Lessons From A Flat Roof

I’ve been working on a flat roof which covers my back porch.  The roof leaked a bit as Winter was passing into Spring, something which has occurred in the past, and I thought that this year I would fix this leak once and for all.

The first step, of course, was to tear up the old rolled roofing and tar paper to reveal the wooden decking.  Not an exceptionally pleasant task, but a definite must to do the job right.  Roofing nails in the hundreds needed to be pulled, decades of accumulations of roof patch cement and stubbornly clinging rolled roofing needed to be chiseled clean, hammer blow by hammer blow.

Once all the accumulations were removed, even an untrained eye such as my own could ascertain that larger issues than simply a leaking roof needed to be contended with.  Sections of the decking, and the supporting joists, were dry rotted, barely bearing the weight they were designed to support.

The offending tongue and groove decking needed to be removed, board by board, and as each piece was removed, it revealed that another, and another needed to removed in order to get back to sections of the joists which were unspoiled wood, and could be depended upon to actually support the roof decking and be structurally sound.

Once these preparations had been completed, I was fortunate that I could sister in new 2 X 8 treated lumber to the existing joists, rather than having to resort to a complete demolition.

As I was working on this project, I considered how it related to the current state of affairs within these United States.

As Americans, we believe that the foundations of our freedom are sound, as the covering for our freedoms appear intact.  The Constitution of the United States, and The Bill of Rights, still protect us from the government, and yet there are leaks.  Americans are advised that the leaks in these protections are minor, that Congress is laboring mightily to ensure that the leaks are addressed, patched over and monitored for future problems, but there are larger problems than the leaks in these protections which Americans must turn their minds to.

I thought I was contending just with poor rolled roofing on my leaking porch roof, yet when I removed the rolled roofing and tar paper, I noted that a more insidious problem assailed me.  Rotting decking and rotting joists.  So it is with America.  Rotting decking and rotting joists are holding Americans’ freedoms in place, and unless the rotting decking and joists are repaired or removed, the illusion of Americans’ freedoms being protected is going to come crashing down on Americans’ heads.

At this point in American politics, a repair such as I am undertaking, sistering in new wooden joist lumber to support the whole, could still be accomplished, if Americans acted now.  The rot in American politics must be removed or buttressed with principled, uncompromising adherence to freedom.  If Americans do not act now, in all likelihood a complete demolition will have to occur, and the cost associated with such a demolition is not easily borne.

Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on 03/29 at 11:35 AM

Name:

Email:

Location:

URL:

Smileys

Remember my personal information

Notify me of follow-up comments?

Submit the word you see below:


Next entry: Submarine Escape Training Is Not New

Previous entry: "Do I Surrender My Rights"

<< Back to main