War...

It is an amazing thing, war. When reduced to a military action because of consumeristic tendancies of a people, it is wrong. But when it is expanded to include human rights it is a justifiable action. Then the problem rises when the response is then what about Rwanda, the Sudan,... why aren't we fighting there? When it is a defensive action it is justifiable when WMD are found but if not it is paranoia. It is easily justifiable when you see the movies of a dictator 40 years later, the evil had to be stopped, but when you are in the midst and he is living next door and you meet him when you both go out to get your mail, it seems odd that there could be anyone evil in your midst and let him be.

I used the two quotes from Sojourner Magazine to try to see if anyone would bring up doing the right thing. Sometimes doing the right thing is letting two brothers fight for a little bit to get it out of their system. Sometimes you gotta stop it when one is too big. Sometimes you punish, instruct, withhold, remove, arrest.

We have become a nation who do not discipline children in the path they should go and correct them when they travel off the road. To spend the time to properly correct a child would keep us from taking them to gymnastics, ballet, softball, basketball, art classes, SAT prep seminars, soccer, youth group, core group, leadership group, Mexico, choir, work projects, etc...
Many would never consider spanking because it is too harsh. We would rather count to ten (but I have yet heard a parent reach 9), give time out so they can think about their behavior, we put them in front of televisions, preschool, nannies, afterschool programs, and all the other behavior modification programs instead of doing the right thing. Train up.

Now why would I tie the two together. Because we have become selfish people raising selfish children. Raising children, running countries, getting along, taking responsibility, sacrifice, taking risks, looking out for someone else, dying to self, means that we have to take time, loose our agendas and itineraries to do the right thing. We have become like the gang on Jerry Seinfeld during their last television show and make fun (distance ourselves) of those under attack instead of doing something other than videoing it.

It is an amazing thing, growing up.