Standing for Life in a Culture of Death-Our American Tragedy
Standing for Life in a Culture of Death – Our American Tragedy
Recent tragedies have America broken hearted and searching for answers. It is far easier to blame something outside ourselves than to look within to see the series of problems which have brought us this sad state of affairs. At MomForce, we stand for Life and Liberty. We believe the issue of gun violence in our country is a multifaceted problem that requires good sense, level heads, and reasonable solutions. Measures can be taken to keep our kids safer, but we also need to understand many of our problems started at home.
I was raised Catholic, in a Conservative family. As the wars in the middle east continued without end, I realized that a vote for the right meant a vote for war. I was asked to vote for the Pro Life candidate at church, but that candidate supported more war, and the death penalty. How can you be Pro Life and support war and the death penalty? I don’t understand the hypocrisy. Life is life, and we have no business judging when or if it ends, in my humble opinion. As stated, this is my opinion, and I do not believe it is my right to impose on anyone else.
The idea that we raise young men and women to be excited to kill people overseas should be looked on as a medieval notion. Surely we can deal with leaders and find a peaceful means to an end. That is, unless there is money involved. As someone who stands for life, I will never vote for a candidate who supports war. I am now a registered Independent because I know both parties are guilty of perpetuating this war without end. We have no business sending children off to fight these wars and expect them to come back without severe emotional damage. When they do, we give them a bagful of deadly, addictive pills with side effects including suicidal thoughts-and tell them to go home. Our Veterans Administration is a national embarrassment.
We have allowed 24 hour cable news and talk radio to divide neighbor against neighbor, friend against friend, and family members against family members in hopes of achieving ratings. The pharmaceutical companies take up most of their commercial time, paying dearly for those repetitive drug ads. Neither the media nor our leaders will speak against them, or they will lose their lucrative accounts and donors. The most divisive programs are in the top ten of the cable news ratings. Fox News’s reaction to the Parkland Town Hall was the last straw for me. I encourage everyone I know to watch something pleasant or better yet, just turn it off.
We have allowed lawmakers to stay in Congress for decades while they fight the same unending battles without progress, all the while further dividing their constituents down the middle along party lines. The majority of these folks would rather see our neighbors remain addicted and dying from pills and heroin than recognize the one non lethal substance that is helping. These lawmakers have had their hands out to corporate lobbyists, taking money from any entity no matter what the outcome to our kids, our environment, our freedom, and our health- all to keep a political career which should be required to change after 4-8 years of service.
We are One Nation, under God, or whatever you choose to call our collective Creator. We are not a Blue or Red state. We are One People, One World. We need to recognize each other as brothers and sisters and work together.
We must practice Mindful Parenting.
We fill our kids full of the worst foods available, give them prescriptions without thinking, supply them with an electronic device- and walk away. Even parents who are home aren’t always there. They are occupied with life and achievements. Houses, cars, and “Retail therapy” are driving many families to push themselves to the brink to buy things they don’t need to keep up with what’s sold to us on television. America’s obsession with consumption has us sick, addicted, and dying to keep up with too many of our kids left alone to figure it out. Parents work two and three jobs trying to chase an American Dream when they should try to pare down to the basics of what they can afford and enjoy time together.
Time is all we really have. Forget the housecleaning and the yard and go do something. There’s a million free things to do if you’re short on cash. Get up and get outdoors.
The processed foods we are eating are causing many to go to the doctor, and the doctor is quick to write a prescription. Our kids are full of so many prescriptions, many parents are finding the complications from the various medications hurt their kids more than the initial problem. The pharmaceutical companies have also gotten to our farmers, poisoning our livestock as well. Kids are being diagnosed “special needs” from interactions of too many prescription drugs. About one out of ten children are diagnosed with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder). These drugs equate to “Meth Light” and are actually made of the same components as street meth, carrying many of the same addictive side effects. Kids with behavioral disorders are also given mood enhancing drugs called SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). These drugs cause some folks to feel agitated, suicidal, and homicidal. Many report hearing voices while using these drugs. Why would they give these to someone who is already sad or depressed? I am not sure, but their sales have increased by about 400% in the last twenty years. An overwhelming percent of mass shootings have been fueled by these drugs. Couple these drugs with the violent video games, processed food, and cable news- and you have a recipe for disaster.
Many parents are beginning to solve behavior problems at home with natural solutions. Cut out processed foods first. Use basic, recognizable ingredients and make dinner yourself. It’s fun and it gives you a chance to talk. Never put your kids on drugs unless they have a truly valid medical issue. Do some research and find out if natural solutions will work for your child’s issue. Kids need our love, attention, time, and a purpose. They don’t need drugs.
Absentee Parenting is Our Greatest American Tragedy
Our Children Learn What They Live
Our kids are looking at us to be their guide and their best example. If a child is raised with Tolerance, he will learn to Tolerate. If you bully your child, your child will be a bully. Be mindful of their social media interaction, friends, and actions in general. Be responsible for the person you have created. Teach him or her to be kind. Take time with each other. Put down your phones and go for a walk. Always love thy neighbor regardless of political affiliation, race, nationality, or sexual preference. Love thy neighbor- even when you are driving!
We can blame the gun lobby for aggressive sales, or we can blame the system that allowed these folks to bring big checks to politicians to keep them on their side. We need to vote out those who do not stand for our values. The gun lobby is just one of many entities that are ruining our country and paying politicians to stay quiet. Major waterways are being poisoned, pharmaceutical companies are getting away with murder, and a hundred other injustices happen every day in our country. The gun lobby is just another business making a fortune on America’s Culture of Death.
Do I personally think private citizens need assault rifles? No, but I am not going to tell someone else they cannot go to the range and fire one if that’s the sport he or she enjoys. Other countries have banned automatic weapons with lifesaving results, but I don’t see that happening in America. We have allowed guns to be sold without accountability for so long that they are everywhere. Responsible citizens register them initially, but then they end up sold to friends or at gun shows. That’s how they end up in the hands of criminals. Now there are so many on the street it wouldn’t be fair to ask trustworthy people to turn theirs in.
It is also less than fair to ask responsible medical marijuana patients to give up their rights for using a healthier medicine than prescription drugs. Many prescription drugs are known to have psychotic side effects, and are prescribed without worry. Alcohol fuels violence, traffic deaths, rape, assault, domestic violence, and kills thousands of people every year. It’s sold everywhere we go. Gun owners are able to drink all they please while taking their sidearm into bars and other public places. The NRA endorses these without question, but makes reefer madness reels about cannabis. More hypocrisy in the Culture of Death.
Do I personally think we need to raise the age to purchase a firearm? No.
Since our brains are not developed until we are 25 or more, there is no physical change between 18 and 21 that would make a difference. Soldiers can enlist at 18, and there are thousands of capable young gun owners. Going forward, common sense would say we need to tighten up some of our gun regulations. Hopefully the experts will figure out what works and we will see progress. Our population has grown since the Constitution was written, and it is important to maintain public safety.
When the Constitution was written, we didn’t have the toxic combination of cable news, processed foods, multiple prescription drugs, vacant parents, and Happy Hour. Our neighbors are sick from bad food, pills, rhetoric, and booze.
Citizens at ease would never think to pick up a weapon to hurt another. Healthy, stable people can be in a whole room full of artillery and never think of shooting their neighbors. The trouble isn’t the gun, it is the state of the shooter. We must address the feelings that fuel the tragedy.
Citizens are not at ease. I am not at ease with the current state of our country.
So, I will March for LIFE on March 24 with my neighbors in Phoenix at the March for Our Lives.
I will be marching for Change, for our Kids, and for the future safety of my neighbors.
If you see me, I will be holding an American Flag and crying like Iron Eyes Cody for our country and for Our American Tragedy.
