Dear Friends,
I am a thirty five year old Father of two.
I am deathly scared about the situation of the world, both internationally, and domestically.
I am afraid of "radical Islam" continuing to send waves of hate towards America, and the rest of the world. I am afraid of N. Korea planting spies in our university system, our military even, and perhaps even our federal government.
I am afraid of a 50%+ divorce rate. I am afraid of children left to the family of no one but the state. I am afraid of abortion. I am afraid of killing the mentally ill, the elderly and the infirm, I am afraid that what happened in Nazi Germany (militarily, medically, governmentally) could, in fact, happen here in the United States.
In a recent personal conversation with Senator Patrick Leahy, the good senator reminded me of the horror of horrors that the War on Terror had produced, namely a leak in federal protection for those in custody whom we call terrorists and who may in fact be, but nevertheless are still entitled to due process under law, the truest of American traits.
Will you now join with me to help rebuild the Republic, "One Nation Under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all."?
Whether it was as an Offensive Center blocking for Davidson College record-setting quarterback Richard Howell (current strength & conditioning coach of the Indianapolis Colts) or serving on the Presidential Campaign of Mark Klein, M.D. or teaching scores of on-line students, I am committed to doing what it takes to lead America into a new, brighter, more life-affirming covenant between God and we the American people.
As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. shouted from the mountain, "We can never be satisfied as long as the Negro is the victim of the unspeakable horrors of police brutality. We can never be satisfied, as long as our bodies, heavy with the fatigue of travel, cannot gain lodging in the motels of the highways and the hotels of the cities. We can never be satisfied as long as a Negro in Mississippi cannot vote and a Negro in New York believes he has nothing for which to vote. No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream." ("I Have a Dream" speech, M.L. King, Jr.)
As someone who has been a victim of police brutality, as someone who has seen a black Pentecostal brother show me the wounds of a police-inflicted stun gun, as someone who has been denied due process under law, I stand for Freedom and I stand for America.
Won't you now join me?
God bless,
Rob J King
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
Dear Rob,
I am also a thirty-something father of two. I am also apprehensive about the world that we are creating for ourselves. But I am not afraid.
I am not afraid of radical Islam, because I know that progressive and moderate Islam will win that internal struggle, just as progressive and moderate Christianity won their own struggle during the Reformation. It's time, and it's on the way.
I am not afraid of North Korea, because it doesn't make any sense to be afraid of a cult of personality. There are of course things that we can do, but the most important of those is to provide services and support to the North Korean people as they move with us into the 21st Century. Kim Jong-il will not live forever, and we must prepare for the transformation of that country over the next decade.
I am disappointed at the 50% divorce rate, having dealt with the consequences both as a child and as a divorced father. But I look at the causes of divorce, and see much that can be done to fix it. We are not teaching our children how to be responsible and accountable for their own decisions. We are not teaching them to build solid foundations, either financially, socially or spiritually. We are not teaching them how to be actively engaged in the decisions that guide their lives, and too many of our citizens feel that their lives are out of their control. Solutions to that include health care coverage, secure housing, education and job opportunities. We can't lose sight of the real American Dream, which is to ensure that our children will have more opportunities than we do. Instead we have the American Way of "More, More, More!!!" When the American Way causes our dreams to become nightmares, it's time to reexamine our core values and come up with real solutions.
I am saddened by the abortions that occur. But I am not qualified to take away the right of women to control their own bodies, and I do not believe that the lives that are lost are forgotten by G-d. I firmly believe that those souls are given second chances. The alternative belief denies the existence of a loving G-d, and instead turns religion into domination by an angry god that I want nothing to do with. That's not the lesson of the Gospels.
I am not afraid of repeating too many of the mistakes of Nazi Germany, because I know that the American People would never stand for it. There are enough minority groups in this country to take a stand against such nonsense.
I do not like the framing of the term "War on Terror", and I deny the power of that frame by simply denying my own fear the power that it wants. We can prevent the worst abuses of power by refusing to ignore the lessons of history, and believing that hope and love always wins over desparation and hate. It may take time, and it may take sacrifice, but Love is a much stronger force in the Universe.
I agree with Senator Leahy about the need to follow our own principles and laws, and that ultimately that will provide the solution and the security we seek, not the dismantling of our way of life and the structure of our society by ignoring our principles and laws.
I have an expansion on the words of Dr. King. We can never be satisfied as long as ANYONE is the victim of police brutality. We can never be satisfied as long as ANYONE lives and sleeps on the streets. We can never be satisfied as long as there are nations around the world where the citizens do not have the right to express their desires for a better world and the opportunities to make that world possible.
I may not be able to support you as a candidate, but I will certainly stand with you as a brother in arms against those who would twist the words of the founders of this country away from our common values. And I will continue to express my appreciation for your steadfastness in the face of insurmountable odds. Because the justice that we seek is the justice that will enable all boats to rise and ride on that stream of righteousness towards the blue horizon of the future. Remember, it's not the destination that matters as much as the way we conduct ourselves on the journey and the security that we maintain for ourselves and others in the thought that we are heading in the right direction.
Chad Lupkes
Seattle
Chad,
We have MUCH in common then!
You are a man of principle. Never lose that! I (believe it or not) was a fan of Bill Clinton and even voted for him twice because I saw him as a man of high ideals, great intelligence (Rhode's scholar), and excellent views on racism, the economy and freedom. But, like King David who fell to Bathsheba, so too did the "mighty King Bill" fall due to a separation of his original ideals and his later power. Not trying to correct you, but just stay true your ideals. America needs them desperately . . .
Having said that, I too would covet your prayers to keep me holy. I never thought that I could enter the political arena, but thanks to the LORD and His Providence in 2006 there I was standing in front of Morton Blackwell, Karl Rove's mentor, learning how to run a campaign (the now defunct Mark Klein Campaign). I never thought that I could re-enter the Academic arena following the divorce, but again due to the LORD's Providence last week I was presenting a paper at the same conference as Supreme Court Justice Scalia and Senator Leahy. All things are possible with God, Amen?!
I will continue to pray and seek the LORD's Will.
Blessings,
Rob J King
Post a Comment