Editor, Gazette-Journal:
Life proves there is always a reason, and our decisions made over time determine future results. This is where America is now, dealing with these results. As a nation of immigrants, we built an amazing country with many who spoke a different language on arrival but were determined to learn English and did, and also found a way to live together even though there were differences, including religion.
There was bias with the usual disagreements but we shared an important strength. God was respected even by those who didn’t attend any house of worship. Along with respect for God, families were respected as we knew they were needed for survival. They were important then and still are.
But family, as identified in the beginning, is being taken apart, as if not needed. You don’t hear mothers saying, “Wait till your dad gets home,” because too often there is no dad and mom isn’t around much either. The adults are doing what they believe is important to them, but children can end up without direction, missing the love and discipline that comes with it and the feeling of “being safe” is lost.
Children need recognition and acceptance, but if there is none at home, they look for it elsewhere and we know what this can lead to. Gangs in the place of family and all the misery that comes with them. There are some families that, through faith in God, do well for their children, and these children will learn how important God is to everyone.
But these families need our help and support, because honoring Him and the values He teaches doesn’t conform to current rules of society. The best way to help is to speak up for them, remind those in charge that forcing politically correct rules into the schools and family life is not only wrong, but against everything American.
Our children need to know that America was strong in the beginning because God was respected, and as they mature we will all benefit with a nation that once again is respected because our values are real, not just words.
Dawn Dale
Hayes, Va.