Washington's Call to Arms

A call to arms

When un-ruling rulers rule this land to consume the jealously of a jealous lover’s greedy hand,

They, dividing the divisible to prevent the uniting of the invincible, creates a fire within, burning and purifying and cleansing all from sin.

While there was once one with charity and another with vulgarity, the heart beats of many become the heartbeat of one, all together now, from father, daughter, mother, and to son.

No longer will the restless rest.  No longer will the servants and servitude not be at their best.  Kings and Queens will stand up and rise as the tyrants fall and the dictators slowly die.

Understanding the understandable and common ground, ignites the desire to fight the fighter’s fight and to stand and to shout and to triumphantly sound. 

While there was once one dignity another lacking humility, the footprints of many become the footprint of one, all together now, from father, daughter, mother, and to son.

Uniting the United seems and impossible and nonviable goal, but then again, so does reuniting the body and spirit, recreating the human soul.

Musicians and magicians will refine their art and gift, to contribute to the cause, to the calling of hope and of victory and to light and uplift.

While there was once one with vitality and another with hostility, the breaths of many become the breath of one, all together now, from father, daughter, mother, and to son.

The beginning of the beginning has begun as all rise and sing the song that’s been written and sung.

Teach to be taught the things of truth and seek that which was sought to unveil that which was lost with youth.

While there was once one with loyalty and another with hypocrisy, the secrets of many become the secret of one, all together now, from father, daughter, mother, and to son.

-Mikey D. B.-

           

            George Washington, this great nation’s first president, cautioned not only the people of his time about the dangers of political parties, but us as well.  This man, who is the father of our nation, was giving council to his people, to his children, to us, to avoid anything that would disrupt the harmony and unity that was created after the long fight with Britain.  Having political parties, he said, would create a spirit of contention among those within the nation.  Washington did acknowledge that this spirit “is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind”, however, he also realized that this spirit is the enemy of government in any form.   Political parties “serve[s] always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. [They] agitate[s] the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.” (Washington’s Farewell Address 1796). 

            Watch the news and listen to the radio and tell me that George Washington was wrong.  From MSNBC to Fox News to the various C-SPAN channels, there is not only a distinct separation of ideas, but values and morals.  I’m not saying that that is necessarily wrong, but if one side does not agree with an idea of the other, often, hostility ensues and both sides tear into the stomachs of their opponent.  Yes, diversity and variety make this nation what it is, but I believe that there is a sense of civil disagreement that has been lost over the years.  Two sides or people can disagree and still be unified.  I’m not married or do I pretend to know how to make a marriage relationship work, but I have seen many, many couples disagree and yet come to a common ground where they aren’t forced to shoot their spouse in the face.  We all have strong opinions and as Rene Descartes said, we all think we have enough good sense to last us for the rest of forever (Rene Descartes, Discourse on Method Part I) but come on people. 

            On Sean Hannity’s radio talk show he was talking about the upcoming election between Obama and Romney, and a caller, I can’t remember who, said that “never has the United States been so divided than right now”.  I don’t know if I agree that now is when we have been most divided.  I mean, the Civil War literally divided the nation, but the spirit of what he said has a certain ring that caught my attention and made me ask: “How ironic is that?  That The United States is divided?”  A country with the word ‘united’ in its title is anything but that.  Again, watch the news and tell me that this anonymous caller is wrong in the fact that we are divided as a people.  Issues from abortion, Wall Street, Women’s Rights, Conservatism, Liberalism, etc. testify of this division.  I could go on and on with examples of this chasm that lays between us Americans, but that’s not my point.

            My point is that where did that unity go?  I was only 11 years old when the World Trade Center towers were bombed and collapsed, but during that moment in history, I felt true patriotism among us.  I didn’t comprehend it then, but reading about it and reflecting on it now, I do.  We bonded as citizens during that tragedy.  We put differences aside, political and personal.  We found common ground to stand on in order to fight a common enemy.  Our hearts beat as one, we all took in the same breath, and we all had the secret pain of loss and sorrow within us.  Read about the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the events that unraveled after that infamous day, and you’ll recognize the same sense of brotherhood and unity that I felt in the months shortly following September 11.  Yes, there is a time and a place for differences, but not at the expense of dignity and respect towards one another just because of their political stance.  Instead of voting for an R or a D, consider what is in the best interest of the country.  I pray that it won’t take another tragedy to bring us together as Americans, as human beings, but rather a simple and humble werd.