When we all think alike, nobody is thinking

Most know by now my thoughts on censorship and erasing history. In fact, my "Rockin' the Bakken" leather work binder features an "I Read Banned Books" sticker.

So of course this latest action by sports teams in New York and Philly to crap on Kate Smith caught my eye. This story argues that if Kate Smith must go, then so must go the New York Yankees. That's almost getting into a censorship/banishment movement I could get behind. Stinkin' Yankees. But I'm standing firm. Censorship bad. Free speech good.

The irony of this team cancelling Smith for actions she took almost a century ago that are only mildly problematic, while their own team refused to hire black ballplayers, is astounding.

So I've been thinking of a way to better make my argument that erasing history does not help anyone, because we won't learn from our mistakes if we don't teach young'ns what those mistakes were. Also, why are we punishing dead people who can't even defend themselves because they behaved according to the societal norms and mores of their day? Also, must everything good a person did (like sing "God Bless America") be erased because they (in some person's opinion) did something wrong?

So my new argument is this: Pretend (or hope) that in 100 years, abortion is considered wrong, ghastly and horrendous. Much like we now consider racism (or any other ism) wrong.

Will then every pro-abort politician, celebrity, singer who is currently pro-abortion, but otherwise excels in their field, be ostracized? Their music banned? Their statues torn down?

Even though by today's standard that is a position held by half the population of our country, and accepted by many, should they be punished a century from now if that changes? No regard paid to the times they lived in? No consideration given that societies might evolve for the better?

I don't know if that helps my argument or not, but I'll stand by my assertion that Kate Smith was a helluva singer, Thomas Jefferson a brilliant man, and General Robert E. Lee was a shrewd battlefield commander worthy of study. We can talk about their mistakes, their decisions, while still maintaining the value they brought in other aspects of their lives.

If we erase imperfect people from the history books and current life, there won't be anyone left to learn from.

Everything is not equal. Kate Smith is not David Duke. She's done less offensive things than the current governor of Virginia. Yet, he gets to keep his job.

The trouble with banning this, that and the other, is the scorecard is hard to keep given the hypocrisy of many of the judges, no measure of shades of gray, and no counterbalance given to the good those people may have done.

Do we not put up a statue of President Obama in Rapid City because up until a decade ago he believed marriage was only between a man and a woman? I think he deserves a statue despite having held that belief. But Chick-fil-a can't be in a particular airport?

We're riding on the crazy train here folks. This stuff needs to be shut down. Let people think, talk, worship and sing how they want. Ban censorship.