I took a bit of a risk posting this picture but I think it speaks volumes about our freedoms that we sometimes take for granted. It arrived in a text message this past weekend with the words, “Happy Mardi Gras!” I later learned that this sign was held along side chants of “Show me your tits” with colored beads flying everywhere and more chants of “You will burn in hell.” Diversity and freedom on many extreme levels!
As crazy as Mardi Gras becomes; in the U.S. we all follow most of the rules most of the time and minimize corruption so that the rules are consistently applied. Have you heard the story of Mohamed Bouazizi, who lit him self on fire in Tunisia? (Wikipedia link) He is credited with starting the chain of revolutions in the Arab world (along with Facebook that helped spread his story & allowed sharing of videos that were not possible before). His story is one of finally reaching a breaking point after the rules were being inconsistently applied once again. It was a rule about his fruit stand scale. The compelling part is he did not attack anyone but himself and his message was received loud and clear by all the others who were unfairly treated. Of course there is much more involved with years of poor living conditions, lack of freedom of speech and food inflation (among many other horrible conditions) that added to the break down.
Can you imagine just a couple of these horrible things? Not being able to criticize the government or having the rules of your business abruptly change on a regular basis? I had to make trips to the Arizona State Capital and Scottsdale City Hall (picture shows Mardi Gras beads on the Cashier sign) to turn in business license forms and fees in the past week. I was whining about the forms and fees and dreading the bureaucracy. It was actually quite easy and pleasant. I shifted out of complaining and into gratitude for our rules and freedom and our extreme diversity of expression, even when that expression makes me cringe. Happy Mardi Gras!
What freedom or rules are you grateful for?