Sermon : ‘This Is What the U.S. Should Be Doing’

My 11 year-old was somewhat distressed by a West Virginia politician he saw on TV who railed against the U.S. getting involved in Somalia’s problems. He concluded with a seasonal zinger. After all, what are we, Santa Claus? Along those lines, John Chancellor checked in one night during his regular commentary with a lot of pointed questions about the American military getting embroiled in the Somalia mishmash. After all, he said, millions are dying because of famine and civil war in the Sudan and we’re not getting involved. Ditto for Mozambique. What’s the big deal in Mogadishu?

Today I looked at the pictures in the current Time, Newsweek and U.S. News. Human skeletons. Dead babies. Fly-infested sores. Then I looked at our dinner table after it was abandoned by five kids rushing to homework, Game Boy and Mad Magazine. I saw half-eaten bowls of soup, unfinished rolls, meat and mashed potatoes in lonely piles awaiting the ignominy of Hefty Cinch Bags. And, like countless parents before me, I summoned up the image of “children starving in Africa.”

So I explained it to our 11-year-old: This is not just something to restore George Bush’s sense of purpose until he passes the baton (although the consensus that he waited until after the election so that it wouldn’t seem like a ploy is certainly enough justification for him to have lost). Nope, this is what America should be doing with its overflow resources. And, in fact, it’s not really anything new. Thirty years ago, when the “Ugly American” squandering money and goodwill was the prevalent image, we had the same noble intentions (seasoned with anti-Communist fervor), but we weren’t getting the message across. A Vietnam later, we have learned the lessons of public relations/community relations in the world press.

I wonder how many of the guys bemoaning “principles” and “precedent” have ever dug into their own pockets to help the hungry, the disadvantaged or anybody else who needed it right here at home.

Call it what you will. We, the United States of America, are doing what we can today. Because we can. I’ve never been prouder to be an American.