When I wrote last week’s Musing a week in advance and declared that whatever was happening, I was not going to pay much attention, I had no idea that my Musing would run right after one of the most momentous weeks in American history. Two major Supreme Court decisions came down, each of which, in its own way reshaped this country. (As for my week, it was wonderful and you can see some pictures below.)
The Obergefell vs. Hodges ruling did not happen in a vacuum. It is, in many ways, the logical conclusion of the 1962 and 1963 Supreme Court decisions removing prayer and Bible reading from government schools. A featured player in those endeavors was Madalyn Murray O’Hair, who, according to her son, openly stated her goal of bringing down the United States. These rulings effectively began the powerful process dedicated to replacing the idea from our Declaration of Independence that our rights come from our Creator, with the concept that rights emanate from government.
The overwhelming majority of those who supported Madalyn Murray O’Hair, including I daresay, the Supreme Court Justices who signed on to the ruling, did not share her adoration of the Soviet Union or her hatred for America. They weren’t even the Americans and other Soviet apologists around the world who were known as ‘useful idiots’. Those people believed the propaganda put out by the Communists and, depending on their level of influence, helped suppress any facts that contradicted the false, rosy picture those in control painted. Their passionate defense of what they wanted to believe rather than reality made them the unwitting supporters of misery and bloodshed.
However, the average American of good will who felt sympathy for the atheist child in school, or Heaven have mercy, the way too many misguided Jews who saw these rulings as a victory, were mostly good and virtuous people. Those who supported taking prayer and Bibles out of schools were often highly schooled themselves, articulate and accomplished. However, they lacked a Godly moral compass and the historical wisdom that would have told them that their efforts would lead to the dangerous and ineffective school system that exists today. They scoffed at those who claimed that education institutions would be harmed, thereby trapping children of all and no faiths in wretchedness and effectively ending America being a land of opportunity for so many. Many would still argue that those Supreme Court decisions have no bearing on the decline of education, rather they simply happened to coincide. I disagree.
The majority of people supporting homosexual marriage today are neither evil nor stupid. In many cases, they are the result of an education that left them historically ignorant, stripped of a Biblical moral code, and open to manipulation. They are well-meaning, kind and intelligent. Nonetheless, they are being used to advance an agenda that already is leading to suppression of free speech, association and religion—in other words, the end of America as we know it. They sincerely believe the replacement will be better; I sincerely believe it will be a tragedy leading to greater poverty, increased inhumanity and more barriers to opportunity— all results that will dismay these useful idealists.
We are seeing the results of almost sixty years of a societal take-over. Too many in our country, let alone immigrants who are kept from learning what ‘American culture’ traditionally meant, are highly schooled though poorly educated; highly indoctrinated with underdeveloped powers of independent thought; technologically advanced but deprived of the gift of insightful contemplation, highly emotional and poorly equipped to handle thoughts that differ from their own. They pride themselves on ‘inclusiveness’ while exhibiting breath-taking bigotry.
Are there enough Americans willing to still fight for the country of our Founders? It will require individuals who, struggling to feed their families in a moribund economy, will still take the time to educate themselves in history (both ours and of other countries), in politics, in logic and in elocution among other fields. It will require courage, stamina and firmness of character to withstand ad hominem attacks. It will require determination not to be dissuaded by setbacks. It will require faith in God, despite economic and social punishment for that belief. I personally hope I am up to the battle—I will pray for strength and strive to be.
Here are two places to begin. In World War I, especially in Britain, white feathers were distributed to those men who didn’t enlist. It is time to shame those who profess love for this country and God but do not vote, whether in a presidential, senatorial or school board election. There should be 100% turnout among those appalled at the direction this country is taking.
Secondly, we all must fight for the next generation. That means taking charge of our children and grandchildren’s education, protecting them from the culture and presenting loving, coherent and intelligent counter-forces. It will be a full time job, but like the man who planted a tree knowing that it would never grow quickly enough for him to enjoy its shade in his lifetime, it is our obligation to take a page from secular fundamentalists and plan for decades down the road even as we try to fight the onslaught currently heading our way.
Yes! I much favored Mr. Herman Cain.
Lora, as usual, you are making good points. I am shocked at how much less of an attention span I have than I used to have and it is hard to imagine the bulk of people reading something like Thomas Paine’s Common Sense or The Federalist Papers today. Almost all of us are making less informed decisions than we should be.
We have to try and do our best. But I admit that these days, I can see that my best is not enough. Only a God can fix this. Hopefully I can work with him and not against him, and be the kind of person he knows I can be.
In the meantime, it helps to collect books that guide us in righteous ways, sow e can still continue our education no matter how well we feed ourselves or how poorly our government education is. But we have to read those books, not just hoard them, because we could lose even those. We have to make room in our brains for the things that matter. I know I have more focus now that we have very little TV in our home, for instance.
We can speak up as clearly as possible, being civil, but standing for truth.
It will take hope, and faith.
And we need to take care of ourselves so we have fewer health problems, sounder minds, and deeper spirits. God bless us in such endeavors.
I think the country is ready for a competent, Godly, Constitution and America loving president of any color, gender or religion. Unfortunately, Obama didn’t fit any of my criteria.
Once I visited my mechanic after the first election of BHO, and he regaled me with his pet theories on everything that was wrong with this country. “This country is not ready for a black president,” quoth he. “Oh, I said, “…so how did YOU vote?”
He adopted his best unconcerned, deadpan face and replied with a banal little shake of his head: “Oh, I didn’t vote.” If the populace cares not enough to visit the polls, what future is there for America? I cannot forget Emerson’s proverb: “The devil can have his way if enough good men do nothing.”
Still:
‘God is dead.’ – Madalyn
‘Madalyn is dead.’ – God
p.s. Wonderful photos of Grandma Camp!
I agree. I wish there could be a basic test before voting, but even suggesting that would raise cries of racism – which, I think, is what is truly racist as those crying racism would be saying they don’t think parts of our society can be politically or historically literate.
Once again you are spot on. Prayer is still our most powerful weapon. I also agree with Toby that our system has been manipulated and it will be harder and harder to have accurate elections in the future. Civic education should almost be mandatory to be allowed to vote. If you don’t know who your elected officials are but are voting for a certain issue or person, I would suspect your vote has been manipulated by those pushing an agenda or particular candidate. Voting is a right but so is driving. If you don’t pass a drivers test you won’t be driving. The fact that so many people are voting and really don’t understand the concepts and consequences of their votes is frightening. It’s like sports team fan mentality. To many who vote are unable to critally think out side the box. They just want their “team” to win with no idea what their “team” is all about. When we see how conservative groups have been treated by the IRS we should be more than alarmed. I fear our system has been undermined for to long and complacency has been accepted when it should have been exposed. Our freedoms needed protection from within more so than from outside invasions. We are reaping what we’ve sowed. And it breaks my heart. Yes, hard times are ahead.
Toby, you make a lot of points and I’d like to talk further about voter fraud in another Musing – though, in general, if I don’t write something while I am thinking of it, I find it difficult to pick up my thought stream a few days later, and right now I need to make a Shabbat menu for a tableful of guests, and clean our guest room and….So I hope I do get a chance to comment more on your thoughts, but I can’t do it now.
I really agree with 99% of the article… Yet this… “It is time to shame those who profess love for this country and God but do not vote, whether in a presidential, senatorial or school board election. There should be 100% turnout among those appalled at the direction this country is taking.”
Our vote is when the G-d of all creation kicks this tyrants a**, Perhaps with economic and legal means I don’t know, yet they are in for an a** kicking. Recall the Florida Election, it was at this point our voting system became a complete farce. There are many, many ways to vote that do not include the circus that we “voted in”, and continue to “vote in” with this farce.
My solution is to Step 1. Pray for our leaders and encourage others to do so. putting God first. Step 2. Grow and farm all natural fruits and vegetables… and encourage others to do so… “We Decide” what is natural for us, not some corporate lobbyist. We grow food for our families as G-d gave us this right. Step 3. We Destroy the spirit of Mammon… you could probably teach me way more about this than I know as your the expert on these subjects. We pray G-d of all creation makes us good stewards of wealth and material… that we would learn how to “NEVER” love matierial and be more like the Rabbi, and what he speaks of in his book “Thou Shall Prosper”. Greed is our problem, you already know the solution so. For your readers the solution is the “God of All creation, He exists and furthermore is in Holy scripture…” Know this. If you do not study this, you are not doing the correct thing plain and simple. He teaches us how to be worthy to do charity even. This is true… We must earn this with real value, our G-d is mightier than our brains could possibly ever perceive… The END. Thanks for a great article.