A Trifecta for Sanity

Yesterday, June 28, we witnessed a three-fold moment of sanity in the sociopolitical world. Such a "trifecta" is rare and we ought to take a moment to indulge in some good feelings before our battles begin again.

President Bush's immigration legislation was dealt another defeat. Good riddance to the cheap-jobs-for-Republicans-and-cheap-votes-for-Democrats agenda - at least for awhile.

The "Fairness Doctrine" - a thinly veiled attempt of the Left to control the radio waves because they can not compete with conservative talk - was soundly rejected by the House.

And finally, the United Church of Christ, a mainline Protestant denomination, admitted that its policy statements concerning the Middle East were unfairly biased against Israel. A committee agreed that the Arabs share some of the blame for their problems and most of the violence is not the fault of the Israelis.

It is rare to hear see so much sanity in one day...let's enjoy it as we celebrate America's heritage and hope this week.

Welcome to America

This morning I had the honor of appearing on the KSFO AM 560 morning show, hosted by Leigh Rodgers and Melanie Morgan, with Officer Vic providing color, traffic and musical whimsy. Brian Sussman, who hosts his own show on KSFO from 6-8 PM nightly, was the guest host with Melanie and Vic. The topic was the current immigration crisis. A scheduled guest could not appear, so "Dr. History" spontaneously pinch-hit and provided historical perspective of the impact of immigration upon cultures throughout history.

America, by definition, is a land of immigrants. We have an uneven record toward welcoming certain groups at certain times, but overall, we have been, and remain, the first destination for those who want freedom and opportunity. Our sheer size, diversity of cultures, economic opportunities and the values that uphold our land draw people here by the millions.

In 1620 the Pilgrims landed, determined to practice their faith and live at peace with all - they did, for nearly 70 years.

Roger Williams established Rhode Island as a beacon of religious freedom.

In the 1650s, Maryland ("Mary-Land") was founded as a haven for English Catholics, with Lord Baltimore leading the exodus to freedom.

When our Founders wrote the Constitution, they expressly forbade any religious test for political office and forever enshrined the freedom of conscience and religion - the true "First Freedom" - in the first 16 words of the First Amendment.

Bigotry, racism and xenophobia are, alas, conditions of human societies everywhere and American history is no exception. Our Native American policies are a study in moral turpitude and self-deception. The War with Mexico was a pretence for conquest. In the 1850s there were anti-Catholic riots in Baltimore! The legacy of slavery and Jim Crow is still being overcome. The anti-Chinese and anti-Japanese laws of the 19th and 20th centuries are a stain on our history. The isolationism of the 1920s to 1940s kept thousands, perhaps millions, of Jews and other victims of totalitarianism out of our great land.

The previous paragraph reminds me of my history classes in Berkeley and Santa Cruz: America the colonial oppressor...America the racist...America - you get the idea. There were times I felt persecuted for walking in the room - after all, I am a white male, married and middle-class, so I am part of the problem and should apologize for living.

But there are other narrative threads that must be woven into our historical tapestry. Our Revolution was NOT like the one that came later in France! President George Washington spoke at a synagogue - and welcomed people of all faiths or none to be part of the virtuous citizenry our our new land. The Irish who felt persecuted in the 1850s became part of the elite by the dawn of the 20th century. The Asian laborers who built our railroads are now watching their descendants enjoy the American Dream. The African-American and Hispanic-American middle classes are growing and Martin Luther King's efforts are paying rich dividends for many.

Welcome to America - the greatest ongoing experiment in freedom in history.

Welcome to America - we need many "Ellis Islands" to welcome legal immigrants who want to become citizens and uphold our principles and virtues.

Welcome to America - if you are a visitor, we need to know where you are and if your intentions are good.

Welcome to America - a lighthouse to a world that is learning English.

Welcome to America - a land that must not "submit" to any theocracy, especially one designed to destroy our freedoms. People of all faiths or none live with their deepest differences in this nation. Yes, we can persuade and ask people to covert, but coercion and oppression of the conscience have no place in America.

Welcome to America - flawed, but struggling forward; naive at times, but anxious to receive all who embrace liberty and liberty's foundations of faith and virtue.

Welcome to America - and land that does not need to follow in the self-destructive footsteps of Western Europe and wallow in a post-religious vacuum of bureaucracy.

Welcome to America - if you can handle the responsibility that comes with freedom.

Here We Go Again

For thirty years there have been negotiations between Israel and some of her neighbors concerning a "final" geopolitical settlement in the Middle East.

Nobel Peace Prizes have been awarded - but we have no peace.

Israel has withdrawn from major portions of the "Occupied Territories" - but we have no peace.

Israel has offered unilateral concessions - only to be met with ridicule and rockets.

Hamas, Iran and Syria are arming for war against the only democracy in the region and most of the world accuses Israel as being the problem!

Here we go again. It is January 30, 1939 exhumed from the ashes. As Hitler prepares to unleash war on Europe, he blames the Jews for the coming conflagration. In his speech to the puppet Reichstag (Parliament), he declares that any bloodshed in the coming years would be the fault of the Jews and result in their "destruction."

Will we ever learn? Will we ever liberate ourselves from the bondage of Anti-Semitic mythology? Or do we need another war (which will be won by Israel) with thousands dead to remind us of the futility of hatred?

What are the keys to peace in the Middle East? There are two simple ones: Unequivocal recognition of Israel's right to exist within clear boundaries and an end to state-sponsored terrorism.

Until some Palestinian leaders cool their rhetoric and demonstrate real courage, we will live with a tinderbox that could spark far more than a regional war.

Who Will Be in Control?

We are watching the implosion of our civilization one "reality" show at a time.

While neo-pagans try to regulate the environment to the detriment of average workers and Muslim extremists plan their denoument of Europe, Israel and the USA, we worry about Anna Nicole Smith and fools like Don Imus.

England is limiting references to the Holocaust so that Islamic leaders are not "offended." Now we change history to suit religious tastes?

Freedom for any nation rests upon virtue founded upon lasting moral principles. Personal responsibility for the general good is the basis for less governmental interference in our lives.

As the moral foundations of the West crumble, the void created by the dearth of ethical and spiritual vitality will be filled by elites ready to 'guide" the masses to their vision of the better world.

Right now there are two totalitarian rivals for the loyalty of the mindless: Radical Islam and Environmentalism. I am not speaking of most muslims nor am I against significant improvements in environmental policy for our better future. But the radicals in Islam and groups like Earth First! have clear ideas of what the world should look like and believe that those unwilling to go along need to be removed. The leaders of these movements know that it does not take a majority to overthrow governments, just a dedicated vanguard ready to employ any means to achieve their anarchic-apocalytic or oppressive-paternalistic ends.

If the West does not experience real moral and spiritual change, Islam will achieve in 2032 what it could not achieve in 732 - domination of much of Europe.

If America does not awaken morally and develop balanced social policies, intellectual elites will fill the void with controls over speech, thought, and economic freedom.

If all this sounds far-fetched, remember that the French Revolutionaries - without the buffer of strong religious pluralism - watched their dream cut off by the guillotine and Napoleon. Germany's bohemian excesses and spiritual vacuum were fertile soil for the Nazis - who never won a majority in any regular election!

The void of Vietnam allowed the Democratic Party to be hijacked by radicals in 1972 and it has been hard to find too many moderates in that Party since then, especially on family issues.

We have a choice - self-control through adherence to principles or control by elites consumed by their own arrogance and perverted utopianism. If radical Islam "wins", women are uneducated and clothers in burkhas. If Earth First! wins, only select folks may reproduce and a decline in population is welcome to heal Mother Earth.

We do have a choice - but will we get off our couches and away from our computers long enough to exercise our moral muscles again?

A Thoughtful Path

As I observe debates on policies, strategies and values, I am struck by the absence of thoughtful voices. The blaring demagoguery of Rosie declaring that the illegal capture of British soldiers by Iran is a plot by the West to have an excuse to invade Iran is one example of buffoonery among many that permeate the public square. Iran has violated enough laws and treaties that some action is needed; however, that is for the next column!

When I see the hypocrisy of our President extolling our safety against terrorism while undermining our security through terrible budget and immigration policies, I am concerned with the incoherence and instability these policies bring to our nation.

The debate on the war in Iraq is healthy. Stifling dissent is not; neither is undermining the safety of our troops.

What is missing in all the arguments on Iraq is a larger strategic discussion of how to keep a non-territorial, ideologial enemy from destroying our freedoms through fear and violence.

The USA must not be a colonizing, occupying force. We must, with the help of others, confront terrorist dens with strength and refuse to listen to any leaders who will chant "death to the USA...death to Israel..."

Thoughtful people know that Israel is not a perfect nation; however, she is a democracy and is nothing like the regimes she must fight. The looting of Gaza is a prime example of the fact that Hamas and others want nothing less than Israel's destruction...and they will wage as long a war as necessary to achieve their end.

A thoughful approach includes economic, political and social policies that ensure Israel's survival and the creation of a Palestinian State committed to the principle of law. So far, Abbas' own followers are more concerned with rocket attacks against Israel than any real negotiations.

Moving to global warming, we see a similar absence of middle ground and "third way" thinking. Instead of allowing real debate, words like "consensus" get tossed around as an excuse for policies that may do little long-term good and bring immediate harm to our economy and political freedom.

Alternative fuels, excellent land-use policies, careful managing of resources - these all make moral and social sense without the fearmongering.

Religious freedom is also threatened by militant secularists who now want to prohibit religious speech outside the workplace amomg coworkers and edit preaching from pulpits. Fortunately, there are enough sane people in the USA and a remant who remember the real intent of the First Amendment to keep these efforts from gaining steam - but we must be vigilant. Like the Marxists of the 1920s to 1950s, we must beware of "freedom" becoming a codeword for conformity to anti-religious ideas.

McCarthyism is more alive on the Left than the Right these days. Woe to any African-Americans or Hispanics who dare espouse conservative views. Alberto Gonzales' troubles are blown way out of proportion. During the Clinton administration, many more attorneys were fired without a peep from the media. The hatred toward anything Bush does colors everything. The Left's responses to Tony Snow's cancer and Dick Cheney's health problems is one more example of a sick society.

Lest the Right assume some kind of superiority, there is much to be critical about here as well. The current Republican Presidential candidates are as uninspiring as oatmeal without fruit or sugar added. Add to this the failure of conservatives to curb spending, inspire trust and live lives that match their values, it leaves our culture with a gaping void. The thought of Newt Gingrich for President - given his moral and political track record - is depressing.

We need inspiration - thus we see the attraction to Barack Obama. But we need conviction and substance - and Obama will fade when his multiple personalties and image making wear thin. We want to find middle ground to help all Americans - so the Dems move right and the Repubs move left - and the result is not dymnamic progress, but a muddled public square of cynicism and sound-bites. When our news cycles are filled with Anna Nicole Smith, there is something perverted about our social appetities.

Thoughtful people want reasonable fiscal policies, the rule of law (and a long-term strategy) for immigration, careful and cohesive ideas to fight terrorism, and freedom to pursue principled happiness. Thoughtful people know that freedom relies upon debating our deepest differences with civility. I dislike the ideas and methods of Cindy Sheehan - but I will defend her right to be noisy! I will not defend college professors and students who shout down speakers whose views are different. Known supporters of terrorism are called "freedom fighters" on campuses while rock-solid conservative voices are "fascists." This is not a sign of progress.

Here is my challenge to all: Can we debate and work without personal vitriol? Can we lay aside personal power long enough to ensure a future for our children? Ad hominem attacks, name calling, loaded questions, assuming conclusions before asking questions - these all point to people who can not remember their freshman logic courses!

There are answers to the problems we face - but we must first face ourselves.