I did not want to write this post.
Seriously. It’s Fashion Friday time. I had something much more lighthearted to say.
Then a couple of things intervened and knocked me right out of my lightheartedness.
One, a bully candidate bowed out of the debates.
Two, I saw Thirteen Hours.
There are certain things I avoid like the plague on this blog. In fact, if you look over the past five plus years you will not find ONE political post. I love politics. I have political opinions. I find it best not to share them unless you are family or one of my very best friends.
Then Bray and I had a date night. After appetizers and drinks, we headed over for our annual January movie watching (we only manage about one movie date a year). Last year was American Sniper. So of course, what we would we see this year: Thirteen Hours.
It’s a good movie. (The story of the Benghazi attacks. Not a family movie. But a good adult movie.) And I actually managed to hold it together until this flashed on the screen at the end of the movie: Libya is now a failed state. It remains a stronghold for ISIS.
I burst into tears.
I watched a reenactment of these brave and earnest men fight and die, and then saw those words flash across the screen.
Why?
And in striking contrast to raw bravery, what do we see here at home? Grandstanding bullying narcissism.
Y’all. We are watching a grandstanding narcissistic bully. And he’s getting votes. Regardless of your opinion about Saturday Night Live’s political affiliation, when the debate spoof seems oddly realistic, and their characterization of a leading candidate is NAME CALLING and it feels accurate, something is wrong!
We are seeing adult bullies garnering approval instead of reproof.
We have a million school anti-bullying programs, but what does it show our children if we say it’s okay to vote for a BULLY to run our freedom-loving nation?
It. Is. Not. Okay. To. Vote. For. A. Bully. We cannot condone adult bullying. It should be more an anathema than childhood bullying because we should KNOW BETTER.
I do not take any political position here. No issue I am advocating on this platform. But what are we telling our kids if we say it’s okay to yell and call people names and walk away from conversations we might not win? It is terrible.
We have brave men and women fighting real battles for our country. Over life and death issues. Sacrificing their comfort and their families even when the punchline ends up, despite their best efforts, with LIBYA IS A FAILED STATE.
And then we have a self-involved media hound who thinks insults buy him popularity and it turns out HE IS RIGHT. WHY???
Why?
I saw no television on Thursday night. I was at the movies, obviously. So I have no idea what ended up happening and what didn’t and what people covered and what they didn’t.
But this is what I believe.
America needs more bravery.
America needs less bullying.
We are a brave people. I believe we are a good people.
We believe in the American Dream. We want hate to die. We want good to win.
Every single individual person in our country could just say to the loud bullies, knock it off. We have bigger battles to win. You and me, we are not in Libya. We are not in Iraq. We are not in Nigeria. We are not in the dangerous places. The places in need. And neither are the politicians.
If we would agree to be good and brave, then maybe we could start having conversations that matter which result in us being called to action to work for the common good. I know this sounds idealistic, but I’m old enough to have had my idealism knocked for a loop. But I still believe there is good at our core, and if we would get off our lazy asses we could channel it to make things better.
Proverbs 6: There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.
Ephesians 4: Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another.
2 Samuel 10: Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.
2 Samuel 17: Then even the bravest soldier, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt with fear, for all Israel knows that your father is a fighter and that those with him are brave.