Fireworks! It's 4th of July!

It is 4th of July today and to all my American friends, family members and relatives, "Happy Independence Day!" (Go easy on the bbq steak and enjoy the game on tv!!!)

My colleagues asked me two days ago what we plan to do on this day and it got us thinking about doing something 'American' today. Then, it got both of us pondering about what is uniquely 'American'. Perhaps we can have a huge American-size hamburger with lots of fries? If that's the case, where would we go? Micky D's? Burger King? Carl's Jr.? But in today's globalized world, none of these entities are uniquely American anymore. In fact, Micky D's in Malaysia actually has chicken congee on its menu!!!

Today, when you arrive at LAX, you may think that you've not left your home if you were coming from some urban Asian city. There are more Asians (and Hispanics) than white caucasians in most parts of larger LA. The best Vietnamese pho is found in Rowland Heights, California. The best chili sauce to go with the pho is made in and sold only in the USA. Our favorite authentic Thai salad is found only at this little Thai restaurant in La Mirada, California. (We tried to locate something similar when we were in Thailand but to no avail). The best Thai soft shelled crab I've had was in Chinatown New York City.

The world is shrinking so rapidly in so many ways but yet we are more isolated from each other as ever. The new tolerance, if examined closely, is really the old intolerance. In today's 'small' politically-correct world, we are chastised when we make absolute assertions about morality. For example, if we say, "Adultery is immoral or wrong," we would be accused of being 'intolerant' - how dare we impose our 'conservative' (read: archaic) morality on other people.

"That just wrong for you, but not for me!" they would say. Or, in some instances, they would say, "That's just true for you but not for me." Interestingly, by making such a statement, they are in fact saying that their 'tolerant'/'pluralistic' view of morality is true for all people. In short, they are really imposing their view on morality on me! In response, I could say to them, "But your view is just true for you - not for me!" Can you see how such a viewpoint is self-contradictory and self-defeating? It is like saying, “I do not speak English”!

Unfortunately, in our present day and age, such fallacies about morality and truth abound. GK Chesterton, aptly wrote in 1930: "Fallacies do not cease to be fallacies because they become fashions." Hah! I LOVE Chesterton's dry wit humored truth!

Meanwhile, we have decided that we would celebrate 4th of July at the 'tolerant' "Love All, Serve All" Hard Rock Cafe. I look forward to my big huge American cheeseburger with lots of oily fries. You see, Brian has never been to HRC and would like to have that checked off on his "been-there done-that list.

May America bless God!