Political Reflections From the Corners of My Mind

Life has a funny way of changing course on you.  One moment you think you are heading towards the east, then you encounter a cerebral shift and are headed west.  They call them the winds of change, and they ever blow as you travel this life's journey.  So has been the case with me.

A year ago, I was seriously thinking about an eventual career in politics.  I had recently been elected Precinct Committeeman and Vice Chairman for my district, in the Canyon County Republican Party.  I was given tasks such as creating a facebook page for the Central Committee, and notifying the newspapers of upcoming events.  I think at one time I was given the title "Chairman of Public Relations"...  It was kind of an odd duck fit, since really I knew very little of what I was doing, and didn't ask for the positions.  They just all sort of... happened.  I was liked by people both of the establishment and non-establishment persuasion.  Things were progressing well, for someone who was an absolute novice with future political aspirations. 

Then as I was staring in at the pitcher one evening, he threw me a curveball.  The freaky thing is, I was expecting a fastball.  In laymen's terms, life took one of it's unusual twists.

I had done some minor P.R. work for a man who was running for office; I didn't know him, but after talking a bit with him, felt confident he would stand for my values.  He had a specific promise- that he would vote against the State Insurance Exchange.  It was his big selling point, especially since his opponent was campaigning for it.  I bought his schpeel; I wrote letters to the editor for him, I got others to do the same.  I monitored public forums, making sure he got a positive spin.  I put my name with his... and then, when he was elected, he went back on his promise and voted for said State Exchange.  Umm, yeah, I still have your election literature that says... oh, never mind...

I was... quite frustrated.  But, I am a forgiving person...  So when another legislator drafted an amendment that would offer protections to religious employers, I approached him, asking him to at least support it.  He promised that he would support life and religious liberty, and that I needn't worry- all would be well.  I believed him.  The very next day he went out and voted against it.

I should note that this man was a conservative republican.  As were many other elected officials here in this state who, despite public outcry, voted for what they thought best as opposed to the will of the people.  This was a huge awakening moment for me...  As I realized that all men in politics, regardless of ideology or party affiliation, are the same.  With few exception, they clock in to the state house, they vote for what will best build their kingdom, and the people are left wondering what happened to their knight in shining armor that was supposed to be "The One".

It was in this moment in life that I came to the astonishing conclusion that very little done on the battlefield of politics is relevant to the end game.  The system is rigged for failure; it is only a matter of time until this train crashes head on into the wall it is racing toward. And we, the general public, are left with the all important question: Do we carry on with this quest? Or do we divert to something that will have lasting impact?

Everyone must answer that question for themselves; for me, the answer is to refocus and to redeem the time.  I have set aside my political aspirations. I have stepped out of any future election races.  Lasting change can only be won on one battleground: the heart.  As I pointed out to a dear friend of mine, even if all you want were to come to fruition, even if you got the leaders and the laws the way you want- if the heart of the people remains as is, in four years your efforts will vanish like a vapor. 

At the end of the day, I do not believe in stressing over the possibilities of what may or may not happen anyway.  This country may be in a bad place, but I also know how things are going to end.  Instead of stressing, perhaps we as Christians should be living in joy over the knowledge that light WILL overcome the darkness.  Time is short, and perhaps we Christians have spent too much time going crazy over a pagan society being run by a pagan president and the choices they make.  Remember, we are not of this world.  Our primary concern is not restoring the kingdom of America- but building the kingdom of God. 

Changing a law lasts only a moment; changing a heart lasts for eternity.

America Again

I HAVE TO BE HONEST...

Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012.  That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith.  But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily.  SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman.  I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said...  Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly.  Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum...  only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big.  well, I guess he did come in second...

One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney.  A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate.  A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters.  A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about.  Yeah... that guy.  I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.

I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate.  When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory.  Visions of the end of America floated through my head.  I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.

You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition.  She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support.  The prognosis is dim.  Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be.  Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember.  She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains.  That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader.  Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague.  Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness.  No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her.  Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.

That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope.  Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...

I WANT that America back.

I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.

But I don't see that.  I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.

That is where I was.  That is what I saw.  I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism. 

But then...  I watched something unfold.  It was called hope.  Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief.  No, there was something else here.  It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left.  It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State.  It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son.  It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!

The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours.  The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised.  Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE.  It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again.  It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!

YES!  America can be restored!  There IS hope!  Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory!  Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty! 

My friends, NOW is our time.  They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated.  But NOW is OUR time to rise!  NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!

Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for.  But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs.  Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong.  Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!!  LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!

What do you say?  Are you willing to stand?  Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity?  Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!

Rising From The Ashes of A Dark Night

As a woman lies in the hospital in critical condition, begging for her 6 year old little girl that was killed, I must be honest- I had been looking forward to this weekend for well over a year.  Even as the man learns his son is one of the dead, bringing forth that age old saying that a parent should never have to bury their own child, I must confess that I was filled with excitement leading up to this past weekend.  And as a father lay dead on a theater floor, his 2 sons alive but heartbroken, I had been thrilled at the idea of taking my own son to The Dark Knight Rises- what I believed would be the best movie of this year..

I don't know about the best movie...  I haven't the heart to go see it yet.  But I guess you could say it is the most tragic movie of the year.  What human with a heart is not moved to tears at the horror that unfolded early Friday morning at the movies in Aurora Colorado?   One man- one evil man- shooting and injuring up to 71 people, killing 12 of them.  12 people dead, from 6 to almost 60.  A man dressed, ironically, like the main villain of this last Batman movie. 

Those who left the theater among the living must be thinking, why am I still alive...  While those that were killed have families asking, why were they killed.  And those of us who were outsiders to this story are left asking- why did it happen in the first place?

As I ponder this thought, I am reminded of a scene from the previous Batman movie: The Dark Knight.  If you will, recall with me, when Bruce Wayne and his loyal butler Alfred were discussing the possible motives of the madman known as the joker.  Wayne was having difficulty wrapping his mind around the joker's actions, which appeared to be for anything but money, power or fame...  In wisdom, Alfred commented that sometimes the wicked do what they do for no other reason other than, they are just evil.  I think it would be fair to say, that the writers unknowingly gave us insight into this man's actions Friday morning...  Perhaps his motivation, his driving force was nothing more than- he is evil.  The truth is the easiest explanation- we are all born sinners; but some embrace the darkness much more than others...

I will not take the step, as some have, to use this time of great sadness to push a political point or theory.  There are discussions to be had, to ask what could have been done differently, to ask what can we as citizens do to try and avert such crime from happening again.  We must investigate further, pursuing truth in this case, willing to explore the possibility he was not working alone, and we must turn over the rock and see if there is more danger lurking.  Those discussions are fair and should be held.  But what must not be done, on either side of the political aisle, is to use this as a weapon or tool to push an agenda.  This man has already unleashed enough firepower on us; let us not take up his torment and fire it upon ourselves or our neighbor.  No; the time of playing off the pain of victims is something we must elevate ourselves above- lest we become as much a monster as the man responsible.  It is sick and wrong to take advantage of such loss of life...

What must be done instead, is to look at the frailty of life.  To accept the truth that we are not immortal.  To understand that we have such a short time on this planet.  Whether it be 1 or 100 years we are given, the reality is we just don't know when we take that last breath.  The words of one victim should ring ever true in our hearts and minds- "I was shown how fragile life was... I saw the terror on bystanders' faces. I saw the victims of a senseless crime. I saw lives change. I was reminded that we don't know when or where our time on Earth will end. When or where we will breathe our last breath," said  Jessica Ghawi, after surviving a mass shooting at a Toronto shopping mall- before she was killed, this time in the Colorado shootings. 

We must take advantage of the time given us.  We must make the most of our lives.  We must not waste it.  There is one message, one recurring theme portrayed in the character of Batman; that tragedy can turn into triumph.  We can overcome the evil that drives men like Mr. Holmes. We can learn that if we can endure the pain and accept God's healing hand upon our heart, we can become better, stronger, wiser.  If we will hold on to it, we can rest assured that when it seems we are in the darkest night of our lives, hope is not lost; for we can turn to the One who is Hope incarnate.

My dear friends, as the weekend now turns into the week, as we move forward in our lives, I ask this one simple request.  Do not go unchanged, unmoved by the tragedy of this past weekend.  I know that most who read this will not have been personnally affected by this- but I pray you will be mentally and spiritually affected.  I pray that you will move forward, never taking life or your loved ones for granted.  Hold your loved ones closer than you ever have before.  Make each moment of your life count.  Do not waste it but use it for the purpose that God has given to you.  Most importantly, remember- when the darkness closes in and is suffocating to your soul- remember that hope is not lost, if you would just reach out for it.  Seek hope always, my friends.  It can only be truly found at the foot of the cross, at the empty tomb, in the mercy of Christ the Messiah- but if we hold to that hope, then we WILL overcome the night- and we shall rise from the ashes, rise from the tragedies, rise from whatever comes our way to destroy us.  We will rise!