This is Viewpoints for Sunday, July 17, 2016

Actions, not platitudes

We could all be a contributing part of changing the world, our nation and community for the better by exercising our unbiased example of positive actions instead of “spouting” opinions so often based on flawed facts and pliable statistics. Tell us how, “if you must,” but only after sweat investment effort on your part in addition to positive suggestions for improvement. (platitudes never cut a furrow for planting.)

God as Mr. Rogers

Of everything that The Telegraph publishes, the most provocative, judging by the Letters to the Editor and other responses, are the Sunday columns about religion by Dr. Bill Cummings, Catholic priest turned liberal Christian. Careful readers of The Telegraph may even recall that several of those responses have come from me, in the form of essays answering columns that I felt should not go unanswered.

The purpose of this letter is to go on record in print as saying that it has happened again, except that this time, because of space limitations in print, my response is appearing online only, at bit.ly/29FUJwy. The title this time is “Can Cummings’ ‘God as Mister Rogers’ be real?” because based on one of his recent columns, I maintain that the God he and his fellow liberal Christians seem to believe in more closely resembles that personage — or a sort of hippy-dippy Santa Claus who never brings us ashes and switches but only goodies whether we’ve been good or bad — than the God most Christians believe in. My humble hope is that everyone who has any interest in the nature of God — which in my view should include everyone — will go online and read it. I would even include the committed atheists in that number, under the principle of “know what you oppose.”

Words are cheap

For quite a few years now, people have been loudly singing along with Lee Greenwood at public events, “And I’d gladly stand up next to you and defend her still today. There ain’t no doubt I love this land. God bless the USA.” And now, Dallas Police Chief David Brown says, “Become a part of the solution. Serve your communities. Don’t be a part of the problem. We’re hiring. Get off that protest line and put an application in, and we’ll put you in your neighborhood and we will help you resolve some of the problems you’re protesting about.” The singing and the protesting will continue, while the military and police recruiters wait with their blank application forms.

FBI and public trust

In the past there has always been corruption in every branch of government in America. No matter where corruption has existed or rule of law neglected, one sterling agency, the FBI, has always stood out as the lone bastion of honesty and integrity. The FBI has remained unbiased and unscathed by scandal, and even accusation of any wrongdoing. Now, with the Hillary Clinton email investigation complete, in a matter of minutes, the FBI has destroyed the public trust in their agency. I don't see how any loyal American would ever seriously consider reporting a suspected terrorist or terrorist activity to a bunch of clowns that got their badges out of a Cracker Jack box.

Millions of taxpayer dollars has been thrown down an investigative rat hole, along with the reputation of the most principled agency in American history, only to learn that it is the Clintons, not the FBI, who are truly the “untouchables.” Externally, not only has our national security been placed in great peril, but internally, there are now two sets of laws: one for the elite, and one for the common people.

A diverse force

After reading Dick Yarbrough’s excellent column “Time to lower the rhetoric,” I was surprised to read Sheriff David Davis’ statement in relation to Dallas police officers killed by a black protester who wanted to kill white people during a Black Lives Matter rally. Sheriff Davis said the five officers’ lives were not given in vain. These lives helped us spark a renewed sense of seeking justice and a renewed sense of involvement and engagement by hiring diverse policemen. In my opinion the biggest problem causing unrest is that we seems to base everything on race and not the actions of individuals.

Why is it that we think we can solve all racial outcries by using the rhetoric of hiring diverse law enforcers? Much less think justice is not being acheived unless we have diverse employees. It seems to me this is some of the problem. It is also a slap in the face of the Bibb County’s deputies now on the force. Doesn’t Sheriff Davis’ department train and instruct his employees the same regardless of race?

It makes good sense to me that law officers in every state should be properly trained with skills and equipment to handle any and all interactions with people who ignore police instructions. No one who puts themselves in possibly harmful situations should think they can get by with ignoring any police officers’ instructions.

Greatest power

My heart is broken by the current level of hatred, violence, disrespect and lack of civil discourse that is occurring on every level of society today. It seems that differences of opinions or different views of the world turn into overheated inflammatory rhetoric which opens a divide. It is easy to blame politicians and different groups for what is happening. Let us not be influenced by those who incite violence, promote hate, intolerance, who divide us and the media who sensationalizes everything negative.

The question is, what are we the people doing to stop it? It seems we have lost our way on the journey to maintain peace and unity as one nation. The good news is we don’t have to continue down this path. The fact that we are all Americans and members of the human race should be in the forefront of our minds when we have differences to be reconciled. We need to listen and engage in constructive dialogue to resolve differences.

America is full of good, loving people from all races, creeds and colors. Let us not forget that millions of Americans perform good deeds which positively impact their communities on a daily basis. The good in this nation far exceeds the bad. We should join the voices that seek peaceful and just resolution of differences. The healing will not come from the government, corporations or special interests groups but from the greatest power in this nation, We the People.

This story was originally published July 16, 2016 at 9:00 PM with the headline "This is Viewpoints for Sunday, July 17, 2016."