Who Would Have Ever Thought?

I have seen and experienced a lot of incredible things in my lifetime.

Things that at one time I would have never thought I would see happen.

Who would have ever thought? 

A few examples 

I survived being in a home struck with a direct hit by an f4 tornado when I was 11 years old.

The first phone I remember in our home involved a "party line" that we shared with other people in our rural town. I now have a smartphone that I carry with me at all times and have access to most anyone and anything I want in the entire world at my fingertips.

The assassination of JFK.

Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy being assassinated within months of each other.

The moon landing.

The Vietnam War protests on college campuses in the 1970's including the killings of students at Kent State by National Guard troops. In the same week I was tear gassed by National Guard troops at another state university in Ohio as I wandered by a protest at the ROTC building on campus.

The resignation of a President and Vice President in the same administration.

The price of silver at $139/oz and $7/oz. 30 years later.

A 23% stock market crash in one day in 1987.

16% mortgage rates and 2% mortgage rates 40 years later.

A balanced federal budget and a $3 trillion annual budget deficit.

A movie star, a reality tv star, an African American and an 80 year old all becoming President of the United States.

9/11.

The Covid pandemic and the public policy reaction that followed.

Feminists who were fighting for equal opportunities and access for women in the 70's now arguing that biological men have the right to be women and compete against them in athletic events.

The list could be much longer.

"Who would have ever thought" these things could happen?

However, I don't think anything is more incredible to me than seeing people in the United States arguing that the flag of the United States or the singing of the national anthem is disturbing or dangerous.

Have we really reached a point that showing pride and patriotism for your country is considered  disturbing and dangerous?

Source: https://time.com/5675803/america-flag-threat/

Source: https://sojo.net/articles/i-am-afraid-american-flag

Source: https://nypost.com/2021/06/08/nyt-msnbcs-mara-gay-disturbing-to-see-dozens-of-american-flags-on-trucks-in-long-island/

Americans standing for the national anthem in a restaurant is horrifying and a "dangerous situation".

All of these are bad enough but I don't believe any of these compare to the story out of D.C. last week in which a choir of schoolchildren who were singing the National Anthem were stopped midway though their performance by Capitol Hill police as they considered it a "demonstration" that "could offend" someone

CHILDREN SINGING THE NATIONAL ANTEHM IN THE UNITED STATE CAPITOL IS CONSIDERED TO BE A DEMONSTRATION THAT COULD OFFEND SOMEONE?

Source: https://csnbbs.com/thread-971060-post-18963415.html#pid18963415

Source: https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2023/jun/2/childrens-choir-singing-national-anthem-us-capitol/

A children’s choir singing the national anthem at the U.S. Capitol had its performance interrupted by Capitol police who said “demonstrations” are not allowed, according to the choir’s director.

David Rasbach, the founder and director of the Rushingbrook Children’s Choir in Greenville, South Carolina, said he was “shocked” and stunned when the performance was disrupted on May 26. 

“I couldn’t believe that was happening, that they would stop the national anthem of all songs,” he told the Daily Signal.Mr. Rasbach said he had permission from three congressional offices for the choir to sing in the Capitol — the offices of South Carolina Republican Reps. William Timmons and Joe Wilson, and the office of House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, California Republican.

The Capitol Hill police are now predictably saying that it was all due to "miscommunication".

However, how could anyone ever equate singing the National Anthem by schoolchildren in the U.S Capitol to be a "demonstration" "that could offend someone" or "cause issues".

Who would have ever thought that?

We have truly entered territory I could not have imagined in my wildest dreams (or nightmares), 

What is next?

I have to think that almost anything is possible at this point.

Perhaps even the indictment of a former President and current candidate for President for federal crimes by the governmental administration of his opponent?

Who would have ever thought?