9/21/2001
by
Douglas L. Simmons
Copyright © 2001 by Douglas L. Simmons
In the country, in which I live, many of us own firearms. The police have firearms. The criminals have firearms. The citizens have firearms. People who are not citizens have firearms.
Most of us do not carry our guns around with us. In many cases, our guns are stashed in closets, under beds, in gun cabinets...gathering dust. We do not need to go about armed in my country. It is the land of the free. And, what many who do not live here often forget, the home of the brave....
When that freedom is threatened the brave will dust off those guns, find the ammunition, and take aim.
I live in the United States of America.
My family came to America from Germany. Others came from England, Italy, Scotland, China, Egypt, Australia, Sweden, Uganda, South Africa, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, Japan....
There is a lady standing in New York harbor. She came to America from France. She has stood in silence for many years. Gazing upon the gateway into the land of freedom. She knows much about tears. Across the bay, on Ellis Island, she saw them shed for years.
Tears of joy, tears of sadness. Tears of pain and tears of gladness.
She has millions of children. Many of them are adapted orphans. Orphans who ran, grateful, to the comfort of her open arms. She lifts her lamp beside the golden door. She welcomes all upon her gentle shore. She welcomes those whom others want no more. Especially the oppressed and wretched poor.
And, indeed, as any mother would, she knows about tears. She is crying now for all of her wounded children.
And, indeed, as any mother would, she knows about fear, fear for the safety of her children. She is afraid now.
She knows about tears. She shed them for her sons and daughters who, in times past, were called to shed their precious blood to nourish the tree of freedom.
She has stood in silence for many years. Watching over her children as they ran and played freely in the bounty of her land, basking in the glow of her love. She may break that silence now...and shed more tears.
She might well speak and, calling her rabble of orphans to arms, invoke a mothers wrath upon the wicked of the world.
Looking across the harbor, watching her children bleed, she is filled with fear. Not for herself. No. She must only bear the burden of their pain.
She knows the burden they must bear.
She is afraid.
As any mother would, she does not wish this duty upon her children.
She knows the burden they must bear. They have born it before; and born it well.
"Stand tall my children!" Liberty calls. "Go now, and ensure that your children may also walk the streets of gold without fear. Above all else, defend this gateway that I shine my light upon. So that any other orphan who wishes to join my family may enter here. For, without this gateway, none of you would have a home."
"I lift my lamp beside the Golden Door. My door is always open, lighting the way to the land of plenty. I give this gift freely to all who will come inside."
"To those who do not understand, who mistake kindness for weakness, who live under the burden of tyranny, who would sacrifice my precious children, I give only pity."
"To my children I give the burden of freedom. As you enjoy it, so too must you protect it."
"You have taken the hit."
"Now...."
"Stand and deliver!"
"I will continue to lift my lamp."
"Watching...."
"Weeping...."
"Shedding tears of sadness, but not for you, my children. I weep for your enemies; who could have so freely entered here. Who, so easily, could have been your brothers."
- --Douglas L. Simmons
Shortly after the fall...
...not long before the "foot fall".
Anger is an irrational expression of fear.
Thinking to defend myself from the fear, I act out of anger. Thus I become the agent of fear.
Knowing I am afraid explains my anger. I pause to seek a cause of the fear.
Knowing why I am afraid explains my motives.
Selfishly, I used to be afraid only of harm to myself.
Today I begin to care for the safety of others. My fears, now less personal, express themselves as concern.
Concern more justified than anger.
Knowing I am safe, I seek safety for those I love.
My concerns lead me to become compassionate and understanding.
Powerless over destiny, I turn to faith.
No longer afraid, without cause for anger.
I may become the agent of peace.
Doug L. 02-25-2011 Whiting Indiana
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