On Lee-Jackson Day

Duty is the most sublime word in our language. Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less.
Robert E. Lee

Captain, my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death. I do not concern myself about that, but to be always ready, no matter when it may overtake me. Captain, that is the way all men should live, and then all would be equally brave.
Thomas Jonathan “Stonewall” Jackson

As Virginia commemorates the 150th Anniversary of the Civil War, we come once again to that controversial holiday known as Lee-Jackson Day. The day was named by by Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

It is important to remember the war, and the past. For far too long Virginia and her sister states attempted to cast this history in the glow of some sort of Gone With the Wind romantic fantasy. It was nothing of the kind. It was an ugly time for our nation. Others will disagree with my notion that slavery was A cause, but not THE cause. While it is difficult for some to understand that the majority of those fighting for the South did so out of a love for their homeland. We won’t get into the fact that racism was just as prevalent in the North.

Lee-Jackson Day was a state holiday in Virginia before that same Monday became known as the federal Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. For while, Virginia celebrated the awkwardly named Lee-Jackson-King Day. That is until then Governor Jim Gilmore introduced legislation to make it a four-day weekend for state workers naming Friday as Lee-Jackson Day and retaining Monday as Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

Lee and Jackson remain favorite sons of Virginia. Some would erroneously portray them as traitors. But they were loyal to their home state, a concept lost in the growth of federalism that we were United States. Lee and Jackson fought with honor for a losing cause, a cause that was wrong. Given time, I think all of the South would have realized slavery was wrong. But Lee and Jackson fought for their homeland with honor and integrity.

Sadly, slavery was eliminated in the United States, but not around the world. Millions of people live as modern day slaves, some economic slaves, some sex slaves.

Rather than debate the good or evil of the Confederacy, justice would be better served to fight against modern day slavery.

To join in the fight against modern day slavery, visit these links.

Frederick Douglass Family Foundation

Not for Sale Campaign

Somaly Man Foundation

Anti-Slavery

Tell Express Scripts not to abandon Wallgreens

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Walgreens for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

 

Regardless of your political persuasion, Washington and the insurance industry have made a mess out of our health care management systems.  That’s why when a system works we should encourage it’s continued use and success.

Unfortunately, Express Scripts, Inc. doesn’t see it that way and is discontinuing it’s association between Walgreens and Express Scripts.

Face it, Walgreens is great.  You can get your prescription and just about anything else you’re going to have a need for in the middle of the night.  They’re conveniently located to most of us and just easy to use.

Now that Express Scripts, Inc. no longer wants to work with Walgreens, customers are going to suffer. Not the least among them are the men and women of our armed forces.  Tricare, the health and drug prescription program for America’s military is a client of Express Scripts.  In an unprecedented move, Walgreens offered an ironclad guarantee that their prices would match or beat anyone else in the Tricare network.  But Express Scripts refused to negotiate leaving our military in the middle of the dispute.

So as of December 31, patients with Express Scripts who had previously used Walgreens as their pharmacy had to begin looking for somewhere else.  There options may not be as conveniently located as Walgreens and there’s an uncertainty about transferring your records from somewhere where you’ve done business, not to mention relied on for your health needs, for years.  Perhaps worst of all, patients are not seeing a decrease in price.

If you’ve been affected by this switch, let your voice be heard.  Comment here, share this post with others.  Call your local radio station.  Write your local newspaper.

Walgreens wants to help and is offering a special discount on the annual membership for its Prescription Savings Club at Walgreens.  Stay up to date on what is happening by following  Walgreens on Twitter  and Walgreens on Facebook.

 

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