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November, 2001
Listen-Up America!
Along with many other Americans, I am deeply disturbed by the incidence of mass
murder which took place at the Columbine public high school in Littleton Colorado
where thirteen kids, a teacher and two assailants died violent, senseless,
untimely deaths.
Thinking about this as objectively as I am able, it seems to me that as with
the physical sciences there is a cause/effect relationship in human
affairs; as there is, unquestionably, in chemistry or mathematics. And,
when we allow contaminants to intrude or enter into a formula, very
often tragic unanticipated results can occur.
In 1972 the United States Supreme Court ruled that prayer, the Golden Rule and
generally accepted moral values were illegal and could not be taught
in our public school system. In effect, God was tossed out of the classroom.
The following year in 1973 the United States Supreme Court ruled that abortion was
legal and as a consequence 36 million babies have been dispassionately
slaughtered in aboritoriums across our nation. In effect, respect for
life was tossed out of our culture.
And so it continues with pornography being ruled an expression of "free
speech"; as is also the mutilation of our national ensign -- our
star and stripes -- our flag.
Ted Bundy, who sexually murdered 28 woman and girls, can answer to the pornography
issued and our war veterans bear mute but tearful witness to the dishonor
some "free thinking" protesters have heaped upon our American
flag. Thus is vulgarity and perversion approved and love of country
and its flag tossed out.
Since those Supreme Court rulings; violence, profanation and death have accelerated
in our schools, workplaces and communities. Even our sports have become
violent to the extreme with the purposeful intent being to injure or
"knock out" the quarterback, the pitcher or the center.
Television, movies, video games, music, books, magazines and now the Internet promote,
glamorize and even exalt violence... violence that psychologically condition
our kids and many adults to the devaluation of human life and worth.
The answer, it seems to me, is not in taking away the guns of law abiding citizens,
putting more cops on the streets, building more prisons nor in frisking
or herding our school kids through metal detecting devices.
The answer, very simply, is in the hands of morally concerned people who will insist
that candidates running for public office be individuals of demonstrably
the highest moral and ethical worth... that our educational system be
revamped to allow teachers to instruct a respect for life, self control,
personal discipline and responsibility... that parents take a hard look
at their parenting skills and adjust where necessary... and finally
that Christians take the teaching of Jesus beyond the church and weave
it "back" into the fabric of our American culture with our
prayers, our words, our deed and most certainly with our actions!
A representative democracy can only survive if it consists of a moral and free people.
If morality collapses, freedom and privacy will be destroyed by ever
increasing and oppressive levels of rules, regulations, laws, mandates
and restrictions... police, courts, fines, and prisons. I shudder at
the shadowy recollection and similarity to Germany in the 1930's and
40's.
That terrible massacre in Littleton Colorado should be a wake-up call to all who value
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness intended for a moral, free
and involved people. Very simply we are loosing our kids to a profane
and secular culture that cares only for its selfish gratification and
nothing for the sanctity of human life, its dignity, your moral values
or freedoms.
Listen-Up America!
The bell is tolling, indeed has tolled since the early 70's. Shut not your ears
and minds to the urgency of its summons for it tolls for me and mine,
thee and thine!
- Bob Murphy
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