Sobering Thoughts As We Approach Our Nation’s Birthday

By Tom Anselm

We head into the celebration of our nation’s birth next week as a land divided. We have been divided before, even as early as when the Founding Fathers battled each other with words in the establishment of this, the United States of America.

So divided were we that even after the Revolution and the Constitution that in 1804, a sitting Vice-President, Aaron Burr, shot and killed a former Secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, in a duel.

So divided were we that the northern states and those to the south went to war over their differences.

A civil war, one that tore the country asunder, killed over 620,000 Americans, with its effects still felt today. So divided.

It gives me a headache anymore to listen to the ‘presumptive nominees’, as the leaders of the Democrat and Republican parties are labeled. One represents the recent past, a past that has been fraught with even more division. The other promises a diametrically-opposite future. One with unknown methods and somewhat frightening consequences. Neither gives me much confidence. Again, as throughout most of my voting life, I am faced with the lesser of two evils for which to vote.

But there is a bigger divide going on than even our national malaise. It is between good and evil. According to Greek mythology, the first woman on Earth, Pandora, opened a box that contained all the evils of the world. She struggled to close it, but it was too late. When she finally shut the lid, Hope was trapped inside.

Evil has been with creation from the beginning. Think the Fall of the Angels, Eve and The Serpent, Cain killing Abel. This newest evil is being brought to us under the form of terror.

Used to be, even if there were bad guys, we could see them, they wore uniforms, drove tanks, had armies, planes, ships. They were findable, and therefore, fightable. And beatable. Our newest enemies are none of these. They skulk around with bombs strapped to their bodies, backpacks full of explosives, legally and illegally obtained assault rifles. Almost 15 years ago, they used jumbo jets as their weapon of choice. They prey on unsuspecting partiers, restaurant goers, people at dance clubs, those at work. We can’t see them, until it is too late.

They do their homicidal deeds in the name of their deity. As Christians and Jews, Hindus and Buddhists, even those whom claim no faith, we are dumfounded at this rationale. How do you defend against such an enemy? How are they defeated? They have succeeded in planting the thought in the heads of all the worlds’ citizens that it may not be all that safe out there.

As recently as a few days ago, the head of the CIA said that, in spite of all the efforts fighting this enemy, killing their leaders, cutting off their money sources, tracking them as they sneak around in our free societies, these perpetrators of death see to be getting stronger. And that the question is not ‘if’ there will be another attack, but “when.”

Prayer is definitely in order. Peace must be obtained. Can Pandora open up that box again and release Hope? Is it possible that we have already have that Hope, the Hope that can ‘deliver us from evil’, and we are just not seeking it?

Sobering thoughts to ponder as we come to July 4th, and our two major parties gear up for their nominating conventions.

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