I hate war. I hate the thought of it: the separation from loved ones, the pain and death and cruelty and barbarism. What is at the heart of war? Why can we not live, each in his own country, peacefully? “War is hell,” said General Sherman. He should know. He certainly inflicted a lot of it on the South.
Why do wars happen? What is at the root of them all? Dictators who love power and care nothing for human life? Trying to right a wrong? Evil spreading its ugly talons to grip people and strip them of dignity and freedom? Why would anyone do that? I don’t know. I don’t have the answer. I can only say from reading the Bible, Satan is the author of hatred and sin and death and division.
Since America’s birth, we have always had men and women who placed themselves between their homes and the encroachment of evil. And we have always had families who, though our hearts ached, watched them go and prayed for their safe return. Blessed by God, our country has stood as a symbol of freedom and hope to the world for more than 200 years.
I pray that we remain a Republic and, as President Reagan said, “a shining city on a hill.” I believe we can withstand any outside forces. If the United States of America is ever weakened, that weakness will come from within, from people who have forgotten past sacrifices, people who hold safety dearer than freedom, those who are willfully blind to corruption. May that never happen!
May we always stand firm on a solid foundation, courageous and true to the standards upon which we were built. We look to the past with gratitude and respect; we look to the future with faith and hope. Let’s tell our children about patriots and patriotism and about those who served and those who died. Let’s take a tight grip on freedom and never let go.
Speak Your Mind