Dear Mr. President:
You be will be remembered as a president who failed to live up to the ideals of our country. You will be remembered as what not to be. Your presidency will serve to teach children on how people should be treated. Your examples of bad behavior will be a learning tool for generations of children. You have shown the world that we have suppressed our prejudices and have not dealt with them. You have taught fear and doubt on a grand scale. Making people afraid that have no reason to be afraid. You have shown that members of our Republican party of which I am one are basically cowards because they are unwilling to stand for principles because of the fear of losing their jobs. Our soldiers are willing to sacrifice their life for us. Shouldn’t we have the courage to do the same? You have shown that the Evangelicals have lost their moral compass by their complicity. The Evangelicals and the rest of us in our complicity of silence have stained our souls before God, ourselves and the rest of the country and the world. Hopefully they and we can recognize the errors of our ways and make atonement in tangible ways.
John McCain was laid to rest this past weekend. He wasn’t perfect, but none of us are. He believed in the greatness of this country, its people, and the people of the world. He understood forgiveness, when he could have chosen bitterness. He understood the value of working across the aisle. Most of all he was willing to put country first over party and politics. He was principled and believed in truth, fairness, character, military strength and as Henry Kissinger said “compassion and the engagement in the world”. All of us should watch the memorial service for Senator John McCain at Washington National Cathedral to be reminded as what we have lost as a country in civil discourse and our ability to solve problems together.
I often wonder what makes America Great. The best example I can come up with is America’s Got Talent. On that show you have people from all walks of life and ethnic groups that believe they can do better and are doing everything in their power to be the best they can be. It is their attitude and belief in a better tomorrow that makes us all better. If we don’t change, then we will fall from within as many a great nation has. As Lincoln said “A house divided against itself, cannot stand.” I believe in America and its people. So thank you Mr. President for exposing our ugly side, so we all can become better. America is already great, but it can do better.
We as a country are losing our soul. This is my attempt to help us reclaim it.