Soap Box

The heartbreaking incidents we saw in Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend vividly demonstrates the social, ideological, and sadly, racial divisions in our nation, divisions that have been encouraged by opportunistic politicians, self-serving minority leaders, hate groups, radical ideologues and paid rabble rousers.

Whether it�s Black Lives Matters marching down a street chanting about frying police officers like bacon or white supremacists waving swastikas and screaming hateful racial epithets, whether it�s a venue full of college students shouting down a speaker with opposing views or
a random drive by shooting of a rival gang member, they all demonstrate how, not just divided but how, shattered our nation really is.

The reasons for this sorry situation are almost as diverse as the situation itself, but, at least, in my humble opinion, it all boils down to two words, respect and responsibility.

We have come to a point where so many of us have no respect for the views of other people.

The traditional method for settling differences of opinion was debate. Proponents would sit down and look at both sides of the issue, actually listening to and considering the other person�s position and respecting their right to voice it.

And usually middle ground can be found if both parties are willing to accept the validity of the other person�s argument.

Unfortunately, the debates have disintegrated into screaming matches and the respect into total intolerance.

When preceding generations went to school, discipline was the first order of the day, disrespect for the teacher carried zero tolerance, which created an orderly and closely supervised atmosphere for learning, and if you didn�t learn, you didn�t pass.

If you went out for a sport, if you couldn�t cut it, you didn�t make the team, I know, because I�ve failed to make the team and it spurred me and motivated me to work harder to improve myself so I could measure up and make the next team.There were no ribbons for also rans, no consolation prizes for losers, no participation trophies, and nobody patting you on the back telling you it wasn�t your fault that you couldn�t make the grade, that it was really unfair that others did better than you did, that you were disadvantaged for some reason or other and that you should just take your place at the end of the line as the norm for your life, bitter and resentful.

No, what you were told was, if you want to pass this test, study, if you want to make this team, get yourself in shape, if you want to make something out of yourself you�d better accept the responsibility for your own actions and develop a hardcore work ethic.

Respect for law officers, the very people who put their lives on the line for us every day, who risk life and limb by just showing up for work has reached the deplorable level, as evidenced by the amount of police shootings around the nation.

And there are those who, given a chance, would seriously reduce the levels of discipline in our armed forces, the discipline that means the difference between life and death in battle conditions.

An overly permissive society is never equipped to deal with its own results as ideology is seldom practical, given to overkill and unrealistic pipe dreams and in the effort to level playing fields actually tilts them, much as compassionate green minded activists upset the natural order when they try to influence the ecology, bringing about an overabundance of some species and actually contributing to the dwindling population of others.

Human beings were, from their creation, meant to respect authority, to earn their bread by the toil of their hands and the sweat of their brow, to obey the laws of God and man and to sit down and reason together.

My fervent prayer for our beloved America is that we will one day, again, live up to the word, �united.�

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

� Charlie Daniels

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