A Reflection on Scripture

Matthew 7:3-5
Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?  Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

 

The United States is responsible for its own September 11th.  Holding the 9/11 for American grief is not fair.  It interesting to discover that America has many Al Qaeda like episodes in our history.  We may not have conspired in caves but we did conspire.  We may not have believed in democracy that looked or functioned like ours.  We may have encourage dictatorship.  It appears to be likely that Chileans are saddened by America's role in the overthrow of their elected government.  They also might be grieving the death of thousands at the hand of Pinochet, the dictator inserted to lead.  Being a global leader for freedom should not come at the expense of other creative peoples.

I say we, but I really mean is more likely a small group of American business men hoping to keep leverage.  I cannot help but recognize the hypocrisy that my country seems to display.  As more of our past becomes declassified we will recognize our shortcomings. Americans who, like Bin Laden, manipulate with violence to get their way need to be held with compassion.  What kind of life have they lived.  What traumatic experiences have they lived.  What could build a conscience with so much greed, lust, disregard, and disrespect for others and their countries.

We have got to stop fearing communism, socialism, and equality and start learning about it.  We have got to trust that China has and is functioning as a communist state.  Some might argue that it is successfully adapting to modern economics favorably.  So much so that it is the refuge for American corporations.  With a majority of products being made in China, a communist country, how fearful are we of it.  Our dollars do not seem to fear China's communism.  This is not to say that communism is any better or worse than democracy, it is to talk to the fear some American's have for seeing socially oriented governments becoming one.

The speculation that our leaders believe as truth, the belief that socialism is absolutely a gateway to communism is minimizing to the human capacity to change.  It is disrespectful to social innovation and the idea of democratic socialism.  We have tendencies but we do adapt, adjust, and evolve for the greater good.  We have got to be the country that we want to see other countries be.  We are being the country that we fear will be created if we don't threaten every country that governs with risk.  We need to work with countries that we fear versus threatening their individuality and power.  We have to advocate for healthy governments by participating in international laws.  We have to remain seated when discussions are confrontational.  We have got to let dysfunctional countries find their way with guidance and intervention, not violence and punishment.  We have to learn while teaching.

America's fear for what might happen and what profits could be lost seems to motivate our delinquent tendencies.  We have our own September 11th to reconcile, we have our own tyrannical behaviors to correct.  We have our own apologies to make.  We have our own debt to grieving families to carry.  So in recognition of  September 11th for those we attacked and our lost lives, I hope to take the spec from my own eye, before asking my government to remove theirs.