Where Are The men?

I'm on vacation this week, and due to this I was able to watch as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the United States Congress yesterday. Now I don't want this to be a political statement, even though you will figure out which party I follow idealistically if you read all the way to the end. The real thought behind my post today is really, where are all the men nowadays?

I watched as the Israeli Prime Minister spoke and thought to myself, "This guy gets it."  What I mean by that, is he gets the fact there is evil out there in the world which wants nothing more than to destroy any way of life other than theirs.  I loved it when Prime Minister Netanyahu compared our constitution with Iran's constitution.

"The people of Iran are very talented people.  They're heirs to one of the world's great civilizations.  But in 1979, they were hijacked by religious zealots - religious zealots who imposed on them immediately a dark and brutal dictatorship.

That year, the zealots drafted a constitution, a new one for Iran.  It directed the revolutionary guards not only to protect Iran's borders, but also to fulfill the ideological mission of jihad.  The regime's founder, Ayatollah Khomeini, exhorted his followers to "export the revolution throughout the world."

I'm standing here in Washington, D.C. and the difference is so stark.  America's founding document promises life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  Iran's founding document pledges death, tyranny and the pursuit of jihad.  And as states are collapsing across the Middle East, Iran is charging into the void to do just that."

What impressed me the most was not his knowledge of world history but the way he described the differences between the two ideologies.  Make no mistake, these religious zealots do not want peace, they want their way and no other.  Now before you go all crazy on me, I know there have been religious zealots on the Christian side of things too.  I do not condone the actions of the crusaders who brought their supposed holy war to the Middle East.  Nor do I think those here in the United States who put on white hoods and scream their hate speech are correct either.  Hate is hate, plain and simple.  It doesn't, nor can it solve the problem's we face in the world.

And while I do not like hatred of any kind, I do feel there is a time and place to stand up for what is right and true.  Edmund Burke said, "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."  And unfortunately what we see in this day and age is a whole lot of nothing.  What I mean is, there is all kinds of talk; what to do, which sanction to put in place, etc.  But no real action.  It's like the bully who continuously stalks his victims on the playground.  The kids being bullied all stand around and talk about how much injustice is in their lives and how they wish things would get better.  But until one of them stands up to the bully and punches him in the nose, it's all for naught.

In the movie Open Range, starring Robert Duvall and Kevin Costner, there is a great scene which I think speaks to this topic, take a look.

 



"You're men aint' ya?"  What a great line, and so true.  There used to be a time when being a man was applauded.  Of course that was the time when men actually stood up and did the right thing, not for what it could do for them, but just because it was the right thing to do.  I know I probably sound like one of those he man women haters, but I'm not.  I see my gender's role as the primary protector and provider for the women in our sphere of influence.  My wife and daughter first, then the other women in my life; those who are like sisters to me.

In order to do what is necessary, Congress will have to put down their political aspirations, and stop worrying what it will do to their image if they actually act like men and do the right thing.  I mean come on, even Heath Ledger's Joker got it right.

I wonder what the original signers of the Declaration of Independence would say if they could see our national leaders today?  I imagine they'd be full of questions.  I thank God for the men and women who do stand up for our country, and try to fight the injustices they see each and every day.  They are out there...we just need more of them. 

I've heard it said, if you don't stand for something, then you'll fall for anything.  Thank you Prime Minister Netanyahu for standing for something, and having the willingness to tell others what you think.  We need more men like him today.

Strength and honor for the Kingdom and the King!