Uncompromising

This post is brought to you as part of Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.  Click the button on the right to join the fun.

  

I'm up way past my bedtime (it's 9:54 PM and I'm thinking I better type fast in case I turn into a pumpkin at 10:00), so I'm asking Mrs. Jenny to forgive the occasional grammar and spelling mistakes when she "grades" this week's post on the letter "U".

I do have a very good reason for still being up.  My dear cousin invited me to join her while she attended the monthly meeting of the Sarah Polk chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution).  Our grandmother was very active in the DAR and I remember all of the hard work it took to research her ancestors back to the American Revolution. (This was back before there was the Internet, personal computers, and easy access to a copy machine.) 

Tonight I met a diverse array of women who are dedicated to:

•  promoting patriotism,
•  preserving American history,
•  and securing America's future through better education. 

I learned about the lives of Sevier, Sherrill, and Robertson families from our guest speaker.  These and other early Tennessee families were uncompromising in their belief that people should have the freedom to speak their mind without fear of persecution, to earn a living with dignity, to have a say in the the way they are governed, and to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Those beliefs are not unique to the 1770's and they are not unique to the United States of America.  We have been watching and listening to hundreds of thousands of people in several countries over the last few weeks who are no longer willing to compromise their dignity, keep silent in the midst of injustice, or be resigned to not having a voice in the way their lives are ruled.

These uncompromising souls have shown great courage in recent days.  Occasionally, their voices are heard and governments yield through peaceful demonstration.  More often, however, those voices are answered with violence and further repression. 

Most people want freedom and dignity, but the very strong are willing to show through words and actions that they will no longer compromise a belief "that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness".
 

I am very thankful for those who have fought and died for my freedom and I am using the current world events to help Princess understand how hard it was to create this great country of ours.  May we never forget sacrifices made by uncompromising souls for the benefit of others.

Lisa H.