The State of the Union

I must confess, I couldn't stomach much of the State of the Union address last night, nor of the Republican response. I am more and more disillusioned with politics as usual in this country, and have come to the conclusion that it doesn't matter who is running the show - they would seem to be interchangeable parts without an original thought among them.

President Obama is sending 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan and the Republican Party's response applauds that action - and then continues to say that the President is not doing enough to ensure our national security. I couldn't agree more, but not for the reasons they cite.

The President is not doing enough to ensure our national security because he continues to prosecute unjust wars on two fronts - Iraq and Afghanistan. He creates more terrorists every day the fighting goes on, and in sending 30,000 more young Americans to die in that cause he sacrifices more of the finest young people we have to offer. They sacrifice not to create peace, as politicians would have us believe, but to destroy it. War is never the path to peace, it is only the path to more war. Acts of terrorism, even when conducted by the military forces of a country, lead to more acts of terrorism. The Republican response throws more fuel on the fire of fear by taking advantage of the foiled plot to destroy an airplane in Detroit earlier this month, and like sheep the American people surrender more and more of their rights trying to defend against a fear that exists largely because our Armed Forces continue to fight an unjust war. How do I know it is unjust? I know this war is unjust because there are no just wars - no matter what St. Augustine and scores of others since have tried to argue in order to win favor with temporal powers.

We could have peace in our time by feeding the world, and we could pay for it from the military budget. Not even a dog bites the hand that feeds it, and yet we continue to participate in the endless cycle of violence that is The American Way - Imperialism. I shouldn't be surprised - after all, the wealthy and the religious right in this country are so selfish that they stand in the was of universal health care, preferring that we have the worst standard of health care in the civilized world so that they can fund a terrorist producing war. Fund education? Forget about it. President Obama's 4 billion for education works out to 80 Million per State if it were to be divided equally. We are spending an estimated 820 Million per day prosecuting a war on two fronts. To save you from doing the math, that comes to just under $300 billion a year for the war, vs. a 4 billion increase kicked in for education this year. Why am I one of the few who seems to see that this is a huge problem in terms of priorities?

Do we really want to talk about ensuring our national security? Then let's talk about the millions of Americans who are under educated and who lack adequate health care. Let's talk about the generation of children who will grow up to be angry, under prepared adults because we cared more about chasing Osama Bin Laden and being the best recruiting program he ever had than we did about our own children.

Let's see this for what it is - the largest moral failing in the history of the United States of America. We are a nation that claims to be largely Christian, yet the followers of the Prince of Peace (that would be Jesus, in case you were wondering) are little more than dogs of war. Where is the non-violent protest? where are the preachers calling out from their pulpits for justice and peace? Have we all become so self absorbed, so unable to focus on anything but out own wealth, so heartless, so brainwashed, that we can't see what is happening?

Apparently.

For my part, I will not pledge allegiance to the flag nor will I stand for it, I will neither sing nor stand for the national anthem, I will show no sign of national pride or respect until we withdraw from this war and bring our troops home.

This isn't a political issue, it is a spiritual issue, and since I love and worship the God of Peace and Love - the only God there is, no matter what name you call God by; be it God, G-d, Allah, the Universe, Yahweh, or any other name; all religions and all views of God are views of peace and love - I cannot disrespect my God by pretending to respect a country that is so blatantly opposed to the call of God.

Won't you join me? It won't be easy, we will be criticized and threatened - perhaps even have violence directed at us. Violence is, after all, the American Way. The only hope we have of changing that fact is to stand up to it in non-violent protest. In doing so we follow the very example of Jesus, who the vast majority of Americans purport to believe in but who they betray and deny through their actions.

Here I stand. I can do no other.