It is the solemn question for our time. For decades, we’ve been asked to pick an ideology, choose a political party, focus on one important issue, or choose the cause of the flavor of the day identity group. It’s refreshing and energizing when someone proclaims we should instead focus on America.
The first hymn at Sunday morning’s Church service was America the Beautiful. It’s the poem’s final version written by Katharine Lee Bates. Over the years, some have maintained it should be our National Anthem. Especially those who may view Francis Scott Key’s Star Spangled Banner as too “militaristic” or question his character in a 21st century context. Most do not know more than the first verse of the Star Spangled Banner. If they did, they would see that both Bates and Key attributed the greatness of our country and our freedom to God. Although Bates did it with more poetic flair than Key, their resounding message is the same.
Many Americans embrace the idea of Divine providence being responsible for our country’s historically rapid ascension to arguably the world’s leader. Both Bates and Keys embrace freedom as something worth fighting to preserve and per Bates written into law “confirm… thy liberty in law!”
Many others, we see and hear daily on every television channel, believe our national prosperity and freedom are products of deviousness. That we were set on a wrong path by the people of their time who founded our nation and wrote our Constitution. They view anything outside utopianism as evil. They spew a venomous hatred toward America. A tiny minority when compared to the total population, yet they are made to appear much larger through social and news media. Nothing good stems from such hatred. Nothing good can come from hatred no matter it’s origin. If hatred for any person or group is what motivates you, it is also what blinds you. It prevents you from seeing the truth or anything good.
We have been shown what is good. We can summarily abandon it or passionately hold to it.
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.
And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:8 (NIV)
I saw a disheartening news snippet a day or so ago. It was a video made by Prager U. Incredibly, there are young adult Americans who do not know what we celebrate on July 4th nor do they know the significance of the year 1776. It’s not good for our country when young people do not know the most significant events in our history like the birth of our nation or the current history of the political parties they embrace. When you don’t know what you don’t know, it is easy to become captivated by some smooth-talking person or ideology that life’s experience later teaches you was a far distance from the right way. But, by the time it’s learned, it’s too late. The young are easily swayed. I declare this from experience.
Many young voting age Americans are not well educated, by design I propose, about our history or the various forms of government employed around the globe. That the most leftward of the left hope to encourage these youngsters to vote for their globalist socialist, open borders, no immigration enforcement worldview is the only explanation I can come up with for their current socialist, pro-illegal immigrant anti-immigration enforcement message. They have no message or no ideas good for Americans. They’re building a platform built of hatred and dissent. One that ignores our laws. It is a strategy playing on emotion of hatred for our current administration and empathy for children brought here illegally. Too many destined for human trafficking or gang life. We hear about the two thousand separated from their parents, but nothing about the ten thousand that arrived without parents.
Now, the President is about to select a new Supreme Court Justice, and most likely not his last. There seems to be but one concern. Will the court overturn Roe V. Wade? There is no concern about the Constitution. The concern is about abortion. Would not the patriotic view be that we demand a judge who is a Constitutionalist?
There is a wave for socialism. The government should provide everything. A guaranteed job or wage, free education, free medical care. There is no understanding or knowledge of how socialism has destroyed nations and people. Anyone who does not sign on to the socialism wave is called a NAZI by people who do not know that Hitler’s party was the National Socialist German Worker’s Party. He promised everything the socialists want for today. Indeed, it sounds wonderful but at the end of the day it’s a totalitarian nightmare. We see it playing out in today’s Venezuela.
We have to choose. Do we want to be Americans defending our Constitutional Republic? A place where liberty is confirmed in law, where there is opportunity for anyone who’ll pursue it. Or do we want to devolve into something totally opposite. Do we want to continue to sway in the wind of politics and activism or stand up for and hold firmly to the things that made our country great? Patriotism or politics?
© 2018 JD Pendry – All Rights Reserved
E-Mail JD Pendry: jd@jdpendry.com
