The Resistance Is Color-Blind

The American Revolution that began in 2020 is being televised.  But has it begun to falter?  The verified President, Joe Biden, carries on with encouraging true American patriots to answer the call.  Extend a hand to fellow countrywomen and men who stand on the other side of the divide.  

Citizens must believe again that even divergent parts can form a greater sum. Be a brother’s keeper in addition to a sister’s good companion.  The goal is for us to embrace our better angels.  We must acknowledge that all of us strain under a great lack if a single person is oppressed. 

Voters raged against the broken political machine the last election, casting their ballots in record numbers despite a global pandemic.  So many souls cried out for public servants, not politicians, who are willing to be diligent representatives of the entire country. 

But one year ago violent insurrectionists, domestic terrorists of the foulest kind, tried to steal the vote.  We mourn the loss of lives, stunned by the ongoing threat to our democracy.  Today is a good day for us to increase our commitment to being loud and making good trouble.

Constituents too often are painted in broad strokes, forced to be either bleeding-heart liberals or conservative right-wing Christians.  A symphony of blended voices is silenced because the subtle nuances of our differing concerns and dreams are overlooked on purpose.  Indifference has infected all levels of the government.

A trickle-down effect is seen on social media.  Anyone not seen as like-minded is considered a threat and something sub-human upon which the truly worthy can step.  The beatings we dole out, compounded by the slurs so readily found on the tips of our tongues are proof of how much this nation needs to heal.

This country advertises itself as a land where everyone is welcome to add their unique beauty to the melting pot.  An us-versus-them mentality is allowed to persist because, in reality, diversity is not embraced as a blessing.  Is our homeland destined to meet its end during a civil war fueled by class struggles, racial unrest, religious intolerance, and mask mandates?  

May a political system rooted in a culture of mutual abuse be destroyed first.  Some will stop singing the blues while others cease feeling red-hot and bothered only if heroes rise to the challenge.  Unspeakable acts of inhumanity have been sanctioned by our government throughout this nation’s shameful history, but past wrongs must be forgiven.

Our children want to watch us transform enemies into allies with whom we can agree to disagree.  Every life respected and protected, especially during this brutal season when COVID-19 continues to rob our neighbors of loved ones, food, shelter, and places to do honest work.  

The 6th of January becomes a day when the brave tap into the power of rebellion, finding themselves on middle ground catching fire.  Our boundless energy used to make sure every person sheltering under our flag is offered liberty and justice in this UNITED States of America. 

Make America Great Altogether

What type of legacy will we leave behind for the next generation of Americans?  I have the sneaking suspicion that the United States of America is becoming the butt of some sad the joke on the global stage.  A superpower loses its status as the leader of the free world because the blind was allowed to lead the unresponsive into the proverbial ditch.  And the blame lies squarely at the feet of every citizen, including me. 

We remain bystanders as The Doomsday Clock jumps forward for our country.  The POTUS was willing to use taxpayers’ money to force a foreign government to provide the ammunition for a planned smear campaign during the 2020 presidential election cycle.  Yet, there are no collective cries of horror every time his defenders suggest the crime of attempted extortion, along with the threat to the democratic process, can be ignored because of a relatively solid economy. 

Homegrown crimes against humanity are that much more painful.  The prince in his ivory tower allowed children to die at the border in the name of a flag-waving.  Worse yet, the dire issues evolving in the realm of Twitter are more worthy of his concern.  The powers that be no longer bother to put up the pretense of touting America as a place where immigrants, hoping to become part of a vibrant melting pot, are welcome even if Spanish is their first language. 

I am pointing a finger at myself.  Every one of our children has been failed.  American students live with the fear of staring down the barrel of a semi-automatic machine gun alongside unarmed sons of a certain complexion realizing not enough people care about them being slain in the streets under the shadow of bruised and battered daughters not being rescued from dangerous homes after their names get lost in the paperwork.  This land is on the brink of disaster.

I would like to blame the downturn in homeland security on “those politicians” in Washington.  However, it is us who elect imposters with charisma instead of public servants who labor to enrich the lives of all voters by reaching across the aisle.  Talking heads are rewarded for pandering to what one side or the other supposedly wants to hear.  We are pigeon-holed into being either bleeding-heart liberals or conservative right-wing Christians.  So many voices are silenced when the subtle aspects of our concerns and dreams are disregarded like this.

The skirmishes in the streets and up on The Hill reflect a deep-seated unwillingness to redefine the definition of community.  A nation really is a ginormous extended family filled with people who should not spend the holidays together but must support each other at critical moments.  There is a death knoll ringing from sea to polluted sea.  We will continue to be a part of decaying potential until each patriot holds herself accountable for not getting involved.  We become stumble blocks to effective collaboration if we are not activists at the grass roots. 

By the way, good ole Uncle Sam has not remained true to his roots.  Our nation was founded on the ideal of bestowing the blessings of liberty upon anyone regardless of race, sexual orientation, or her desire to practice the religion of Islam.  Hate-crime violence has hit a 16 year high according to the F.B.I.  The diversity found in our society has become a curse instead of a blessing.  We have allowed the treachery of an us-versus-them mentality to taint the consciousness of our society.

Let’s return to the children.  The smorgasbord upon which impressible minds and souls presently feed: class struggles during race riots, animal species going extinct, criminality in the White House, the possibility of gunplay on school grounds, coastal cities under water after prolonged global warming, voluntary segregation, politicians conducting business as usual while the less powerful are forced to bear heavy burdens like inadequate healthcare…  Need I continue?

 

You got the bad news first.  The good news lends itself to brevity.  Americans still have the choice to change the course of history by being brave.  Respond to the pleas of huddled neighbors, despite the superficial differences.  They grow weary waiting for compatriots to embrace the honor of working together to shape the USA into ground zero for offering justice to all, for protecting the environment and wildlife, and for allowing kin to know the freedom of safety in wide-open spaces. 

For the kids all around the globe.

Why Can't a Citizen Reach Her Supposed Public Servant AKA Vice President?

I must post this here because I cannot reach you by phone or email.  It is crystal clear that you do not want your constituents to express their opinions to you except by snail mail.  I wonder why?  Could it be all the angry words so many wish to direct toward your administration?


Mr. Pence,

A follower of Christ has to know that Trump's policies do not reflect an attitude of loving God above all else.  Do you feel like your neighbors, all Americans, are being treated as you would like to be treated?  You are failing our nation and the entire world if this is not true.

Reading the Bible, diligently, helps in a situation like this.  For example, it states: “When the godly are in authority, the people rejoice.  But when the wicked are in power, they groan.”  A great number of Americans are doing the latter. Are you okay with that?
  

The Earth Is Not Ours to Destroy

...The earth is the LORD's, and everything in it.  The world and all its people belong to him.  (Psalm 24:1)

God created a universe filled with spectacular wonders.  However, the crown jewel is a relatively small green and blue marble we call Earth.  It is located in the Goldilocks zone of a small star which we call our sun; he placed our celestial home at distance where it is not too hot or too cold for our fragile bodies.  He shaped the Earth so that we, his blessed and highly favored creations, can hurl through space surrounded by stunning beauty with a multitude of interesting places to explore.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”   (Genesis 1:26)

I think many of us have forgotten how humans are made after the likeness of God.  His power and dominion grow out of his consummate consideration, kindness, and sense of responsibility.  We must be like him.  The Earth belongs to God alone.  The Earth is a blessing, but it is not a gift.  He graciously allows us to be stewards of such a priceless possession.  This means we must actively and wisely direct affairs, in his name, so that everyone and everything living thing on this gloriously green planet is protected from harm.  

Humankind has fallen short and betrayed God's trust.  There are clear signs of how we have abused our power.  There are climate changes; ice caps are melting and ocean levels are rising.  We continue to push animal to the brink of extinction because we need more space or more tusks and horns.  We have poisoned the land, the air, and the oceans with a multitude of chemical, byproducts of unfettered commerce.  

Do we really want our children to remember us as immature and cruel parents who were unwilling to be good managers of the Earth?  Let's make sure they get to see glimpses of Eden.  We must find ways, starting today, to stop destroying what was never ours to neglect.  

A Travel Ban Defies Faith

...This is what the LORD says:  Do not be afraid!  Don't be discouraged by this mighty army, for the battle is not yours, but God's.                                                                                                                                                                                                    (2 Chronicles 20:15 NLT)

The founders of this nation knew the value of freedom.  They wrote about securing the blessings of liberty in the preamble of the Constitution of the United Stated of America.  

America will not prosper unless it fights to welcome people who want to share in our blessings.  We will find ourselves weak and cowering in a corner if this nation allows violent marauders, who indeed want to destroy the USA, make us forget that the Almighty God will shield us from all of our enemies.

Faith allows each one of us to walk, fearlessly, in power and dominion.


What then shall we say to these things?  If God is for us, who can be against us?                                                                                                                                                              (Romans 8:31)

If You Fail, Try Try Again

Failure is not the absence of falling short but the lack of willingness to learn from one's mistakes. 

There has never been a time in our history when this nation found success by devaluing its citizens or abusing its power on the world stage.  The United States of America cannot be the leader of the free world if it has not learned one basic lesson.

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.     (Romans 12:18  NLT)

Who would ever though I would advocate seeking out money?  Yes, the love of it paves the path to destruction.  Yet, it is emblazoned with such great and hopeful words:  In God We Trust.  The wisdom of a people who were fighting to set this nation free from the curse of slavery, but were not quite brave enough to ensure there was liberty and justice for all, speaks to us.  Fellow Americans, may we open our eyes and not be felled by a similar stumbling block.  Serving God and walking in love will bring us all peace.     

Everyday Thanksgiving

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.                                                                                                                                     (1 Chronicles 16:34)

America is a place where I can live in relative comfort.  The supply of fresh water is bountiful and the nearby supermarkets are filled with fresh food of all types.  There is not an imminent of threat of bombs repeatedly dropping on my dwelling.  I do not have the stress of worrying about when the next coup will come.  There is quiet at night when I am ready to go to sleep.  I do not walk but drive over paved streets in a car.  I have experienced the stability of being well-educated with good healthcare.  My internet works as does my television.  Most importantly, I can worship God out in the open without fear of punishment.  I know the blessings continually flow into my life because I was born in America.  But does that mean I cannot speak of having even greater things?  

I will not stop complaining about the state of the union in my blog.  It is because the words full of frustration are not for me.  It is for my niece and every child like her.  They must have a place where they can grow up to be the best they can be.  They need to hear, every day, how beautiful they are and what a good job they are doing while they are shielded from the destructiveness of being judged for superficial attributes.  My mother and father who have lived through the upheaval of the Civil Rights Movement should not experience the disappointment of seeing the fires of revolution fade away.  Liberty and justice cannot become an American dream deferred.  It is mostly for you.  I want to be a squeaky wheel that makes us all listen to everyone else.  

There are so many broken dreams, dashed hopes, and hearts filled with discontent in this country.  Sadly, they are not being acknowledged nearly enough.  This is why I thank the Lord that America is a place where anyone can disagree with how the government conducts our national business, but she does not have to be afraid of being jailed or killed.  We can harness the power of words, plant a seed in the consciousness of many, and see something magnificent grow in our country.