Beach Speech

By Tammy Derouin

It was a beautiful afternoon in West Michigan this past Sunday, more specifically at Pere Marquette Beach.  What was going to be a quick drive around the ovals, turned into an unplanned stop and included sitting on the rocks while the girls ran up and down the shoreline.

They wanted to get their feet wet.  Thinking they’d run screaming in the opposite direction as soon as the water hit their big toes, I told them ankle deep was the limit.  To my surprise, they didn’t run but they did scream.  They stood their ground as the starred down Lake Michigan attempting not to flinch. 

Even though they weren’t there to swim, they got the usual beach speech.  Respect the water.  It can and will take you down, especially if you don’t pay attention.  Know your limits and do not turn your back to the water.

Once they got used to the icy sting of the water, it was easier to go a little deeper.  Slow rolling white caps gave them the impression that everything would remain calm.  Experience with Lake Michigan told me there’s no such thing as a guaranteed calm.  Of course, the ankle limit was long gone as I starred at drenched shoes and socks.  At this point, I was hoping their clothes would stay dry.  I fired a few warning shouts but then I decided to let them get reacquainted with the big lake.  As I watched them run and play, I couldn’t help draw a few parallels. 

As humans, we like to push our limits.  Yeah, I know I shouldn’t go any further but…  It’s just a little more, no one will notice.  How far can I go before…  So, a couple more warning shouts regarding consequences were fired off.  I was prepared but they didn’t need to know.  How would they handle their freedom?  With freedom comes responsibility.

As they got comfortable with their surroundings, freedom was taken for granted.  Their boundaries were pushed as they tried to go further down the shoreline and a little further into the water.  They began paying less attention to the encroaching water was as the game of tag became more important.  Little pushes and shoves added to the distractions.  I smiled as they enjoyed the fun but waited for the inevitable to take place.

Eventually, they both took turns going down.  They went down easy but it was fun watching them balance on their hands and feet trying desperately to keep their rear end from touching the water.  They shot me that, oh no look.  It’s that classic combination of fear, desperation and maybe if I smile I won’t be in as much trouble, look.

As they played, I contemplated the bigger picture. We take our freedom for granted so we no longer think about the responsibility that goes along with it.  We get busy and stop paying attention to the encroaching forces that will eventually take us down. 

The constant attack on our freedoms, by outsiders and by so called-Americans is reaching a critical turning point.  The only thing more disturbing is the lack of attention, or maybe it’s a lack of understanding, by the American people.  The American people really do care about how they are perceived by others around the world.  The drawback to being overly sensitive to the feelings of others is that you end up destroying yourself trying to please those who really don’t care. 

Those who wish to destroy us, use our freedoms against us.  They also take advantage of our freedoms and our way of life.  They enjoy the many benefits of living here, among us.  They live their lives as they choose; something they aren’t able to fully achieve in their home land.   This includes practicing their religion, speaking freely and creating a life based on their beliefs.

They make full use of their new found freedoms but they actively attempt to undermine those very same freedoms and rights when practiced and exercised by American citizens.  Americans have sacrificed, fought and died for the very same rights our enemies now enjoy in our homeland.   

It’s disturbing to watch the executive eagerly engage our enemy, the media turn American citizens into villains and the bleeding hearts fall for it, hook, line and prayer rug.  Thankfully, there are many American’s who are willing to stand up for our God given rights.  Some make headlines and then are attacked by their fellow countrymen for being insensitive to the feelings of our enemies.  Really, we are going to be more concerned about the feelings of our enemies, the ones who openly call for our destruction, than our survival?

We must decide, are we or are we not, Americans?

“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”

Thomas Jefferson