Election cycles dredge up the worst in journalists, pundits, and candidates. The lust for political power colors every news event in terms of how it effects the election. Instead of reporting the facts, the media explain to us what the news “means.” The American people can’t be trusted with the facts; democrats and republicans must strain every sip of information we receive to insure its political taste in our mouths.
On Sunday, May 9, “Meet The Press” was certainly no exception. What a political carnival the prison atrocities have conjured in our nation’s capitol! As soon as the revelations of abuse were illustrated with pictures, courtesy of CBS, the howls for resignations began. NBC gave former presidential candidate General Wesley Clark a forum on “Meet The Press” to vent his hatred for George Bush. Since President Bush had campaigned as Commander-In-Chief, Clark stated that it is fair to blame the president and his leadership team for creating an environment which encouraged the atrocities. Sticking to his talking points, He insisted that the problem is “systemic” in the Bush administration. Perhaps the facts will conclude that he is right, but it is important that we allow the facts to surface before we react out of political bravado. Let those who are responsible be punished—not everyone who disagrees with me politically.
On the same program, Clark and the other guests being interviewed were careful to add that they support the soldiers in Iraq because 99.5% of them serve honorably. Politically, one can not be seen as opposing the soldiers in general. My question to Clark is why not attribute the honorable service of the 99.5% to the environment created by Bush as Commander-In-Chief? Why insist he is only responsible for the half percent who besmirched the honor of our country? Why should a military team with a record of 99.5% efficiency be fired? Of course, that argument doesn’t fit the agenda created by the November elections. As long as hypocrisy is encouraged by the electorate it will continue to flourish in Washington.
If firing Secretary Rumsfeld would change the hearts of wicked men and women around the world I would be the first in line to call for his resignation. Unfortunately, even God sacrificing His own Son didn’t end the wicked behavior of those who choose to follow the darker elements of the human heart. Despite evoking their mantra concerning the world’s “hearts and minds,” Washington partisans are less interested in winning the hearts and minds of the Iraqi people and more interested in winning the votes of the American people in November.
The truth of this entire sad affair is that the problem is indeed systemic. However, neither democrats nor republicans can be blamed specifically. The problem is not a political issue as much as it is a human issue. From the beginning of time, human beings have demonstrated a propensity for wickedness, cruelty, and hatred. Cain murdered his brother from a wicked heart of jealousy. Actions like those perpetrated by some American soldiers in the Iraqi prison have occurred as long as there have been wars or prisons. Warriors have mercilessly exterminated the enemy like so many rodents in battles of every century, including our own. Genocide, ethnic cleansing, and holocausts are products of modern war. Today, prisons around the world and in your home town are filled with cruelty.
To make matters worse, American elitists have come to despise our best hope for redemption: changed hearts through the teachings of Jesus Christ. The “Golden Rule” has been thrown out the window, along with any other reference to God in the public square of America. The children of our world suckle at the breast of racism, nationalism, and materialism. These children grow up to become soldiers, politicians, and voters. Without the influence of Godly instruction our better angels will give way to something ever darker. Our problem is systemic. We are fallen human beings.
The fact that men claim to know God is different than men actually knowing Him. Everything people "claim" isn't true, my friend. In fact, an atheist, who doesn’t even believe in God, who would then turn around and blame God, and not humans, for the ills of society is clearly disingenuous. I made no distinction between the actions of so-called “Christians” and so-called “Muslims,” etc. in my article. You wrongly assumed that I was attacking the religion of others. I maintain that the common problem with religion, politics, and every other convention of society is the one thing all these conventions contain: human being with wicked hearts. I do not intend to defend religion in the article, but I will say this: For all of the evil men have done in the name of God, religion is probably responsible for more good in this world than bad when the balances are set. For every act of hate perpetrated by someone in the name of religion, the words of peace, of love, and of grace created through religion have prevented countless others. Religion gets a bad rap which it often deserves. But it certainly isn’t the worse of man’s conventions.
And once more, your fanning the flames of this mindset by throwing God/Jesus into the mix. It seems your religion dilutes your logical side. You say in one paragraph, "but it is important that we allow the facts to surface before we react out of political bravado". But isn't that what this article is? A reaction to the morals, ethics, (or possibly the religion) of the people out there? I'll agree with one thing, this IS a human issue. "Instead of reporting the facts, the media explain to us what the news “means.” The American people can’t be trusted with the facts; democrats and republicans must strain every sip of information we receive to insure its political taste in our mouths."...did you just figure this out? "As long as hypocrisy is encouraged by the electorate it will continue to flourish in Washington." Would it shock you to know that 90% of Washington D.C. would claim to be devout Christians/Catholics?
The point is, we know their is misery out there. Some of us don't have to watch CNN or the news, it comes to us. The problem then isn't a lack of Godly influence (most senators, soldiers, government officials and even terrorists will claim to have an exlusive relationship with God...and that God backs them) if anything, most peoples religion plays too big a roll in their political beliefs. Misery is just a symptom. The problem is GREED. And the influence America's greed has on other countries. If you haven't noticed, they're not happy with us about this. And if this article was genuinely a "eye opener" or a "wake up call" for anyone, then I'm severely depressed. -Joe
PS- we are not "fallen human beings", the capacity for change is always there...as uncomfortable as it may be.
A well-written and powerful article...a great wake-up call!
Robert
"My question to Clark is why not attribute the honorable service of the 99.5% to the environment created by Bush as Commander-In-Chief? Why insist he is only responsible for the half percent who besmirched the honor of our country? Why should a military team with a record of 99.5% efficiency be fired?"
I would think the answer is simple. Because even if a man does not murder anyone for 99.9% of his days on this earth, if he does murder one man on one of those days, he is to be punished for that exception to the rule.
For the current atrocities we are witnessing in Iraqi prisons, those who are responsible must be held accountable. That includes the Oval Office. The buck, yes, stops there.
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :(