Last week ABCNews.com made a flippant, almost cavalier attempt to
notify readers that, golly gee, it seems as though morality may be back
in “vogue” just in time for the 2000 presidential elections. Beyond
that, the article asked, among other things, “Just what is morality
anyway? Who defines it and how is it defined?”
I found it sickening that a supposedly educated journalist had to
even ask readers those questions in the first place. It seemed to me
that if those questions even needed to be asked, it demonstrated
perfectly just how morally bankrupt many of us in the country have
become.
It used to be that Americans naturally understood what was commonly
accepted as “moral” behavior because we were all taught virtually the
same moral code at home, in school and in public from the time we were
born until we reached adulthood. When parents themselves failed to
teach properly, it was nothing for some other member of society to step
in and provide that “education” without fear of legal recriminations or
being accused of being “insensitive to a child’s needs.”
Nowadays, though, that code has been shot full of more holes than an
Iraqi radar installation — which explains why few people in the
mainstream even know what “moral behavior” really is.
I was, however, heartened by an email sent to me by a show
listener over the weekend. The
listener sent me transcripted congressional testimony of the father of
one of the Columbine High School murder victims, excerpted from his
appearance last week (didn’t see that one in the mainstream news, did
you? Neither did I). Folks, I’ll tell you — if Congress wasn’t moved
by this father’s testimony then I am convinced the whole lot of them are
corrupted morally, spiritually and politically. Furthermore, if no one
was moved, that in and of itself should demonstrate why the Columbine —
and other — shootings took place.
Here are some of his excerpts:
“Since the dawn of creation there has been both good and evil in the
heart of men and of women. We all contain the seeds of kindness or the
seeds of violence. The death of my wonderful daughter Rachel Joy Scott,
and the deaths of that heroic teacher and the other children who died
must not be in vain. Their blood cries out for answers.
“The first recorded act of violence was when Cain slew his brother
Abel out in the field. The villain was not the club he used. Neither was
it the ‘NCA,’ the National Club Association. The true killer was Cain
and the reason for the murder could only be found in Cain’s heart.
“In the days that followed the Columbine tragedy, I was amazed at how
quickly fingers began to be pointed at groups such as the NRA.
“I am not a member of the NRA. I am not a hunter. I do not even own a
gun. I am not here to represent or defend the NRA — because I don’t
believe that they are responsible for my daughter’s death. Therefore I
do not believe that they need to be defended. …”
A few days before he testified, he told congressional subcommittee
members he had written a poem, which he then read aloud:
“Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You’ve stripped away our heritage.
You’ve outlawed simple prayer.
“Now gunshots fill our classrooms.
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere.
And ask the question ‘WHY’?
“You regulate restrictive laws.
Through legislative creed.
Add yet you fail to understand.
That God is what we need!
He continued:
“Men and women are three part beings. We all consist of body, soul,
and spirit. When we refuse to acknowledge a third part of our makeup, we
create a void that allows evil, prejudice, and hatred to rush in and
wreak havoc.
“I am here today to declare that Columbine was not just a tragedy —
it was a spiritual event that should be forcing us to look at where the
real blame lies. Much of that blame lies here in this room. Much of that
blame lies behind the pointing fingers of the accusers themselves. …”
“We do not need more restrictive laws. Eric and Dylan would not have
been stopped by metal detectors. No amount of gun laws can stop someone
who spends months planning this type of massacre. …”
“As my son Craig lay under that table in the school library and saw
his two friends murdered before his very eyes, he did not hesitate to
pray in school. I defy any law or politician to deny him that right!
“I challenge every young person in America and around the world to
realize that on April 20, 1999, at Columbine High School — prayer was
brought back to our schools. Do not let the many prayers offered by
those students be in vain. …
“To those of you who would point your finger at the NRA — I give to
you a sincere challenge. Dare to examine your own heart before you cast
the first stone! My daughter’s death will not be in vain. The young
people of this country will not allow that to happen. …”
I wonder — will Washington step up to the challenge? Can
they — do they have the moral fiber to do so? I doubt it, but it
doesn’t matter because we’ve let them slide long enough.
Phony, morally bankrupt individuals like President Clinton have
claimed to “feel our pain.” But they have no idea, for the most part,
what this kind of real pain feels like.
After hearing from a father who actually lost a child to the patently
dangerous liberal socialism permeating our educational system, it should
remind all of us that the pain these parents must feel is one we do not
want, nor would wish on any other parent ever again.
As this father points out, Washington is equally to blame for these
deaths. It is the dangerously permissive policies being forced upon the
nation’s public schools that led to Columbine and a host of other school
shootings in the past few years. It’s obscene, it’s out of hand, and
it’s time for it to end.
We all have a moral obligation — even if ABC doesn’t know what it is
— to ensure that this man’s pledge not to allow his daughter’s death to
be in vain is fulfilled.
The politicians will largely refuse to be accountable for any of
this, so we must be accountable to ourselves and force them to do what
we want them to do instead. That’s the way it is supposed to
work.
Reinstating all of the First Amendment — especially in our public
schools and specifically the part about Freedom of Religion — is a good
first step. If the atheists don’t like that, tough — let them
start their own private schools. Religious folks had to do it because
they were driven out of the public school sector.
The atheist, secular politicians have had control over our public
schools long enough. See what they’ve done to them?
