The Voice of Reason

A Heavy Heart

          While at work today, I peeked onto cnn.com to get the latest about the goings-on in New Orleans and the rest of that striken area.  The news just left me speechless.  The chaos that seems to have enveloped New Orleans is beyond description.  All I could think of as I read of the fights that broke out near the buses that were there to help move some of these people from the Superdome were the images we see in third world countries where people clambor around the back of a truck that is passing out small bags of rice although I cannot recall seeing these people shoot and kill one another or take shots at the truck that is carrying the goods.

          It is just as it has been said: disasters like Katrina bring out the best in people .... and the worst.  I have faced no hardship in my life.  I have been blessed since the start.  I am a child of hard-working parents who took care of my siblings and me.  We were not wealthy by any stretch of the imagination, but we did not know what it was like to do without.  With this kind of background, it is impossible for me to even imagine what it must be like down there right now for these folks who could not (or would not) leave in the face of what was at one time a category 5 storm. 

          Whether I can empathize or not does not stop my heart from sinking with each story.  I would love to believe that I would not behave that way even in desperation, but then I've not had to watch my own children suffer so.  The looters who are carrying armloads of electronics and clothing and smiling while they run have accepted their own reward; they just don't know it yet.  And I'm glad that the police seem to realize that it's just not worth shooting anyone over.  At this point, it seems that the best the police can do is to try and keep the people from killing one another.

          The Red Cross, the United Methodist Committee on Relief, and our local churches are calling out for our help.  We are being inundated with genuine refugees.  May they truly find the presence of Christ in the hearts and minds and homes of fellow citizens.

Gasoline & The "Shortage"

          The news reported today that OH has suffered a $.50 per gallon spike in fuel prices, GA $.40, etc etc etc.  Here in Arkansas wholesale diesel prices jumped $.30 overnight and today on the way home from work, I paid $3.11 for a gallon of regular unleaded.

          Across the southeastern US, heavy trucks were experiencing shortages and rationing from major truck stop chains due to nothing other than an interruption of supplies.  There is still fuel available, but this "panic" buying that I'm seeing on TV from "Joe Consumer" is nothing more than a feeble attempt to save a couple of pennies; the shortage seems only to be self-induced.  Once the line begins, others jump.  I realize that when the tank is empty, it's time to fill 'er up.  I bought fuel today because I needed it; otherwise, I would have waited until I got home where gasoline is generally 10-15 cents cheaper than 30 miles up the road in the capital city.

          Watching the news reports from the Gulf Coast and knowing that some cannot get out and rescue and relief cannot get in, don't you think we have more important things to worry about right now than what's happening right in front of us?  The situation is dire, and these people need us to put aside our petty garbage, look beyond the end of our noses, and help.  We all know that if we were in a similar situation, we would beg for help from someone - anyone - who would be generous enough. 

          New babies were born today.  Someone suddenly realized that Christ is the New covenant that the Lord God made with all of mankind.  New life is all around us.  The situation is only as dire as we choose to allow it to become.  With life comes hope.

          Peace be with you.  And Lord, have mercy on those who are suffering so.

Say What?

          Although it should not come as a surprise, I was truly taken aback when reading today's paper and hearing the news that Pat Robertson, the TV evangelist (really?), has called for the MURDER of Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuala.  Pat Robertson has made some pretty outrageous statements in the past, but this one is over the top.

          If Robertson was nothing more than a political commentator or military history buff or redneck, tobacco-chewing, sister-marryin', gun-totin', bale-of-hay-in-the-bed-of-the-truck bubba, I could understand his sentiment.  However, this man claims to have a direct link to the Lord.  He has tried to convince (pretty successfully, I might add) folks that he has some extraordinary link to the will of the Lord (remember the fire-and-brimstone headed to Walt DisneyWorld in Orlando FL because of Disney's support of homosexual couples?  Well, a good friend just came from there - it's apparently still standing.

          Words fail me as to how I would even pretend to respond to such an absurd notion.  Surely this guy does not believe that the Lord told him to say this?  Or that we would believe him if he made such a claim?

"Absolute" Moral Authority

          Cindy Sheehan is one of hundreds of grieving moms whose children have been killed in Iraq or Afghanistan.  What is unique about Mrs. Sheehan is that she once met President Bush shortly after her son was killed, and now she has been camped out in Crawford TX outside President Bush's ranch.  She is demanding that Mr. Bush speak with her as she stands outside with the press and other war protesters accusing the President of having "killed" her son.

          Columnist Maureen Dowd recently wrote that Mrs. Sheehan had "absolute" moral authority to speak out against this war since she has suffered so in the loss of her son.  However, another gentleman, Mr. Ronald Griffin, has also lost a son in this war.  He states, "I grieve with Mrs. Sheehan, for all too well I know the full measure of the agony she is forever going to endure.  I honor her son for his service and sacrifice.  However, I abhor all that she represents and those who would cast her as the symbol for parents of our fallen soldiers."

          Mr. Griffin also directed some of his comments toward Ms. Dowd and her statement of "absolute" moral authority being possessed only by those whose loved ones have died over there.  Do these grieving parents somehow have more to say than those whose loved one have survived?

          We learned many lessons from the war in Vietnam, not the least of which was one lesson in which it is extremely difficult to protest a war without protesting the participants.  I remember one giant banner at a protest in Washington DC during the Vietnam era which stated, "SUPPORT OUR TROOPS.  BRING THEM HOME."  From this we have surely learned that as we express our concerns about the current war against terror, we must choose our words carefully - and control our emotions - so that while we ask questions, we do not ultimately do harm to those who have fought, those who will soon fight, and those who are currently fighting.  These brave men and women must never doubt that an entire nation prays for them constantly.

          Grief is a powerful emotion that can sometimes bring out the worst in us.  I wrote yesterday about comments that Arkansans had made about the BTK killer in Kansas and what "justice" should actually come to him.  Surely in this case, the good people who lost loved ones at the hands of this guy have more to say about what should have happened than we who are so far removed.  This does not mean that we should not express concern for the criminal justice system.  Kansas is not the only state to suffer from a serial killer or crime in general.

          Making a claim for "absolute" moral authority, however, can be dangerous.  Columnist Kathleen Parker wrote that "while no human being has absolute moral authority on this or any other issue, the 'theory' of moral authority means that those who bury their loved ones have a right to complain and to have their voices heard.  In 'practice', however, it means that people lost in their emotions get a pass from the usual standards of debate and fair play."

          I think that one does not need "absolute" moral authority to express concerns about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I expressed my reservations long before the US rolled into Iraq even as I knew that Saddam Hussein was a dangerous man with a lot of resources and questionable ties to forces outside his private little kingdom.  Did my service as a US Marine grant me "absolute" moral authority to question the decision to invade?  No.  My citizenship in this nation grants me the absolute RIGHT, if not the outright obligation, to question those who run this country IN MY BEHALF.  I am a citizen, not a serf.

          I cannot question Mrs. Sheehan's motives for camping out at the President's ranch for I am well aware that we all grieve in our own way.  She has at least temporarily abandoned her "post" for her sick mom, but the filing for divorce by her husband did not seem to phase her.  She did not rush home for that. 

          The only point I hope to make by such an observation is that grief, regardless of the cause, cannot grant to any of us an "absolute" right to anything other than our grief.  Too often our emotions can run away with us, and we become "absolutely" unreasonable and irrational.  This is what makes protesting under the influence of emotion so dangerous.  We are unreasonable and irrational and in the end, we do more harm than good.  We direct our anger and our grief only where our emotion will send it.  I think perhaps this is what happened to our troops in Vietnam when they returned.  The protesters did not have ready access to our government, so they directed their anger, their emotions, toward the next best thing: the soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines who returned home.

          May we learn from our past.  Amen.

The BTK Serial Killer

          The BTK killer got ten life terms.  It is surely being said that the only reason he was not sentenced to die is because Kansas does not have the death penalty.  I'll tell you what others are saying as well, and to think that some of these comments come from Christians gives me a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that can only be matched by the feeling I got while reading some of this guy's comments about his acts.

          I am a talk radio fanatic.  Since a good oldies station is getting harder to come by, I pass my commute time by listening to news and talk radio.  This one particular station I listen to is rather conservative.  Actually, "rather" is putting it mildly.  As a matter of fact, this afternoon this radio station became the radio station I USED to listen to.

          On the drive home, the topic was about what this BTK killer should be facing instead of a life in prison.  Truly, listening to some of these comments made my skin crawl.  Some of the callers who remarked about this guy's lack of remorse and his callousness apparently could not hear the cold-blooded comments that were dripping from their own mouths (and ultimately from their hearts!).

          These comments might be understandable coming from those whose loved ones were victims of this guy.  However, these callers - like me - are somewhat removed from the situation.  I feel nothing but pity for those who suffered at the hands of this guy.  But what makes us any better than this "monster" (BTK actually denied that he was a monster.  Rather, a monster was in him - his words) when we say that we would LOVE a chance to beat this guy literally to death and look into his eyes while his life slowly and painfully slipped from him?  And this was one of the nicer comments!

          Are there some people who are really so callous that they could actually fantasize about beating another human being to death and somehow believe this to somehow be right?   Exactly what image do they hope to attain for themselves by making such dastardly comments?  Or are their hearts filled with such hatred that they need only a vent through which to express such rage?  Either way, I am not comforted by such knowledge.

          Of course I also realize that some just like the idea of an audience.  I could not help but wonder whether, if given the chance, these mouth pieces could or would actually do such a thing.  If yes, then we have to face the grim realization that these people have no more regard for the sanctity of life than this BTK guy.  If no, then why say it? 

          I'm just rambling now.  I'm a little tired, but it's been so long since I posted anything.  I'm listening to Sarah Brightman sing "Ave Maria".  Wow.  I wish I could understand Italian.  She sings beautifully, and the words - even if I don't understand them - give comfort to such a weary soul.  There is so much hatred, so much animosity.  Debate about anything of any substance is nearly impossible anymore because we don't want to just "win"; we also want to "destroy" something or someone along the way. 

          "Amen, come Lord Jesus."

What Will It Take?

          I have some serious work ahead of me for an upcoming post and separate paper for (hopeful) publication!

          As I was reading this morning's paper, I was reminded of some training I received while serving as a US Marine.  The subject was terrorism, and the presentation was by an intelligence officer.  There were several categories of terrorists, not the least of which were the religious fanatics and the "crazies".  These are the ones who have absolutely no regard for their own lives; they then have no regard for anyone else's life.  For them, life is cheap.

          Our current situation in Afghanistan and Iraq is dire, to say the least.  In my humble opinion, staying the current course will mean nothing more than that we will continue to read the same stories everyday for who knows how long.  Nothing will change because the "course" we are staying is a dead-end road.

          It is evident that the course for those we are doing battle with includes suicide bombings.  Make no mistake: just because one is willing to die for a cause at the expense of innocent life does not make them any less a MURDERER!  There is a reality here, though, that seems to be ignored.

          If it is true (and I think it must be) that these "crazies" or "religious fanatics" are indeed as willing to be killed as they are to kill, then our current course will change nothing.  So what to do?  We cannot overpower an enemy that has no fear of death.  There is no nation with which to negotiate peace.  They have already been convinced by their leaders of the West's "crusade" against Islam.  So what is left?

          This is what I hope to discover very soon.

Suffer the Little Children

          Some of you may remember West Side School near Jonesboro AR from the news eight years ago in which two boys, ages 10 and 13, pulled the fire alarm during school hours and opened fire on the kids filing out of the building during what they thought was a routine fire drill.  Four students and a teacher were killed.

           Each of the boys was sentenced to juvenile prison and ordered to serve until the age of twenty-one.  Tomorrow, the "thirteen-year-old" will be released on his twenty-first birthday.  There has not been too much made of it here in central Arkansas aside from a couple of articles in the state newspaper.  Needless to say, the husband of the slain teacher harbors more than a little animosity toward the boy who will be released to live the rest of his natural life.  I should mention that, according to the juvenile justice system, the young man's record will be completely expunged of the incident.  This is apparently how it works in the juvenile system.

          The young man's mother has told the newspaper that he will live at least "a day's drive" from Jonesboro, recognizing that there is no way he can return home.  The children who were killed were between the ages of 11 and 13.  The young man has apparently made the most of his incarceration, now having plans to attend school and maybe even seminary.

          It's hard to know how to feel about this.  Of course I lack perspective because no member of my family, or even anyone close to me that I can recall, has ever been the victim of a violent crime.  The Lord God willing, I hope never to be put to such a test.  Still, I can remember it like it was yesterday even though it feels like a THOUSAND years ago, almost surreal, like a bad dream.  Much of what I remember were local residents who were, naturally, being chased around by the press and being asked, "How do you feel about this?"  Man, what a probing question that must have been at the time.

          The state legislature actually entertained some proposals that would have allowed the death penalty for capital offenders as young as 13 or 14 years of age (I forget exactly which), but no measure came through even though at the time, it was to date the worst school shooting (Columbine had not yet occurred) in history.  What haunted me most was the number of persons who were quoting to the press, "An eye for an eye ..." believing that each of these boys should have been put to death.

          I remember the day the 13-year-old was sentenced and remanded to the custody of the state.  There was a very emotionally charged picture of the boy in the newspapers which graphically showed the horror as this boy suddenly realized that he could not go home with mom and dad and was then led away in shackles. 

          I was heart-broken and torn at the same time, remembering what I might have felt like at such a young age being taken away to prison.  At the same time, I remember how betrayed some of the bereaved felt with the boys essentially being sentenced to only 8 - 10 years for the murders of their loved ones.

          We mourn such tragedies, recognizing that a severe failure on many levels has occurred.  We lament that the criminal justice system failed in allowing these boys to at least with hope even though 8 years in prison to a 13-year-old would certainly have felt like two eternities.  We wonder if these boys will ever come to fully comprehend what they've done.  We cannot help but to wonder how it could ever occur to such young children to commit such an act.

          Is it the result of broken homes?  Is it video games or too much TV?  It is society's fault, as we've heard so many suggest?  Is the juvenile justice system fair in allowing that a child under the age of 17 is not subject to the death penalty?  Should someone somewhere have seen it coming?

          It is impossible to tell.  The only glimmer of hope to come from any of this is that the young man to be released tomorrow (8/12/05) has indicated an interest in seminary.  It is encouraging that the Lord has somehow taken hold of this young life so that from the ashes of such a tragedy, some good may possibly come as a result. 

          For now, however, it is impossible to see how.

The Christian Paradox

          In the August 2005 addition of Harper's Magazine, there is an outstanding essay by Bill McKibben entitled "The Christian Paradox".  In this essay, Mr. McKibben explores the connection (or, rather, the DIS-connect) between our nation as overwhelmingly Christian and yet being as disconnected as we can possibly be from that which we call our faith.

          He points out, "One day it occurred to me that the parts of the world where people actually had cut dramatically back on their carbon emissions, actually did live voluntarily in smaller homes and take public transit, were the same countries where people were giving aid to the poor and making sure everyone had health care - countries like Norway and Sweden, where religion was relatively unimportant.  How could that be?  For Christians there should be something at least a little scary in the notion that, absent the magical answers of religion, people might just get around to solving their problems and strengthening their communities in more straightforward ways."

          Ah, Mr. McKibben.  We are not so much like Jesus as we are the workers in the parable of the wheat and the tares.  We are more concerned about pulling the tare from the field before the wheat is compromised rather than trusting that the harvesters will take care of that later when the "final trumpet" has sounded. 

          What Mr. McKibben is talking about is essentially this: Christians are very righteous when it comes to exploring the biblical texts while in Sunday School or church.  However, if we take it outside and into the world, we are more afraid of being looked upon as Christian "taliban" than witnesses to Christ's glory.  He believes that for the Christian, there really is no such thing as "practical application".  It's all conceptual and theoretical. 

          The only problem I have with his arguments is this: we cannot compel generous hearts.  We can only plant the seed.  What others will choose to do with that seed that has been planted is truly between themselves and the Spirit who will nurture that seed.  Is it un-Christ-like to demand that the government get its hands out of our pockets?  Is it un-Christ-like to demand that the churches be more intentional about being the faithful witness and not worrying about how the government is spending the money?  Is it un-Christ-like to expect the government to cover our spiritual and charitable deficits?

          I can appreciate where the author is coming from, and I think he's right for the most part.  It is not easy living the Christian life but, God help us, we are working to make it as easy as possible for ourselves.

Smoker's Rights

          In Pine Bluff AR, the City Council has voted to ban smoking in public places.  It's very simple; those who do not smoke should not be forced to breath in the toxic fumes that come from tobacco smoke.

          Needless to say, business owners are up in arms about the whole deal.  Many of these business owners insist that their customers enjoy sitting down and relaxing with a drink or a cup of coffee and a cigarette.  Some reason that if the smokers don't like it, they don't have to come in.

          I am 46 years old and have been smoking since I was 15 years old.  How does this affect me?  I don't live in Pine Bluff, so it might not seem like such a big deal.  However, this is not just a local issue.  Many cities across the country are moving in this direction, and it may very well come to a point when the US government may decide that it's the right thing to do.

           My wife does not smoke.  In fact, I've not smoked in my own home since 1992 when my wife decided that it was not fair that she and the children should be forced to breath in the fumes.  How could I argue with that?  My "right" to smoke ends when the smoke infringes on someone else's right to breath the clean, natural air.  It is much easier for me to step outside for a few minutes to light up than it is for everyone else to step outside for a "breath of fresh air"!

           If municipalities move toward making all public places no-smoking zones, the smokers will learn to "live" with it.  I cannot defend my decision to continue smoking, but I certainly can defend a non-smoker's rights.  Businesses must also understand that none will have any unfair advantage because it will be a city ordinance and will apply across the board.  It is, in fact, a public health isssue, and we smokers had better learn to live with it. 

          The jig is up.  Our time has come.

Our Country 'tis of Thee

          It continues to break my heart when the headlines always remind us that there are US servicemen being killed every day.  I wish it would end but if we withdraw, what then?  When could we expect retribution for all the pain and agony we "caused"?  Recall that it was years after our involvement in Lebanon that terrorists still killed in the name of the innocents who suffered at the hands of US naval bombardment.

          I see letters and commentaries from so many who continue to insist that these military folks - OUR brothers and sisters, husbands and fathers, wives and daughters - have died for nothing more than a war "over oil".  If you just happen to be reading this and you have suffered such a loss in your family, DON'T YOU BELIEVE A WORD OF IT.  Your loved ones have served a noble cause.  Forget what politicians do; our Vietnam veterans got caught up in the middle of a political war as well.  Our boys and girls have accomplished more than we could ever have hoped.  You know those people in Iraq and Afghanistan were truly suffering.  Now they have hope, more hope than they could have ever thought possible.  If we were to withdraw tomorrow, then it may very well be that your loved ones will have died in vain.  The Lord God forbid that such a thing would come to pass.

          Sad to say, I cannot remember the last time I did any serious reflection on what Independence Day really means to me or to us as a nation.  I can't even say that I've given much thought to Memorial Day until I finally got to visit Arlington National Cemetery.  As Veteran's Day goes, even though I am a veteran (USMC), I am not a combat veteran.  Do I think I missed out on anything?  No, of course not.  I also have a difficult time claiming the status of "veteran" when I never had to fight for my life or the lives of those around me.  For those who have endured the heartache and the horror of combat and lived to tell about it, my heartfelt thanks for your devotion to duty.

          I have to ask, though.  Did your service come from a profound love of country?  Was there a time when it stopped being about anything other than survival?  Though I was trained for war, there is no way I can ever know where a person crosses that line between idealism and survival.  When I joined the Corps, I had high hopes and certain ideal that it was "my turn" to stand watch.  In a free republic, shouldn't it be so?  After awhile, it just became a job like any other.  Even the field exercises became mundane.  How easy it is to forget!

          Equally so with Independence Day.  Do we really know what independence means?  Does it mean that we are free to do as we please when we please regardless of the circumstances?  Or does it mean that we are called to a much higher purpose, a sense of duty and responsibility that we may never fully appreciate?  Are we the mightiest nation on the face of the planet because we have found favor with the Lord God, or are we so blessed because "as much has been given, so much more will be demanded", as Jesus spoke to His disciples?

          I choose the latter because we dare not be so arrogant as to believe that the Lord favors Americans over others who will, as I write and as you read, cry out to Him.  "And I will hear their cries ..."

          The Lord God has indeed blessed America.  Now shall we in turn bless Him?