Fear

I almost want to read more before I post this, but if I do--this post could go on for days.

Rather than do that--I invite you to read up and I'm just going to get to the point.

I want to talk about the importance of what motivates us to action.

I have felt great sympathy for Pres. Bush this week as he has been called to task on many tragedies that were allowed to happen during his administration. I don't think it's fair to blame all things on one man because that takes the responsibility away from all the parties. In a democracy we don't have the privilege of blaming everything on one man as they might in under a regime. We didn't rise up in arms against the war in Iraq because we understand what motivated Congress to sign the declaration of war. We didn't rise up against Guantanamo because we understood the motivation behind the atrocities, and even though it went against our own moral dictates to see prisoners tortured--we certainly didn't want to see them freed.

I will grant that the Bush administration is not responsible for all the bad things that happened over the past 8 years, but I will grant that we allowed ourselves to do previously unacceptable actions because we were motivated by fear.

Fear of the existence of weapons of mass destruction.
Fear that prisoners were withholding plots.
Fear that if we now release them, they have even more motivation to attack our country.
Fear.

When a country justifies itself on the basis of fear, we lose.

I heard today on NPR about 15 year old boy being held at Guantanamo for throwing a grenade that led to the death of an American military policeman. This is a heinous crime. But the assigned defense attorney found a photo taken that proves that the boy could not have thrown the grenade at the time. This photo would free the boy, who has been tortured and tried as an adult. The military court will not allow the photo into admittance. Clearly, fear that this boy will return to his country with more tales to tell is the motivating factor in holding him.

I want to reform my ways of thinking. How has fear held me back from doing greater things? What role has fear played in my life?

With this new administration--I hope we can all free ourselves from the shackles of fear and find a higher motivation in love and faith.