Today is 9/11/2010
Nine years after 2001. I see on my wall a cartoon depicting Jesus Christ blowing out a match held by a caricature of a mustachioed pastor. The title is based on W.W.J.D.? What would Jesus Do. I'm not going to be getting into that cartoon, or delve into anything that the author/artist/cartoonist had to say in his interpretation of Jesus Christ.
What I'm thinking is, "W.W.G.D.?"
So, what would the Father of our country do in light of this current political-religious situation. A person who wants to continuously flaunt the fact that he's going to be building a mosque at "Ground Zero" in N.Y.C. A staunch mass of citizens who are against the building of said mosque because of the lives that were lost there in an act that was worse than what happened on December 7th, 1941. But both acts are equally heinous and ultimate examples of inhumane actions towards our fellow men.
But I'm not going into that. I'm asking, "W.W.G.D.?" Some of you may be thinking "George," as if I were referring to either of the Presidents with the last name of Bush. We already know what George W. Bush did on 9/11/2001. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about something that I learned when I was in elementary school. From tv at first, I learned about the "Great American Melting Pot" from "Schoolhouse Rock." I enjoyed those lessons that I first learned on ABC back in the 70s on Saturday Mornings. It was then carried into the classroom and into the Cub Scouts that I learned about other things like "Citizenship." I learned about "Honor," "Duty," and various other subjects from my parents. Especially "Duty" as both my parents served in the military and then the civil sector.
But what does this pertain to "W.W.G.D.?" I helped to take part in helping to restore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. So, how does all of this pertain to what George Washington would do?
I feel that the first President would look towards the "Bill of Rights." That all men are created equal, and are given to them, by their creator, certain inalienable rights. However, personally, I'm of the thought that one person's rights end where my nose begins. Or where my property line encircles my house. And vice versa. But he wouldn't just look at the "Bill of Rights" alone.
I think that President Washington would be asking the people who were wanting to come into this country if they would be willing to stand by the principles that he held to in his day. That this is our country, for them to adapt to. That if they can not adapt, then they would have to be turned away. That is why Ellis Island was mentioned earlier.
People have been turned away from our land before, and should still continue to be turned away if they can not adhere to the principles that we have embraced in our Constitution. For I feel that President Washington would be asking everyone, to be seeking religious freedom when they come here. But not to confine others from the practice of their own if there is a conflict.
The mustachioed pastor may have just been wanting to wake people up to something. G-d had the Israelites drive out the people who were in the promised land before they took hold of it. But our religious views are what make us unique in this world. We attempt to live with all who come here under the aid of the U.S. Constitution to practice religious freedoms. And while we may have the right to condemn others because of a particular choice according to our own religion, the individual needs to be reminded of two things. G-d wants all people to come unto him, I think, preferably in glory. And two, we need to respect what G-d wants to be done in with respect to the U.S. Constitution, for those who actually live under it's influence.
Because when I think W.W.G.D.? I think that he would want people to adhere to their religious views while equally respecting the rights of those individuals to do so. And if someone doesn't want to play by those rules, they have the full freedoms and rights to leave as well.
What I'm thinking is, "W.W.G.D.?"
So, what would the Father of our country do in light of this current political-religious situation. A person who wants to continuously flaunt the fact that he's going to be building a mosque at "Ground Zero" in N.Y.C. A staunch mass of citizens who are against the building of said mosque because of the lives that were lost there in an act that was worse than what happened on December 7th, 1941. But both acts are equally heinous and ultimate examples of inhumane actions towards our fellow men.
But I'm not going into that. I'm asking, "W.W.G.D.?" Some of you may be thinking "George," as if I were referring to either of the Presidents with the last name of Bush. We already know what George W. Bush did on 9/11/2001. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about something that I learned when I was in elementary school. From tv at first, I learned about the "Great American Melting Pot" from "Schoolhouse Rock." I enjoyed those lessons that I first learned on ABC back in the 70s on Saturday Mornings. It was then carried into the classroom and into the Cub Scouts that I learned about other things like "Citizenship." I learned about "Honor," "Duty," and various other subjects from my parents. Especially "Duty" as both my parents served in the military and then the civil sector.
But what does this pertain to "W.W.G.D.?" I helped to take part in helping to restore the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. So, how does all of this pertain to what George Washington would do?
I feel that the first President would look towards the "Bill of Rights." That all men are created equal, and are given to them, by their creator, certain inalienable rights. However, personally, I'm of the thought that one person's rights end where my nose begins. Or where my property line encircles my house. And vice versa. But he wouldn't just look at the "Bill of Rights" alone.
I think that President Washington would be asking the people who were wanting to come into this country if they would be willing to stand by the principles that he held to in his day. That this is our country, for them to adapt to. That if they can not adapt, then they would have to be turned away. That is why Ellis Island was mentioned earlier.
People have been turned away from our land before, and should still continue to be turned away if they can not adhere to the principles that we have embraced in our Constitution. For I feel that President Washington would be asking everyone, to be seeking religious freedom when they come here. But not to confine others from the practice of their own if there is a conflict.
The mustachioed pastor may have just been wanting to wake people up to something. G-d had the Israelites drive out the people who were in the promised land before they took hold of it. But our religious views are what make us unique in this world. We attempt to live with all who come here under the aid of the U.S. Constitution to practice religious freedoms. And while we may have the right to condemn others because of a particular choice according to our own religion, the individual needs to be reminded of two things. G-d wants all people to come unto him, I think, preferably in glory. And two, we need to respect what G-d wants to be done in with respect to the U.S. Constitution, for those who actually live under it's influence.
Because when I think W.W.G.D.? I think that he would want people to adhere to their religious views while equally respecting the rights of those individuals to do so. And if someone doesn't want to play by those rules, they have the full freedoms and rights to leave as well.