Plant an Orange, Reap an Apple? Plant Lies and Reap Social Justice?

…AND DICTATORSHIP

by Col. Bob Pappas, USMC (Ret.), ©2013, blogging at Gulf1

(Oct. 26, 2013) — Men’s Journal recently learned that the stars of “Duck Dynasty” are no fans of gun control, but there’s another kind of control they think the nation could use.”It ain’t gun control we need; it’s sin control,” said duck-call tycoon Si Robertson. Yes, “sin control.” 

From what I have read and understand Robertson is right. Revelations 21:8 states: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” But that’s not the only reason I agree with him…it is a lifetime of observation and practice that absolutely convinces me.

John is twelve years old and is spoiled. He has most of what any kid could possibly want, especially video games.  He spends hours playing and of late has developed an interest in building computers… so he can play advanced video games. John is a warm-hearted kid, he loves his “grandparents”… which happens to be my better half and me. John is the son of a Vietnamese man who we have been honored to mentor incident to his renting a small house from us nearly twenty years ago. I’ve written about him on a number of occasions… about his sneaking out of Vietnam as a teen with other members of his family in a rickety old fishing boat under cover of darkness; arriving in Indonesia; surviving multiple refugee camps for a number of years and finally arriving in the U.S.A.

One day in 1994 Tran called wanting to see a house we had for rent, and after a short discussion we agreed on terms.  I asked where his parents lived, and he said, “Vietnam.” I instinctively put my arm around his shoulder and said, “I’ll be your American Dad.” With those simple words came a commitment beyond my expectations as we have been blessed to watch and participate in the miracle of a Vietnamese Immigrant to America.

At the time we first met, Tran worked at a Sack-n-Save grocery store as a stock man for $5.05 per hour. He had recently finished coursework to become an automobile mechanic but was unable to find a paying job. Over the next few years we mentored him, and through his own careful planning, wise decisions and hard work, Tran has become successful. But now he and his wife are confronted with children of their own and the plethora of problems that plague contemporary American children. They have worked hard and have all the “toys,” but that does not change the fact that most every human begins as a clean slate upon which his future will be written.

John’s parents put him in a private school from the beginning, and from the beginning, John was a troublemaker… and still is. Recently he was suspended for three days for lying. If lying at school were not enough, he has made a practice of it at home as well. My bride and I stopped by Tran’s business last week and there sat John. We inquired and Tran told us that John was suspended from school and that it had become so bad that he will soon be moving him to another school.

We had a short discussion and as a loving “Grand-dad” I put my arm around John and told him that lying was damaging to him and to his family; and that at twelve he was no longer a little boy and it is time for him to grow up, stop lying and assume responsibility for his behavior and language. But given no ability to control his environment or John, the words seem to have little salutary effect.  A few days later, John was suspended again, this time for flashing the “bird” at a classmate. 

John is a classic, expert manipulator…the question is, what is his goal? At this point it is likely that he wants a little more than to be able to play video games.  Most assuredly he needs parental guidance, leadership and love. Unfortunately, by its well-meaning but counterproductive laws, the State of Florida and presumably others effectively put children in charge of household discipline. In Florida all it takes is a bruise on a child and willingness for a child to lie to literally put parents in jail.  The result is that in Florida, the last time I checked, the inmates are in charge of the asylum, at least figuratively.

During a recent family visit, the issue of lying came up again and so did the story of the “Big Bad Wolf.”  It seems that John has bruise marks around his waist area that he says were inflicted by five boys who John says bully him at school. The bruise marks came to light during a routine doctor visit.  Again, in Florida, medical doctors, nurses, teachers, counselors and others who are in a position of supervision or otherwise have reason to have knowledge of a child’s physical condition are required by law to report any instance of child abuse to the Department of Children and Families; a pinch mark qualifies.  John explained to the doctor the source of the bruises and ostensibly divulged the names of the boys. But… how can John’s story be validated? Answer: it can’t because John has a consistent record of lying. How can anyone believe him now? He has destroyed his credibility. Yes, he’s had counseling; what he really needs is to have a change of character, or in Jesus’ words, to be born again.

And so it is with Mr. Obama and his Administration. Initially, Obama was the Knight in Shining Armor who promised happiness, peace and prosperity. Those who could see through the façade were quick to point to the glaring inconsistencies between his oratory and his life, but too many millions were deceived by his smooth language and an opportunity to assuage their white guilt, given the color of Obama’s skin, to heed ample warnings. One lie he did not commit was that he intended to fundamentally change the United States of America.  Otherwise, he was awash in lies that lemmings all too willingly lapped up from a trough of government excess and waste.

Obama is systematically positioning himself to set aside the Constitution in its entirety as he incrementally waives the provisions of laws that he finds inconvenient or not in keeping with his objectives; issues Executive Orders that are effectively Dictatorial Edicts in the absence of Legislation; and the media, Congress nor the Justice Department do anything about it. The increasingly evident question is: “Will there be enough left for the voters to be able to express their wishes before he declares himself President for Life?”  He is, in fact, succeeding in Fundamentally Changing the United States from the most prosperous and successful nation in the world’s history into a third-world dictatorship… in about the same amount of time from Hitler’s rise to his demise. Speaking of Hitler, notwithstanding skin color, the similarity of style and personality between Hitler and Obama is striking.

Here’s a question that few dare think, much less ask:  “Will the military services, seeing ongoing violations of the Constitution by this Administration, have the integrity to act to stop its destruction or will they be the Strong Arm that enforces an Obama Dictatorship?”

Think about it.