For the past 240 years, we in the United States of America have celebrated rights.  In fact in one of our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, you can find these very famous words.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. —

But often we forget the following lines …

That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.

Funny how over time, especially the last few years, our country no longer feels safe.  No longer like a refuge.  In all actuality, this should not be surprising to me.

II Timothy 3:1-5 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. ² People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, ³ without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, ⁴ treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.

Since that pretty much describes our society, I guess the fact that more and more people are no longer decent should not be a shocker.  What I do struggle with is how to be a wife and especially a mother in times like this.

Just this week, Target announced its inclusivity policy to open bathrooms to all people and to no longer designate gender specific locations.  Let me clear on one thing.  I am opposed to bullying.  I am opposed to mistreating others based on their choices.  Yet if I do not agree with their decisions, do I need to applaud them?  Do I need to allow their self-expression to come into conflict with my need to keep my family safe?  Yes, all people have the right to use the restroom.  But a unisex one should be more than adequate.  They do not need to use mine.  As a mother of a young girl, I had no problem signing the #boycottTarget pledge.  I already accompany her to the bathrooms.  Now?  I would no longer feel that either of us are safe.  This issue is far beyond simply getting frustrated with stores who choose to say “Happy Holidays” instead of “Merry Christmas.”

What has happened here is beyond equal rights.  Instead we are creating protected rights.  Those who are making out-of-the-norm decisions that are by far in the minority are now usurping the rights of the majority.  That is a problem.  A big one.  One that will continually to be more and more difficult to solve.