Stand for Something
The Battle for American Soul
By: John Kasich
Hebrews 11:1 " {Faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen}"
This Chapter starts off with a quote that really found enlightening " Hope is definitely not the same as optimism it is not the conviction that something will turn out well; but the certainty that something makes sense regardless of how it turns out" Vaclav Havel.
There seems to be so much trouble going on in America, always new scandals and outrage brewing somewhere. From government and corporate leaders under investigation and getting caught up in situations unimagined. Professional athletes compromising hard work for a quick fix to organized religion spiraling out of control the list goes on. Corruption doesn't just stop at our institutions but has crept into our very own backyard. For example a T. Ball coach in Uniontown Pennsylvania was charged with offering one of his 8 year players $25 to hit a teammate in the face with a baseball. The mildly autistic boy was viewed as a weak player on the team through the eyes of the coach who's "win at all costs" mindset lead to such an act to be carried out. There was a time when one grew up to feel and treated principles like currency and that doing the right thing was always the first option.
Way back in our countries roots they believed that a nation could be built with self-governance and the limits of government as much as they did in the power of government itself. Free market economy and a limited government shared and that Judeo-Christian ethics would provide a sense of duty and conscience was the vision set for America. Values of being straight forward, honest, humble, having faith, being accountable as well as having compassion and forgiveness are being compromised daily. The number of broken families in our neighborhoods and all over the country are cultural indications that have stacked against us. From sex and violence on television, popular music, to video games that have played a big part in the lives of children. Look at the disturbing trend of politicians who genuinely hate each other because of opposing views. There has been an alarming rate of child abductions, domestic violence cases, and violent and senseless killings not to mention a system of public education that simply isn't working. All these things exist because of the lack of leadership. The time has come for our leaders to not be content with playing the cards they were dealt instead shuffling the cards and pulling for a better draw. It isn't just our most visible leaders that are to blame but out elected officials, our senators, congressmen, friends, neighbors as well as you and I. Leadership flows from the top down, yet we live and grow from the bottom upward.
Have we done anything to stand against the tides of indifference and insensitivity? This book highlights that the greatest gift from any parent to a child are values that come with love and attention. What happened to being a good friend and neighbor, believing in ourselves, believing in something bigger that ourselves, trusting our fellow man and leaving the world a better place for other generations. In the scramble to get ahead we have forgotten what it means to succeed and matter to make a difference. What matters is the legacy one leaves behind built on the back of decisions made and actions carried out. We all make mistakes but the ball gets dropped when we choose to live with those mistakes. Many people wonder what the point is in making any kind of extra effort or going an extra mile when society has made you feel like the odds will always be stacked against you.
A student at Ohio State University suggested that all Martin Luther Kind Jr. ever got for his troubles was a bullet. Another student told a story about her aunt; who rallied against unfair business practices at her job and in return received a pink slip. These and other examples discussed set the mood that there was no profit in fighting for what is right. There is hopelessness out there and if we don't stand against it soon we'll be headed for even more desperate times. Martin Luther King Jr captured the notion that if we stand on God's principle that all men are created equal and that we will not respond to violence against these who are violent then the righteousness of our cause will ultimately prevail.
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