Thursday, March 10, 2016

A First Lady's Funeral

So, it's probably no surprise that I'm more than somewhat critical of our President. IMHO he makes Jimmy Carter look good. Anyway I posted the following on my FB page a couple of days ago:
"Have kept my mouth shut regarding this issue (HRH BHO not attending the Reagan Funeral) until it was verified. Congratulations Mr. Despot in Chief, you again live DOWN to my expectations."
It generated comments from two FB "friends" both ordained Episcopal Priests. The first I consider OK if not trying to justify one's behavior by the behavior of another.
A P (ordained Clergy) - C -- please do some research. The only two funerals of former first ladies that were attended by the then sitting president were for Eleanor Roosevelt and Jackie Kennedy. 
C S - It could be my partisanship, it could be my distaste for his prior failure to attend Justice Scalia's Service, and it could be my belief that one should "Always Attend the Funeral". (Google it on NPR) Not sure which but I still consider it "Poor Form." 
A P - As was Justice Scalia's in refusing to attend the last three State of the Union addresses.
The other was a bit more contentious; to the extent that this was the second dialogue we've had and our first (after privately addressing one of OUR priests) was equally less than satisfactory. This time it goes like this:
S R - President Clinton did not attend the funeral mass for Jacqueline Kennedy. Mrs. Clinton did. President Clinton met the plane in D.C., when it arrived with her body to be buried at Arlington, beside the late president. He then eulogized her at graveside. I have read the eulogy. Michele Obama was at the funeral. I can think of no reasons why the sitting president should have greater expectations from the American public, except that he is black, and we have a lot of angry old white men who are racist. If you contact the Secret Service, you will learn that one of the reasons for the sitting president not attending is that it creates mass chaos, every person who attended the funeral would have to be cleared by the SS and it would be a logistical and traffic nightmare. It would also have great impact on air traffic, with other dignitaries trying to get to the funeral. This post makes me want to throw up. Instead, I will pray for all the bigots out there. Kyrie Eleison. (Lord, Have Mercy) 
C S - If you believe I'm an angry old white man who is racist, I feel sorry for you and will keep you in MY prayers for openess and respect for points of view which are not in agreement with yours. My personal politic is NOT based on skin color, but rather a personal belief in the role of government. BTW, I'm NOT a Republican; but consider myself a Constitutionalist, a Federalist, a Libertarian, and a Populist with (in certain cases) leanings towards SOME Tea Party positions. I believe this Nation was created in recognition of man's FREE WILL (witness the words of the Declaration of Independence - "...endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights", " Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,"); and further believe that in the ensuing 240 years (as predicted by our founders) we have lost sight of most of those foundational principles and look to "government" as our new god, and are a lesser peoples for that shift. I've been frequently told, by Episcopalians as well as folks of other denominations, that the ONLY path to God is thru Christ, - " that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life" i.e. the only way to earn the "cookie." I choose to believe rather "That God so loved the (His) world, He GAVE His only begotten Son." One either believes that our God is one who requires justice or that He is one who only asks us to love Him and His creation. Obviously my position is the latter and as such I see politics as a necessary EVIL rather than a way to cure that evil in this world. That can only be accomplished by love. Peace & grace, C 
S R - C, you are way off your original subject. That is an easy way out. Many are insulted by the fact that president is held to a different standard than all others, and you do it often. I will not be replying, anymore. May you have the approval of your conscience. 
C S - Thank you, and you likewise of yours.
Which resulted in my removing that person from my friend list.

A lesson that seems hard for me to learn is that sometimes folks are so convinced of their perfection they refuse to accept anyone else's right to a different interpretation or understanding. AND, I am saddened by folks of that perception. I'm just sayin'. 

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home