Amazing Grace [History/Politics]

        The hymn Amazing Grace was written in 1779 by John Newton, a former slave ship Captain. It is a powerful song.  These are lyrics from the song:  “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found; Was blind, but now I see.” Wretch. He was a man who sought forgiveness for his wretched actions of trafficking in human beings.

        There has been a lot of press lately about cities removing Confederate monuments from public property. That is, property owned and maintained by municipal governments, paid for with our tax dollars – the tax dollars of each and every one of us: black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Native American and every other ethnicity you can name.

        Should we erect statues to human traffickers who tortured their victims? Are there “good” traffickers and “bad” traffickers?

        How about traitors to our nation? I mean actual traitors. Real traitors. Not make believe traitors. Traitors who actually fought against our nation? Should we erect statues to honor them?

        Should we ignore evil and those who supported it?

        No, I don’t think that we should rewrite the history of our nation. I believe it’s way past time to remember it. Especially since white supremacy is on the rise yet again. We need to acknowledge what happened and what is happening. Attempts are being made to rewrite history by white washing it; to cover it up and gloss it over like it really wasn’t so bad after all.

        First of all, there weren’t “good” slave owners and “bad” slave owners; there were bad slave owners and horrific slave owners. Owners trafficked human beings with one another. These were men and women who believed they had the right to own human beings. Slaves were punished. They were raped. They were bred. They were slaughtered. Their families were broken up. Children were worked. Slaves were tortured. They had horrible living conditions. They were property. They weren’t free.

        I see people saying that we need to research the civil war and its cause again. No, we don’t. We really don’t. We don’t need to search anew to validate what has been known in this nation since the Civil War was fought.

        Men like General Lee and Thomas Jefferson owned slaves. They owned human beings. They trafficked in human beings. Human. Beings. Just as we have traffickers today we had them then. There were tens of thousands directly involved in the human trafficking (slave) trade.

        I’m guessing that the overwhelming majority of people have never felt the lash of a whip. I was “accidentally” hit by one by my older brother when were kids. One hit. It felt like my leg was on fire. There was a red welt around my leg where it hit. Imagine being whipped with one until your skin was flayed open. Then think about having brine poured over all the open wounds. Slave owner Robert E. Lee did that. Does he really deserve the multiple statues erected to him? Why not just start erecting statues to serial killers because they’re a part of our history?

        One of the many points of contention is that these monuments and symbols of slavery are displayed at government buildings. If people want to display such items at in the private sector that is their right. They can keep their memories alive in their front yards with those black faced yard ornament greeters to celebrate the history of human traffickers along with their Confederate flags. You can call it what you want. I don’t call it patriotism and it isn’t the flag I served under.

        What of Confederate veterans of the Confederate States of America? They were entitled to a decent burial. Their graves should not be desecrated. Neither should their history be forgotten. But…they fought for the wrong side. They fought as traitors to our nation. They fought for slavery. They lost. They weren’t veterans of the United States of America. That’s the nation that they fought against.

        And after the traitors and human traffickers lost they continued to subjugate an entire race through segregation, into modern times. The KKK is still in existence though not as prevalent as it once was. Those that would enslave others still walk amongst us and in far greater numbers than we would like to imagine. They have their heroes. Heroes from the Civil War and up through today. Should government buildings have statues of Grand Dukes of the past of the KKK erected? They’re a part of the nation’s history too. They still threaten.

        How should we honor veterans of the United States of America that fought in the civil war? Does erecting statues to their enemies honor them? Not any more than erecting monuments to the generals and leaders of any other nation that we fought against would.

        Tear them down. Bulldoze them. Remove them to private property if you must. Instead, honor the veterans that fought for the United States of America and against slavery.

        I understand that there are veterans and even people of color who support signs of the Confederacy. That’s just the way it is in this country. People will go to great lengths to support, justify and rationalize their beliefs. That doesn’t mean that they’re right any more than the holocaust deniers or flat earth (seriously), the moon landing was a scam, the earth is only 6,000 years old, believers are right. (Throw in a host of other believers since the last election.) These people aren’t going to have their minds changed. They are true believers.

        There are also those that believe that since these monuments have been around so long it really doesn’t matter anymore; that people don’t care. That’s not just sad, it’s tragic. It just is. And it’s wrong. Lots of people do care; that’s why there has been such interest of late in removing them. We used to do things just because they were right and history is important; and now so are people like the mayor of New Orleans.

        Does it cost to tear them down? Yes. And that is too bad. This is usually where someone will present an either/or argument. Use the money to tear down a monument or feed children. Use the money to tear down a monument or take care of homeless veterans. This fallacy reduces government to only being about 2 things. Government and budgets are about thousands of things.

        I believe that Union veterans of the civil war said it best in 1903 when they successfully opposed a statue of Robert E. Lee being placed upon the battlefield at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. From that time: John Stewart of Chambersburg argued, “But what is to be gained by putting this statue of Lee on Gettysburg battlefield? If you want historical accuracy as your excuse, then place upon this field a statue of Lee holding in his hand the banner under which he fought, bearing the legend: ‘We wage this war against a government conceived in liberty and dedicated to humanity.”

        

We only get to die once. [CAREGIVING]

NOTE:  This was originally shared on facebook June 23^rd, 2015. (Paul passed away on the 17^th.)

        We only get to die once. There are a few notable exceptions.

        The challenge of life is to try and make the best of each day that we have. Caregiving involves you at the most basic level of tending to a person's needs. It is humbling. Caregiving provides a perspective of how important the most mundane aspects of life can be, that even small things of the day can be cherished and not to take even the simplest effects of life for granted.

        When we had Paul's memorial service Pastor Andrew drove down from Nebraska to be the shepherd for his service. He provided beautiful reminders in scripture of life everlasting. He and Christine are blessings to us. (The role of a pastor's wife is not easy.)

        Paul's long journey ended with the measure of dignity that was possible. We were blessed that he was comfortable, with family and at home. Prayers answered. So many people don't have that in their passing. He was tired and ready to move on. An ending with grace.

        Thoughts of his care were always with us for 12 years. However, we started our caregiving with our mother 17 years ago. Towards the end Kim, her primary care giver, would pray for the strength to provide for her just one more day. His 'mantra' was "Glory be to God." 

        It seems now like the blink of an eye. It has to be said that our faith sustained us throughout, especially those times where we faltered in our belief that we could do it.

        A beginning with grace. And now for the first time in years Shelley and I feel like we can truly relax. An interlude. Time to go to the lobby.

        We only get to die once. That makes how we live so very important. Each day is important. Finding the beauty of each day is important. When Paul first came to us let us just say that he was cautious with his emotions and words. He and I could not have been more opposite. That didn't last. He knew that he was loved even in the most trying of times. He was grateful that I was able to pick him up when he fell. It was a joy to tell him that I could hold him in my arms with love. He was a light load to carry at the end. He was also told every day for years that he was loved. Every day. He said the same in response.

        We only get to live once. Do it right.

Postscript 2017.  It took us a little while to adjust to our new normal but Shelley and I are both retired now and enjoying each and every day.