in the home and in the heart, not on a ballot.

Laws are put into place to protect people and to protect our freedoms as American citizens.  If people break those laws and thereby hurt others, then they are held accountable for those actions.  But, people must make their own choices.   Choose morality or immorality.  Choose to obey the law or become a criminal.  Choose to eat healthy or not.   Whatever you choose, you will reap the consequences of that choice and there is no one to blame but yourself for the choices you have made. 

My jeans are tighter today because I’ve eaten like crap this week.  Whose fault is that?  McDonalds?  No… it’s MY fault.  A gunman goes into a theatre and kills innocent people.  Whose fault is that?  The NRA?  No…it’s the gunman’s fault.

The Eagles sang a song called, “Get Over It.”  One of my favorite lines from that song is, “You bitch about the present and blame it on the past, I’d like to find your inner child and kick its little ass.  Get Over It!”

What wisdom!  It’s time we stop blame-shifting and start taking personal responsibility for our actions.  Fast food isn’t the cause of obesity, people are.  Guns aren’t the cause of school shootings and theatre massacres, whacked out people are. Abortion isn’t the cause of decaying morality among the youth, it’s a symptom of immoral decisions...decisions made by people. 

God, Himself, gave us free will.  He gave us the right to choose whether we would, as individuals, follow Him or not.  That choice is personal, involving only you and your Creator.   

Removing choice will not remove adversity.  What you choose for your life doesn’t make it the right choice for mine; and vice versa.  Life is personal.  Choices are personal.  Blame is personal.  So, make your choices.  Choose wisely.  Accept Responsibility.  And in the words of the Eagles, “Get Over It!”   ~