I sat down to write today’s Pew with an apology on my lips—a small request for your patience as I wandered “off-subject.” But then, I remembered the words of Benjamin Disraeli: “Never apologize for showing feeling, my friend. Remember that when you do so, you apologize for truth.”
In the spirit of that truth, I will not apologize for the heavy heart I carry today.
I am certain of this: God does not want any of His children to be at war. This is true of the God I worship, and it is true of the God recognized by Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, and every other faith that seeks the light. War should be our absolute last resort—a tragedy to be avoided at all costs and brought to an end with the greatest possible urgency.
Every moment of conflict brings a profound pain to the heart of the Creator, and it should bring the same to ours. We are reminded of the blunt, undeniable truth of that old song: “War, what is it good for? Absolutely nothing.” It is long past time to still the guns in Ukraine, across Africa, and throughout the Middle East, so that we may begin the long, difficult work of repairing the damage to our shared world.
However, my concern goes deeper than the battlefield. We are entering a moral territory I never dreamed our country would occupy. There is a fundamental distinction between seeking “regime change” and the cold-blooded targeting of the leaders of sovereign nations for death.
To pursue assassination without a shadow of due process is not just a tactical choice; it is a moral failure. It offends the very founding principles of our nation. No matter how “bad” or “nasty” a leader may be, when we bypass the law to commit murder, we lose the moral high ground that defines who we are as a people.
Finally, I find myself thinking of a lesson from my grandfather, echoed in the soul of a classic country song: “You never spit on another man’s grave.”
Reading accounts of such behavior this morning left me physically ill, as I suspect it did many of you. I am a sinner; God knows I have fallen short many times over. But I pray I never exhibit such a total lack of class. We must never celebrate the death of another human being, regardless of what they have done in life.
To rejoice in death is to diminish our own humanity. If we are to find our way back to peace, we must first find our way back to decency.
It will be hard for me to accede to your wise counsel to not spit on a certain someone’s grave, and may I be tested sooner rather than later.
I know your heart Tammie. You will never be indecent to a fellow human being. Not in you. Webb
Well said; never thought I would be so happy to be anywhere outside the USA! We have been treated very kindly here in Spain but I suspect it has more to do with our age than our nationality. Yes, Kay is also quick to express our disdain for Trump.