More thoughts about - a New Day

Today - after my tirade yesterday about "who is responsible for the mess we are in" I am turning to Senator Kelly Ayotte, R-New Hampshire, as I just filled out the questionnaire on her web-site and I am hoping she might respond to my response to her thoughts on the future of our nation:

"My grandfather, a decorated World War II veteran, recently passed away at age 98.  He worked two jobs, provided for six kids and he never used credit cards.  The men and women of the "greatest generation" understood that you need to live within your means.  They also worked hard to leave the country better off than they found it.

With over $17.5 trillion in debt and tens of trillions more in unfunded liabilities, our nation's credit card is maxed out.  Republicans and Democrats, with Presidential leadership, need to finally reach the much talked about, but elusive, grand fiscal agreement that "would possibly" (excuse me, Senator, for altering -the language of your claim) put America on a strong financial footing and create a pro-growth economic climate..

First, "an" agreement must address the long-term drivers of the national debt - entitlement programs. Social Security and Medicare are headed for insolvency as early as 2033 and 2026, respectively.  If we don't up-date these programs to reflect the nation's changing demographics, they won't be there for the people who need them.

Second tax-code reform (..."here we go, again" SM)  The existing code is mired in favoritism and crony capitalism that does not drive economic growth.  The code should be made simpler and fairer, with rates reduced for individuals and businesses.  Otherwise, we will continue to see American companies relocate abroad, costing jobs in the U.S.

Tax reform should also allow U.S. businesses to bring back the trillions parked overseas because of our uncompetitive corporate tax rate - so they can invest here, creating jobs, while also adding money to the Treasury for priorities like paying down the debt.

The "greatest generation" had the courage to fight for America's freedom and prosperity.  It's time for our leaders today to honor that sacrifice and secure the futures of (our) generations to come."

Excellent essay, Senator Ayotte.  Excuse me, if you would want to believe I am on my feet and applauding your thoughts.  You and I both know, they are not original.  I have stated elsewhere that my knowledge and understanding came about after decades of review.  I voted for the people I trusted to be my elected Representatives and based on the evidence you and so many others have cited, I - and millions more like me, have been betrayed by the most onerous of all "con" games.  "A little here and a little there and the first thing you know, others will believe in what we are doing."

The game that your predecessors have been playing needs to be closed down, now!

We do not need your words, Senator.   We do need your action, NOW!  You need to initiate legislation that prevents the Congress from initiating even one more action that costs us one more penny.  For anything to be passed, there MUST BE a section that defines precisely where that money is coming from and it's source must be found in previous legislation that has proven to be worthless.

Furthermore, Congress needs to provide legislation that itemizes every Federal agency that exists today, that has as its source of income, the contribution of tax payer dollars.  The Congress and the President will specify those agencies - such as the Department of Defense, that require financing for operations that are beyond the scope of available resources.  All other agencies will be challenged to operate their activities on five percent less that current appropriations and this process will continue until the Federal budget has been balanced.

No "if, ands or buts" will be allowed in determining all appropriate legislation. 

I wasn't with your Grandfather, Senator, but I do know that if his unit was actually engaged in combat with enemy forces, I have it on good authority - my fellow veterans, that every such action was committed to a "do or die" agreement that this battle will be won.  It was not be discussed in committee, nor would it be subjected to interviews with the "press" to see if the results could be do-able.  To a man, they fought and many died.

I suggest that this be the creed of all of our elected Representatives.  They will be directly involved in "righting the Ship of State" or they will resign.  Again, no "ifs, or ands or buts."

We are where we are because many of our elected Representatives were not conscious of their commitments.  They did what they were told to do by their political affiliates - or else they would not receive funding for any attempts to be re-elected.  Let's just get honest with one another.

I understand their predicament.  Unfortunately, they are the ones that have been caught in the proverbial "hen" house and like the "foxes" in my day, they should no longer remain as a threat to the owners of those facilities.

Agreed?  Let me hear a resounding - "Amen, brother"

The Problem in the Church - I

An old friend sent the following to me in his daily blog and I want to repeat what he had to say as I believe it is important.  I am not including his name as some may recognize his past and discard what he has to say.  I repeat his words as now, he is the Pastor on a growing church in a major city and as I said, I believe they are important:

"People everywhere are experiencing aspects of themselves and souls at a level so intriguing that they can no longer ignore it.  Millions of us are considering what we believe about ourselves and why we believe it.  We are also shifting our world view, including what we believe about God, the Bible and the extreme mythologies of Christianity.  And we are doing this while maintaining our cherished experiences of transcendence and spirituality. These are exciting times.  Full speed ahead in self-realization and expanded consciousness."

I am the one who placed the emphasis on his words, these are exciting times, as I believe that is an accurate evaluation of the times in which we live.

Remember, I was born in the midst of a critical period in our nation's history.  Ninety days after I was born, the stock market crashed, I mean, crashed.  Men were known to jump out the windows because they could not face the future and deal with their embarrassment at having been so very wrong.  The "Great" depression followed and it was not long before we were engaged in World War II.  We talk about our victory as though it was common place but the fact is, Germany and Japan were well prepared to end our dreams of a democratic society where even the "man on the street" could achieve whatever he set his heart to accomplish.  Within a decade, we went from literal rags to riches beyond our wildest imaginations.  Happy Days were here again.

Now, watch what has happened in the aftermath.  We got ourselves bogged down in a war in Korea that still is a threat not only to our nation, but all others.  If they started a nuclear war, the whole world be involved.  Then, there was Vietnam and we were embarrassed by the fact that our modern armies could not overwhelm an obviously, out manned group of patriots.  And worse, another group of religious zealots conceived of an attack at the heart of our most prosperous city and we suffered, 9/11.  Now, we are still attempting to extricate ourselves from wars that have seemed to have no end.  And they are not over.

Will it never end, we ask ourselves.  The answer - if you want to study your Bible, wars and the threat of wars will never end until, or if, we begin to embrace the teaching of the One who came, hailed as the Prince of Peace.

So what are we doing?  Look at what we have done.  The war in Vietnam was the beginning of the weariness that a nation suffers when justice is not served.  Count the casualties and you may be able to realize the effect it had on the families of those least prepared to lose their sons and daughters.  Listen closely and you may still hear - from centuries past, Rachael weeping for her children.

We had no sooner begun to forget the agony of Vietnam, than a voice came of of the wilderness from centuries past when God promised Abraham that he would become the "father of many nations".  Do you not recall that Abraham had a son by the hand maiden, Hagar, whose name was Ishmael?   Where were our foreign policy experts when nations like Great Britain were being embarrassed by groups of itinerant nomads, that we now respectfully acknowledge as, the nations of Islam.

A few of their zealots were gathered together in prison cells in Egypt and created their plans for retribution and one of them was named, Osama bin Laden.

There are those who would say our nation was asleep, while the greater truth is the reality that our religious leaders were gathering here and there across our nation and others with grandiose plans for the second coming of Christ.  Oh I know, many of these were as serious as a toothache, they realized that something needed to be done, but it is difficult to involve the people unless they can be prepared for war in the midst of peace.

One of my problems in referring to the immediate past is that the religious leadership of too many denominations have turned their people against themselves.  We witnessed the spread of a new disease, now known as AIDS, and when we realized that it was being transmitted by homosexuals, far too many of our own turned against them.  I was there, in the midst of the opposition as I was a "conservative" Christian and I have to admit, I was sickened by the efforts of those I had called my brothers and sisters.

I stepped aside and began to support organizations that promoted "human rights" and one day I was awakened to the realization that their objectives were no longer focused on the plight of the homosexual, but they had a higher goal, the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Is it any wonder that this on-coming generation is fleeing from the church.

The sin has been named, it is called hypocrisy.  The target is the church.  The future is bleak.  And sadly, those widely known as the leaders in our faith are vainly clinging to the ages old scriptures that were designed to address social problems in another age.

Another day, another senseless killing

I have to assume you have heard about it, or read about, or heard a friend, neighbor perhaps, someone you know offering their opinion on the shooting in Kansas City, at a Jewish retreat center.

I watched the news this morning and came away with this thought - as usual, the media has assessed the situation and came up with their own answers to the inevitable question, why?  Why?  Why not?  The shooter has an established record of being what we like to call, a neo-Nazi.  You know - an offspring of those who followed Adolph Hitler into World War II.  Not many of us are alive to remember those days,  I happen to be fortunate enough to have been one of those who remembered and still, tremble.

I was intrigued by the feeling that none of the reporters looked on this guy as a murderer.  After all, he shot his victims down in broad day light, murdered them as they were going about a daily routine.  Now of course, we are going to have an extended period of time while the lawyers and the psychiatrists tell us what they believe we need to know about murdering and, murderers.

I have listened to their thoughts and have evaluated them against the lives of the three murderers I have personally known in my life time.  Actually, there were four, but one was the father of a class mate of mine in grammar school and I really didn't know him as well as I knew his sons.  He killed one of them only because the boy wanted to join the Army and the father apparently feared that he might be sent to Germany and kill their cousins, or others related to the family.  He would eventually die in prison.

The other three, on the other hand, were - at one time, or have become close friends of mine.  The first one I met on a troopship headed for Japan as I occupied the top bunk in an eight tiered arrangement.  He slept below me and the fellow he would eventually kill, slept opposite from us in the adjoining tier. Most of us on that ship were little more than kids, some of whom we got to know better than others on the thirty-one days we spent at sea, from New York harbor, through the Panama Canal and eventually debarking in Yokohama, Japan.  From there, we were "distributed" throughout Japan; the three of us happened to be stationed at the same air base, North of Tokyo.  As raw recruits, we were assigned to our different squadrons depending on our job assignment.  I went one way, they went another. Eventually, I would be transferred to another base on the island of Kyushu.

Then one day, I heard the horrifying news.  The fellow who had slept under me on the transport ship had slit the throat and killed the man who had been his buddy.  It happened as he had broken into the base PX - expecting to steal a camera, and he was met by the other who had been sleeping there to ward off thieves.  He slit his throat and left him to die.  Eventually, he met a courts-marshal and was sentenced to death by hanging.  General MacArthur had mercy on him and changed the sentence to life in prison.  Before he was returned to the States, I had an opportunity to visit with him and really did not recognize him as the bright eyed kid who loved to tease the rest of us and spent his time, telling jokes.

We would eventually meet again, but that is an episode in my life that needs more explanation than is available today.

The next guy I met had just been released from prison after having been convicted for the murder of two women who had been working for him in South Florida.  He was a very intelligent young man and I would learn that he had been earlier convicted of a daring jewel theft when he was little more than a teenager.  I was to be his counselor, but then he was moved out of the place where we were living and I only saw him on occasion.  I was told he was to be considered, privileged.  There were all sorts of rumors about him, but I saw him as a bright young man with great potential.  He demonstrated this by becoming an evangelist with the people who had helped to get him out of prison.

Finally, I was to meet a young black guy on "death row" in Nashville for the murder of a drug dealer in his home town.  I was merely visiting at the request of a fellow member of the church we both attended.
Michael was a fascinating young man, given his background where he was fathered by a "visitor" and left to be raised by his mother who had other children to raise in a neighborhood where "opportunity" was little more than a buzz word for the white folks in that community.  For the most part, Michael was raised on the streets and eventually, there was an offer for drugs, a pistol, and confusion that would lead to the murder of a man suspected to be a drug dealer.  The police had two boys in custody and they offered "life" to the one who "ratted" on the other.  Michael lost and was sentenced to death.

Then, God intervened in the form of a Pastor visiting the prison and shared with Michael, the truly good news of the plan of God for redemption.  Although Michael was poorly schooled, he heard the offer and was determined to be able to read and write, skills that he now possesses that are a tribute to the fact that if you really are motivated to move towards the "good" life, you can.  I happen to be a college graduate and if others might dare to suggest I am a scholar, I like to tell them about Michael.  The good news is that the death sentence has been removed and he is now eligible for parole.

Three men, three very "wise" men have visited me in my life and each has inspired me to greater things in life than to waste it away, talking about my college degree.

What they have inspired me to do is expound on the grace of God that I have witnessed in the lives of these three visitors and others along the way.  I will admit that have I wasted a lot of my life away chasing dreams of one kind or another, none of which have lifted me to the place in life I now enjoy.

When the Bible teaches about the so-called "prodigal" son, it is like His opening my eyes to my own life.

And today, I think about the poor demented soul sitting in a jail in Kansas City.  He is not alone.  There are thousands of jail cells throughout our nation, filled with people who have lost their way in life and their only "product" in life has been the confusion they spread along the way.  And we don't help our own cause as we seem satisfied to affix labels to them and move on - until the next murder.    

Some blame it on the guns.  Others claim it is the lack of an effective education.  And there are those who want us to believe it is because the church has failed in its authentic teaching.

For all of these, I would suggest they look into the mirrors that have framed their lives.  I know because I have had many opportunities to follow my own advice.  Having done so, I share my experiences.