Where Are Our Priorities?

From My Own Little Corner I have been watching and reading the web for any news of the conflict in the middle east. Yep, sure enough, there it is. It's all over the place. Hezbollah, Isreal, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran. But let's not forget that we also have our own sons and daughters deployed in some very dangerous places. In Iraq there have been more bombings and yesterday five more of our children, fathers, mothers were killed. In Afghanistan the Taliban is making a comeback. Are we ever going to be able to bring them home? I am beginning to wonder if the violence will ever end. We must remember that democracy is an American concept and you cannot force it on people who don't want it. It is a grass roots movement that must begin from the roots and grow up, not be forced on other people from the top down. I would hope that the people that our troops are dying for truly want a democratic society, but it appears to me that they all want their own particular form of government based on religion. When you have religion ruling government, you can never have a true democracy because the ruling party will always try to force their views on those that don't agree. In order for a society to be truly democratic, there must be equality for all peoples, regardless of their religious or political views. All must have an equal voice. That having been said, I will move on to other things that I have noticed in the last few days. I watched with astonishment the video of our esteemed leader, GWB, at the G-8 summit luncheon. I was taught as a young child, the daughter of an Air Force staff sargeant, that there are certain manners associated with eating. First and foremost never chew with your mouth open and second don't talk with your mouth full. Seems that President Bush missed that particular lesson in etiquette. Every time I watch this man represent my country in meetings with other countries, it seems that something he says or does embarasses me and makes me ashamed that he is our leader. The other thing that I took umbrage with was the fact that the whole world is in a state of total chaos-starving children, people being killed and maimed daily, tsunami, earthquakes, diseases such as aids-and there sit the leaders of the most powerful countries in the world eating enough food to feed a third world family, or even one in the U.S., who struggle daily with the problem of feeding their family, for a year. Where in the world are our priorities? We must begin to see that until we tackle the problems of poverty, starvation, and disease that plague the world nothing will ever get better. We must also begin to see that until we take responsibilty for our poorest citizens we will never be truly rich as a nation. Sure there will always be rich people, but we will never know the true meaning of the word until we begin to spread the wealth. So here is my challenge to all of you that read my blog (I know that it is not a large number, but every one counts), go today and donate 5 cans of food to your local food pantry, then try to do that every week when you grocery shop. Next, change 1 light bulb in your house to a long -life flourescent bulb. If every household in the U.S. changed just one bulb, the amount of co2 emmisions would be dramatically reduced. If I told you the numbers you would be amazed. Well, I have rambled on for long enough today. So until next time, remember to pray for peace and enlightenment and may your personal God bless and keep you.