It's time to suspend Obama
When we lived in Detroit in 1944-48, I drove to graduate school through a part of town where manufacturing plants abounded. I had always believed in "Creation" until one night when I was awakened by a great explosion and flash of lightning. As I drove to school the next morning, my whole life and beliefs (in God) were changed, for when I drove by an area a few blocks wide where there had been huge piles of rusty steel and iron 40-50 feet high, instead they were now lines of shiny new Cadillacs, Chryslers, Packards, Buicks, Chevrolets and Fords. I was instantly converted to realize that the "Big Bang" theory was a reality because I had heard it and that morning I saw the marvelous result!
Recently Mr. Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers was found to have used enhancing drugs in sports (a game) and is even now castigated, but more importantly, part of his penalty is not being able to play professionally for 65 games. Also, he will not be paid during this time, although he will be paid over $100 million when he resumes his contract, after serving his term of suspension.
We have in this country a chief executive who has lied, stolen, bribed, committed fraud, vilified honor, credibility and integrity of our country. He has encouraged immorality, rebellion, tyranny, removal of rights and freedom for all the 320 million people living in the U.S.A., and bankrupted the Country! The difference between these two prominent people is that the first is being dishonest in a game. The second person holds your medical health and your freedom and lives in his hand. Question: Considering the greater gravity of destruction and subversion of the second person, should he not receive a greater punishment and be relieved from his "playing the game" for a very much longer time than Mr. Braun?
Imagine that you are the parent of boys and girls of school age. You live in New York City and your children attend public school which cost the taxpayer $18,000 for each student (at least twice what it costs in Idaho). Your grandson is to be a senior in high school next year. You receive a letter from him (printed). It is so illegible that you ask your Russian immigrant friend to come over for coffee so that he can either translate it or read it for you, because you haven't a clue of what it says!
As you review the demands of the guidelines for your teachers and administrators, you see that there are stringent rules about their conduct and behavior. School employees are fired for getting involved sexually with kids. Should the people seeking election or those already in office (at any level) who have control of your life and how your money is spent, be any less accountable? Have we as a people become so decadent that we glorify wrong? Why? Because these deviant perverts are a reflection of how we think and live?
Character really does count. In the list of words, where do you find yourself? Your answer defines who you are. Love, hate, honest, dishonest, light, darkness, faithful, faithless, seeing, blind, hearing, deaf, truthful, lying, compassionate, cold-blooded, refined, coarse, Godly, evil, championing life, death, transparent, deceitful, seeking the truth, spinning the lie. The list could go on and on.
Considering these characteristics, where are the people you have elected to the school board, the commissioners, members of the city council, judges, state elected officials and federally elected men and women, the U.S. Congress and Supreme Court and the president? When was the last time you honestly looked at what the president of this country says or does and measured that to a scale of wrong, good, better, or best? And have you applied the same evaluation to your own life?
In Shakespeare's writing he has a father giving wisdom to his son when he is about to leave home. If we all would live by this advice, the world would be an infinitely better place to live.
The admonition was this:
'"THIS ABOVE ALL, TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE
AND IT MUST FOLLOW AS THE NIGHT THE DAY,
THOU CANST NOT BE FALSE! TO ANY MAN."
Would that we and our leaders would adopt these words of wisdom and forever be honest and true.
Is the One who guides your life full of persuasive love, forbearance, unity, compassion and forgiveness, or one of hate, spite, compulsion, division, revenge and death, for the one who does not respond?
George W. Rodkey, M.D., is a Post Falls resident.
George Rodkey
My Turn
OPINION