BONUS BLOG: “Welcome to Your First National Crisis”
Dean Sweet is a friend in real life, was the Lay Leader of a church it was my joy to pastor, and is an attorney who guided me through some rough patches (often with a golf metaphor). He sent this to his grandchildren the evening of Wednesday, January 6th, 2021, and his daughter and I think it’s well worth sharing —
Welcome to your first National crisis.
My parents had the slow crisis of the depression where there was talk of over throwing the Democratic government like several countries did in Europe and Asia.
Then they had the sudden World War 2, where hundreds of thousands died, and we continued to have elections and maintain a democracy, with all its flaws.
Our generation first dealt with the shock of Kennedy’s assassination. Was it a plot? We had a new President and moved on.
We had years of riots over the war in Vietnam with hundreds of thousands protesting, bombings, take over of government buildings and facilities.
At that time we had Freedom Marches against segregation and racism. ‘
We had one President resign in disgrace, which many called a Constitutional Crisis.
We have had two Presidents impeached.
Now we have your first obvious challenge to our way of government. (I know you were around for Trumps impeachment.)
In a couple of weeks Biden will be President.
Our Democracy will carry on.
This violence is wrong in every way. Unfortunately that has become the case in recent years.
To a much lesser degree there were riots and looting four years ago.
Too often groups are using violence to attack or destroy what they may dislike.
Violence is never the right answer for either side.
Whatever our faults, we should be proud of our country and work to improve its faults, not tear it down.
I’m proud of the many advances we have made against racism, the environment, women’s rights, to name just a few.
Watch this event. Remember it well as you will see many more challenges in your lifetime.
I hope you do as well as your grandparents and we did. We made good start.
Now you finish the job.
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