Dedication: WAR! WAR! WHAT IS IT GOOD FOR? - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!©

Dedication:


Thanks Pop for everything! I am the man I am today because of you! I miss you so much… Happy Father’s Day to all the true Father’s out there raising strong men and women.


By James T. Morris, Sr., US Army Retired (08/20/1931- 11/18/2004) R.I.P. “pops”
 (Written during initial months of the War in Iraq)

  In recent weeks, the war hawks have been touting the professionalism of the Troops in the United States military.  A point that I take issue with.  I agree that they are sparing no expense in spending taxpayer’s loot. Since the build up since September 11, 2001 has been catastrophic to the American economy.

The use of Reservists and National Guard troops, is an ever-increasing financial burden on the taxpayers of this country, notwithstanding the social and moral deterioration of the fabric of the military family.

  As a retired army veteran, I share the wisdom of veterans from every war from any era, that if the President that we have now had served his country as diligently when he was called during the Vietnam era, as he expect the troops of today’s generation to serve, he would be less eager to talk so loosely about committing the sons and  daughters of Americans families to serve in his personal war.  If one listens to the President speak, they would think that he is on a crusade to fulfill his dad’s thoughts about “a new world order”, not unlike the Roman and British Empire.

Since he campaigned on the philosophy of “a kinder, gentler nation”, when he called himself a” compassionate conservative”, one would think that he would act more out of that “compassionate heart”, instead of boosting a war that most Americans are opposed to.

As for the professionalism of the soldiers he is sending to the Gulf area, most of them - until they were called away from their homes - were next door neighbors, bankers, farmers, truck drivers, and happy to be going home to their families when the job was done.  They have now been whisked away for a crash training cycle that extends probably no further than two or three months in duration.  To any retired professional Soldier this is the same army that we called “weekend warriors” that trained two days a month, and two weeks out of each year.

If the president really knew how to evaluate the qualities of a professional force, he would not allow his lack of combat service to mess up his reasoning.  He is pitting these young people who mostly joined the reserve and National Guard to save enough money to go to college, or establish a foothold in a society where jobs are scarce, and career opportunities are very rare.  While he is posturing for war, he expresses a lack of support for affirmative action, which constitutes a direct affront to many of the hundreds of thousands of blacks and minorities who serves in his “professional military”.

The president’s supporters must realize that they are not demonstrating the true tenets of a “Christian Nation”.  If the president wants a faith based initiative, let him familiarize himself with the bible that he used for taking his oath of office.  It was a special Bible-flown to Washington strictly for the ceremony.  It was a MASONIC Bible, used by men of great wisdom in days past.  Since September 11, 2001, Saber rattling and Bible rattling has set most Americans teeth on edge. They are either being frightened out of their wits with vague alerts that are unclear, or they are being told to assume the mental posture that “theirs is but to do or die, and not to ask the reason why”.

A lesson in R.A.C.E relations – Part one ©

Judge not that ye be not judged. – Matthew 7:1

Individuals are so quick to say that they care for, love or respect someone without truly knowing or even understanding what all is involved with the use of these terms. I personally not only want one’s declaration of love or respect, but I also want the corresponding actions that are supposed to go along with the use of these terms.

Thus the reason for what I believe is a much needed lesson in R.A.C.E relations.

Now, this lesson in R.A.C.E. relations is more than likely not what you are probably expecting. It’s not concerning the issue of skin color or discrimination (well at least not directly). R.A.C.E. relations for the purposes of this passage is regarding how we as human beings are mandated to treat one another.

The acronym R.A.C.E. stands for:

R – Respect
A – Appreciation
C – Cooperation
E – Encouragement

Sounds simple enough.

However, experience has taught me that sometimes the simplest things can sometimes be the hardest to understand. I was blessed with this simple yet complex analogy one afternoon and at that very moment it occurred to me just how amazingly the smallest pearls of wisdom can convey the most profound sentiments (Good looking out, G!). I say the acronym R.A.C.E. is “simple yet complex” because the methodology is simple in the manner in which it is delivered to the listener, yet complex in the manner in which it is put into action.

John Cogley Commonweal once said:

"Tolerance implies a respect for another person, not because he is wrong or even because he is right, but because he is human."

In a nutshell, I believe he was saying that nobody’s perfect. We all make mistakes. This writer has made his fair share. Yet we live in a society that will literally ostracize someone because of a momentary weakness of character. Now, don’t get it twisted…… Karma is not a respecter of persons. What you sow you will most certainly reap. Nevertheless, forgiveness is the zero sum quotient that we ALL should operate from. I know that sometimes that can be easier said than done (Trust me I TRULY understand). However, that does not give the abuser an excuse to continue abusing. Turning the other cheek is all good and everything….. but you only have two. We are mandated to forgive but we are NOT….. I repeat NOT ……..to be anyone’s doormat.

The beautiful thing about the R.A.C.E. acronym is that it can be applied to so many different aspects of the human condition and human relationships. The four components of the acronym speak to practically every situation that we as human beings will face on an everyday basis. To this writer it is merely a shorter version of that age old adage “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. In a perfect world we would be able to respect, appreciate, cooperate, and encourage someone and the recipient would reciprocate in kind.

I guess I don’t have to tell you that this world that we live in is far from perfect.
Everyday - if we are truly honest with ourselves - we see examples of an imperfect world trying to hold people to standards of perfection. Show me someone who thinks they are always right and I will show you someone that is seriously delusional. No one knows everything. Everyday that we live we are learning or at least we are supposed to be. Life is a lesson and the lessons aren’t always pleasant. We experience things for a reason. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding any situation, there is a lesson to be taken from it. The important thing is to learn the lesson. The problem is …. We are too busy reacting to what’s happening to us ….. instead of understanding that everything happens for a reason and that nothing in this life is accidental or coincidental.

Those of us with a relationship and connection to our Creator understand the R.A.C.E. acronym. The beautiful thing for those of us with a connection and relationship to our Creator is that we understand that we have been made promises and that with the completion of every lesson we come that much closer to those promises being fulfilled in our lives. We truly understand that because of our relationship with our Creator we are not to provide anything less than the utmost Respect, Appreciation, Cooperation, and Encouragement to every single solitary individual that we meet and not to accept or tolerate anything less than what we give in return.

So in closing here is just small piece of advice. The very next time someone tells you that they love you or are down for you..... ask them are they willing to R.A.C.E. you. Their answer (for better or for worse) may just surprise you.