I’ve hesitated the last week to write a blog. I am a strong believer in not adding fuel to the fire. With the republican convention underway, you/we/I can write all the reasons why Trump is not the candidate of choice. And everyone and their mother and/or brother can respond with the Clinton laundry list. No one’s mind is being changed. It’s just a giant social media brain debate. Though some of the commentary doesn’t appear to take too much brain.
We also have black lives matter, blue lives matter, all lives matter. Again positions are locked. No real changing minds. And the ignorance of social media isn’t helping, it’s fueling the fire. There is no question that times are dark and there are not a lot of reasonable voices being heard.
One horrific event is being replaced with another. We have Paris, Orlando, Dallas, Nice, Baton Rouge…. Lives extinguished. Families destroyed. Dreams and hopes ended because one person or one ideology decided they knew best. Decided that they could change something by independent bloodshed.
I have always been a strong supporter of our military forces. I have to be. When I was 5 years old, my father kissed his family farewell, walked out the door and blood was shed in Vietnam. His farewell was a goodby. But he was responding to his Country’s cry. Right or wrong, agree or disagree, he was called by his country to serve, so he went. He wanted to go and he paid the ultimate sacrifice. Lives lost, families changed forever for the cause of freedom and democracy.
His calling, and every Marine, Navy, Air Force, Army I’ve known since, is fueled by patriotism, honor and integrity. Five/six years ago we went to a Marine Corps Officers Ball. A gentleman spoke and walked through the wars, military actions, confrontations and battles that the USMC has been part of since its inception. With each event, he said how many lives were lost. I will never forget the chills I got as I was visually and numerically led through the timeline realizing the amount of blood shed for our freedoms. The mass amount of bodies that we stand on. In 240 years, over 1.1 million men and women have given their lives for the freedoms of America. 1.1 million! Double that have been wounded, returning to families and loved ones with visible wounds and in many cases worse, and sometime insurmountable, invisible wounds. And of course, we currently still have thousands of men and women standing in harms way, defending democracy and fighting for God and country.
As few years ago, we traveled to Israel. We went to many biblical sites. In some cases, we were privileged to stand exactly where Jesus stood, where David fought Goliath, or where the apostles launched their boats to fish on the sea of Galilee. At others sites, we hiked to the top of a Tel, a hill create by civilization over time. As an area or town was destroyed – by battle, earthquake or nature – the next generation came in, added a little backfill and built anew right on top of the old. Over and over this occurred. On one 100 degree day, we hiked up to Beit She’an, a very important area which was one of the significant trade crossroads in Israel. As we reached the top of the Tel, we were told there were 27 levels of civilization under us. We were standing on 27 civilizations. Mind-boggling.
I think as Americans, we need to remember that we are standing on 1.1 million men and women who fought and died for our right to stand where we are today. And this in no means accounts for the law enforcement and firefighters who have laid down their lives running towards the danger while we ran from it.
We have two things (yes probably many more) happening in front of us. We have terrorist attacks on American soil and foreign. How much is terrorist and how much is the brokenness of man – I don’t know. Extremist groups will always claim responsibility for any horrific act, because it adds to their threat. But these are times to pray for. Pray for security, protection, for the families who are forever destroyed, for the lives shamelessly taken. Second, we have blood spilt on our streets. I believe that the 1.1 million men and women, including my father, did not sacrifice their lives so that we Americans could pit brother against brother shedding blood just to prove we can. These men and women answered the call of their country and died for it. They were not driven by hate, anger or revenge. They were driven by truth, integrity and honor.
America has always been a melting pot. It was the ideal under which we were founded. All races, religions, creeds and choices. The melting pot is what has made a strong.
I have two thoughts:
1) listen to who is guiding you. If they are creating or projecting mob mentality – anger, hatred and unsubstantiated “fact.” Do your own research. Listen with open ears, and yes more importantly open hearts. We are intelligent people. Well educated with an unending supply of news, documentaries, articles, blogs, facts and commentaries. Learn for yourself – then decide. Oh, and Facebook and other social media sites are not one of these fact-finding or fact-checking places. Truly understand what or who you are supporting.
2) these United States were build on a God-fearing, God-loving people. Part of the civilizations we stand on were based on religious freedoms. You may not agree with religions other than yours, but they are not the enemy. Satan is the enemy and he is alive and well and living in the hearts of many Americans today. We are watching his playground, his plan, his desire play out. He wants you angry, bitter, blaming others. He wants you spreading lies, deceit and nastiness. Each time you post or share hatefulness, he wins. God calls on us to love, to treat our fellowmen with respect and to be the light.
We are living in dark times. We are witnessing on American soil what other countries have experienced for years and years. It is time to pray, real honest to goodness on your knees prayer. PRAY – you, your family and your children – PRAY! It is also time to be a voice of reason. To calm the storm. Reinstate the childhood adage – if you don’t have someone nice to say, say nothing at all. And, if you are going to speak, check your facts and speak to be the light. We know in the end God wins (we’ve read the end of the book), but in the interim, who do you want to represent, God or Satan?
