Proud Of my MOM For Actions That Express Her True Beliefs.
@danishcanadian (28955)
Canada
April 30, 2012 9:16pm CST
At first i was just going to put this under "Mom" or "Mother," or maybe under "religion," but in a way this feels kinda political. I suppose it could go under all three.
Anyway, someone I know may be sent to Afghanistan, with his Marine unit (American). My family and I all live in Canada, but are of the first belief that we should support the troops, the human side, even if we don't believe in the war. Feeling worried about my friend, and wanting to support him whether he's deployed, or shipped to a non-combat zone, I asked my mother if she's put a yellow ribbon magnet on the back of her car. To which she replied:
"I already have one. The Mennonites don't believe in supporting our troops, but I still have a ribbon on my car."
Background: Mom's not Mennonite, but she lives in an area very close to a Mennonite community. Mennonites don't believe in the military. my mother, rather than worrying about what they may think of her, decided to express her values on her car anyway. For the record, our family has a ton of friends in the Mennonite community. We respect their beliefs, they respect ours, and neither side objects to how we show our beliefs, because each side knows the other is different. A Mennonite wouldn't put a bumper sticker or magnet on their buggy, even if they did support the troops, which they don't. Again, just a different set of beliefs.
What makes me so proud of my mother is that even though she lives in a very conservative and strict area, she's not afraid to "fly her flag freely" so to speak. Also, the folks in the area respect her enough to know she's flying it for what she believes, not flying it in their faces.
GO MOM!!!! :)
5 people like this
5 responses
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
1 May 12
your mom sounds like an amazing woman! My mother was always overly worried about "what the neighbors would think" and could never have done that. Obviously your mom's integrity and open-mind, kind heart etc have won the people over and differences in personal beliefs don't matter so much. Now if the rest of the world would only follow her example, can you imagine what a peaceful place the earth would be?
2 people like this
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
1 May 12
My late husband was raised Mennonite and he told me all about the pacificist beliefs they had. He knew about my father having been in the army and that the war was a just war so he knew that some of the Mennonite beliefs were wrong. Still he would not use a rifle and the one he got from his dad was fixed so it could not fire. (Well I can always hit the perpetrator over the head with the barrel or use the trusty axes and saw
. He also saw that it was wrong since his family came over because the Russians were starting to turn to what would later become Communism and one of his older brothers did join the military although he did not get a chance to go overseas.
Glad of your mother expressing her beliefs and support our troops over in Afghanistan.
. He also saw that it was wrong since his family came over because the Russians were starting to turn to what would later become Communism and one of his older brothers did join the military although he did not get a chance to go overseas.
Glad of your mother expressing her beliefs and support our troops over in Afghanistan.
@GardenGerty (160879)
• United States
1 May 12
I live in a densely Mennonite community, but it is also a very patriotic community. I respect both sides. I grew up in an air force town. I guess my respect goes back to the reason the Mennonites came to the US in the first place. They came because of their convictions about serving in the military and left everything behind for the freedom the US promised. I am also proud that our country still allows them that freedom. I worked with a man who was conscientious objector in the second World War. His wife was fired from her job because of it, but both were very kind and industrious. I am really off topic here, I see. I am glad your mom has the conviction of her beliefs to do what she thinks is right. Not our of spite, but out of the freedom she has as well.
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
1 May 12
hi danishcanadian you should be very proud of your mom
as she shows what she believes and thats great too.Of course she is not rubbing the Mennonites noses in it at all. My own mom was a lot
like that too. we had Mennonites in South Dakota too and they respected our beliefs and we gave then the same respect too.
I have not seen any here in California.
@kenzie45230 (3560)
• United States
1 May 12
Good for her. Sounds like you got some of your feistiness from her. :)
