With the COVID epidemic and the recent upswing in cases, some of us are wondering if this nightmare will ever end. Those who are on the front lines must see death and suffering on a day to day basis, and those who are not are frustrated from the government restrictions placed upon us all. And then there's the civil unrest of the George Floyd case, with protests, rioting, and destruction of national monuments. But this blog isn't about mine or your opinion, it's about hope-hope for the future.
After the presidential election, we'll either move forward or backward, depending on who's elected and how the public reacts to it. We need to stop accusations against each other and start to rebuild as a country. There is a need for change, but it must be a positive change. Some say that this can't be accomplished unless all whites succumb to the fact there is systematic racism; that may be true, but that isn't for one person or organization to decide. Like I said this blog isn't about opinion, it's about hope. The hope that systematic racism isn't replaced with the same hate that got us here in the first place. For us to move on as a race, we must be a race, the human race, and look beyond color.
I remember when I was a child and my father told me a story about how when I was a baby he preached in a church in a town called Pultneyville. I was born in Sodus, just 20 miles up the road. A young black family needed to help with repairs and a little food and my father agreed to help him. This was 1963, the height of rioting and civil unrest, and the board caught wind of what he was doing and became furious. They held a board meeting with my father present, and my dad being the fighter he was, told them what he could do with the church, their house and his job. He moved to Syracuse shortly after and eventually had his own church built just down the road from our new house.
I have always led a Christian life, and agree with the philosophy that there is no color and I will treat others as I would want them to treat me. Not that I haven't blew my lid sometimes at people who don't feel the same way I do about something, but I have always been respectful of others. With Facebook, people have become vicious and cold in some instances, disagreeing with anyone who doesn't share their opinions. Although everyone is entitled to their opinion, you are not entitled to be a pompous arrogant jerk. But like I said, this blog is about hope. Hope people can come together and love one another the way the Lord intended. If you're an atheist, that's okay; I know several who lead a Christian life even though they don't believe in him.
What hope does man have for a future if we don't get past these hurdles set before us? Our life has become the surreal world of science fiction, with killer viruses, talks of trips to Mars and control of our environment through technological advances. If we do go to Mars, will this be a realistic answer for the future spread of mankind, or just a pipe dream of Elon Musk? And in a post virus world, will we ever regain the freedoms we once enjoyed before the outbreak?
If we remain here, to survive as a race we must look at ourselves as one race and put aside the war, hatred, and differences between all races. Justice must be served, yes, but let's just make sure it's the right kind of justice.
