While reading a daily devotional on election day a single sentence caught my attention because of its simple yet profound accuracy, “As Christians we know asking Jesus for help is the best way to fix our problems”. Literally millions of prayers were answered with the defeat of Hillary Clinton for President of the United States and the rejection of the policies of Barack Obama. In her speech the day after the election Hillary Clinton bemoaned the fact that “her values” would not be guiding the direction of America. She should now realize that her values are not the shared values of the American people – particularly the killing of innocent human life in the womb right up to the time of birth. The election results are the repudiation of the policies of the Barack Obama administration of which she was a significant part and her expressed intent to carry them forward and even accelerate some of his programs. It is not a “whitelash” against the first black President (who also is half white) but the clear renunciation of his policies not against him as a person but his administration’s efforts to eliminate religious freedom and the removal of God from the public square. America remains a Judeo-Christian nation!
Since making Donald Trump the Republican Party nominee I have been saying, Trump is going to win. I am not sure how much I believed this, or how much I hoped he would win. We knew what to expect from Hillary Clinton based on 30 years of her record. We do not know for sure what to expect from Donald Trump, but I am taking him at his word on the justices he will appoint to the Supreme Court, respect and dignity for human life, building up the military, securing our borders, putting people back to work, solving the drug problems, in short, making America great again.
I have not been as positive and excited about the prospects for America in many years. I believe there is hope for future generations which was rapidly going away. It was said by Professor Alexander Tyler two centuries ago that the average age of the world’s greatest civilizations has been 200 years and these civilizations went through the following sequence, “From bondage to spiritual faith; From spiritual faith to great courage; From courage to liberty; From liberty to abundance; From abundance to selfishness; From selfishness to complacency; From complacency to apathy; From apathy to dependence; From dependence back again into bondage”. I believed we were in that phase of apathy and dependence going back again into bondage. Not so after this election. America will again become the “shining light on the hill”.
One last thing before we turn to optimism. The people who have been directing Barack Obama and he himself have not quit. It was a nice gesture to start right away suggesting a smooth transition of administrations. I would caution that while that transition meeting was taking place at the White House somewhere other meetings were on going to plan what all can be done before the inauguration day of Donald Trump to continue and even complete in their minds Barack Obama’s “transformation of America”. We must be vigilant! The Congress must be prepared to provide the long absent leadership requested, no demanded, by the results of the election on November 8, 2016.
One of the things that has attracted people from all over the world to America is the FREEDOM enjoyed by American citizens. There is confusion by many young people today that is means a person can do whatever he or she chooses. I suggest an American’s freedom was defined in the words of St. John Paul II, “Freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought”. I have been amazed by the many young people protesting after the results of the presidential election were known. It makes me wonder what these young people know about American history and the freedom won for us by brave men and women. Again, a quote of St. John Paul II is instructive, “When freedom does not have a purpose, when it does not wish to know anything about the rule of law engraved in the hearts of men and women, when it does not listen to the voice of conscience, it turns against humanity and society”. Many youth today need to learn what it is to have the American spirit and pride in our country.
Yes, many challenges lie ahead to bring the people of America together. It is a challenge worth working to accomplish. We truly must find a way to show love and kindness for our fellow citizens based on protecting the principles set out in our Constitution. This will take us into the unknown.
The wisdom of St. John Paul II gives us direction “Have no fear moving into the unknown. Simply step our fearlessly…. Do this in complete faith and confidence”.
This is a time of HOPE for the future of America. There is much to be thankful for!
Happy Thanksgiving.
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Timothy Von Dohlen is the founder and president of the John Paul II Life Center and Vitae Clinic in Austin, Texas. (www.jpiilifecenter.org) For a more robust bio, click here. – www.catholicbusinessjournal.biz/content/tim-von-dohlen. He may be reached at Timothy@CatholicBusinessJournal.biz