I pondered the comment in relation to my life experiences and present national mood. Unmistakably, I sensed that odious shadows vying for dominion over our country’s soul since time immemorial have cast darkness across our land, intent on overwhelming goodness and respectable behavior. The reward this darkness seeks is to turn each one of us against the other.
Children of light, let us resolve to forgo browbeating at the behest of evil.
Coming of age as the son of immigrant parents, who chose life in America some 60 years ago to fulfill their yearning for life, liberty and opportunities to pursue happiness, colors my worldview. We strived to honor the history, ideals and customs of our new home and achieved citizenship. I felt duty-bound to help protect and preserve our family’s and Nation’s dreams and aspirations through thirty years of military service across four continents.
Extensive travels at home and abroad provided firsthand knowledge of humanity and shaped world-wise character attributes. I suffered the slings and arrows of the human condition, experienced and observed instances of inhumanity, oppression, racism, intolerance, hate and various forms of governance. On each return to American soil I thanked God to be back in our storied homeland.
Are we perfect in our journey and exercise of God-given rights enshrined by our founders in the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution? By no means--we are fallible, but remain humanity’s best hope for equality and dignity for our and the world’s citizenry.
Our country was founded by individuals not only escaping religious and social discrimination, as well as political persecution, but also families longing for economic mobility. Nevertheless history does repeat, no matter how those with political power try to disguise their dark motives in advancing control and submission of the populace. Must we as a Nation continue to endure such a sad and unnecessary state of affairs?
Each day voices from children of light grow stronger among God’s faithful and people of good will. Light inevitably gets the better of darkness. Let us strive to be brothers and sisters and work hand in hand to realize our inalienable rights for every citizen.
© Ilija Lukić 2020
By The Dawn's Early Light
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