Random Thoughts January 15, 2019

We are in the middle of a record breaking government shutdown here in the United States. The sticking point is money ($5.7 billion at last check) requested by President Trump to build a wall between us and Mexico. Last week the president took his case to the public speaking from the Oval Office. In an unusual move Democratic leaders asked for time to respond with speeches of their own. Both sides gave their spin on the matter. Neither said what I wanted to hear.

President Trump started by speaking of the humanitarian crises playing out on our southern border where we have children being held. Meanwhile we try to solve the problem of how to handle what is going on. Both sides recognize the problem. The president's answer is money for immigration judges and equipment designed to help enforce our immigration laws. President Trump also wants His wall. What I didn't hear is why this wall is the most cost effective approach. And while Democrats label the wall as immoral and obsolete I hear little of their plan and why it is better than a good old fashioned wall. Both sides are speaking but neither is giving any real or new information.

Meanwhile thousands if government employees missed their paychecks last Friday. I have a tough time embracing the idea that a great country asks its civil servants to go without pay while politicians waste time trying to see who will blink first. Certainly I want a secure border but not at the expense of those hard working men and women whose paychecks are drawn from the U.S. Treasury. Give these families a break. Open the government. A great country does not use its own people as political pawns.

One sign that we are a nation of great people is how average citizens are reaching out to government employees. A number of restaurants are offering free food to government employees. I've heard of at least one situation where government employees were offered free rent and utilities. A guard at a federal prison was offered cash support when his story ran on the news. This is the spirit of America where we help our neighbors. This is one of the things that makes this nation great and it's found in our people not bestowed by our government.

At first I was concerned when I read about VW investing millions in China for development of electric cars. This left me wondering if the U. S. will fall behind when it comes to automotive technology. Automakers are investing in response to China's policy which is steering the country towards cars that use something other than internal combustion. A handful of other countries have similar policies. But then I read a couple of articles about U.S. automakers investing in electric cars in response to market forces. Hopefully we will see the U.S. take the lead in bringing us some really cool cars.

Is Closing Borders to Refugees the Christian Way?

By Korstellan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

In 250 AD the world faced what we now believe was a Smallpox epidemic. Called the Plague of Cyprian, at its height the pandemic would claim the lives of five thousand Roman citizens per day. Those who could would flee the city in order to avoid death. One group stayed behind, risking their lives to take care of the sick. Their motive in the face of such a lethal situation was simple: love and compassion for their fellow man.

Compelled by love Christians fed those who were too weak to lift their own spoons. They risked their lives in order to comfort those who were suffering. History records their deeds, noting that they did not subject those in their care to a religious test. They took care of everyone, believer and pagan. With faith in God the Christians followed their convictions, loving their neighbors instead of choosing to run.

Today we are being asked to run instead of loving our neighbors. In the face of (a very real) terrorist threat the governors in over half of the United States are saying no to Syrian refugees. But if we are a nation based upon Christian ideals we should be willing to take risks, acting out of the same compassion shown by Christians many times before.

Is the danger real? Yes, just as it was for those who stayed to help during The Plague of Cyprian. But a great nation (and even more so those who put their faith in Christ) should show courage, standing up to lend a helping hand even if it means taking some risks.