Left Behind

What if the end comes

And I’m left behind?

My life and professions

Have all been a lie,

False and not trued

An act the got left

On the cutting room floor.

What if the end comes

And those I love are left behind?

Family and friends,

Those I hold so dear

To be left to years of torments,

Famine, destruction and war

Whilst I am safe in Heaven.

Lord, show me the way.

Teach me so my life

Is all You need

Glorifying You now

So that I can be raised

And join You in Paradise

Worshiping You for eternity.

Lord, show me the way

So that I can reach

Those that don’t know

The truth of Your Word

Your revelation, Your promise

So that they can be raised

And join me in Your Paradise.

22nd November 2001, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America.

Who’s Land?

Looking across the vast land

I could see herds of buffalo

Stampeding across the plain

Followed by proud Indian warriors

Masters in their own domain.

Then, I blink.

What I thought were buffalo

Were actually thousands of bushes

And not an Indian in sight.

Ah yes, how could I forget

They were eradicated from their land

By a disease from the east,

The disease of expansion,

The disease of the white man?

18^th September 2001, Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States of America.

The Mojahve

Miles upon miles

The highway winds on and on

With nothing to see

But sand, desert and mountains

Showing how great

God’s creation is

Making all we can do

Such meaningless trivialities!

  

16^th September 2001, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America.

The Match

For ninety minutes nothing else matters

Except what happens

On the field below.

The rest of the world

And all that’s going on

Is irrelevant to the thousands in the stands.

The outcome determines the mood

Of everyone leaving the stadium.

There is war all around

And children are suffering

But, depending on the result

Life is good, or, bad.

For ninety minutes other things matter

What happens on the field below

Is fun and entertaining and important

As it gives fans release

But, it’s not life or death

It doesn’t matter to the billions outside.

19^th August, 2001, Antioch, California, United States of America

I March

Holding hands together
I March
With pain
With love
With righteous anger
With hope
With fear
I March
Together as one 
With the homeless
The sick
The old
The poor
The woman 
The men
The boys
The girls
The black
The white
The red
The brown
The gay
The straight 
The scared
The hurting
The confused
The World
The mutilated
The tortured
The discriminated
I March
For the unborn child
For the scared mother
For the abused boy
For the raped girl
For the bully
For the woman paid less than men
I March
For those that can't afford a doctor 
For those that can't afford a roof
For those that can't afford a meal
For those alone
For those who are victims
For those who are discriminated 
For those who want to love
For those who want to marry
For the future of the environment
For the whole world 
I March
Alongside General William Booth 
Alongside St. Francis of Assis
Alongside Mother Theresa
Alongside Nelson Mandela
Alongside Ghandi
Alongside Martin Luther King
Alongside the Pankhursts
I March
With the Cherokee on the Trail of Tears
With the Jews in Aushwitz
With the woman in Athganistan
With Lincoln at Gettysburg
With the Sioux at Standing Rock
With the Doctors at Planned Parenthood
I March
For Peace
For Hope
For Love
For Equality
I March
For those that think they don't have to because they will.
For those I missed
For everyone
For every Country
I March
Because a baby was born in a stable
Because he died alone
Because he was rejected
Because he commanded to love everyone 
Because he commanded peace
I March
With him to the Cross.
I March!!

-Richard

Red Letter Day

It seems such a long time ago

He got off the plane

With those imposing towers

Of Manhattan in the distance.

An excitement,

A good,

A new land

The old ways left behind

 A chance to grow,

To serve and succeed.

Across the wide open prairies

From the Atlantic to Pacific

From the Gulf to the mountains

Everything seemed so free,

So fresh, so good.

God's works

And promises

So boundless

So true

Succeed almost guaranteed.

A utopia almost to good?

Some rumblings in the background

As he was not marginalized

He was fine

In a little tunnel of his own

A beautiful wife

A good job

A safe Church.

He's made it!

But, something did not seem right

Millions starving

Sleeping on the street

Beaten for the race,

Abused for their sex

Or for their orientation or view.

He could only bow in shame

As he passed by.

Restless night after restless night

As the words

Of Christ swirled in his head

"Love your enemy

Blessed are the peacemakers,

The meek, the sick

Turn the other cheek

Take care of the poor."

Contrary to what was preached.

Where does this fit?

Everything seemed wrong now

All around he saw

Hate, not, love

Envy, not, joy

Retaliation, not, peace.

Violence, hate death.

Around every corner

Lies and fear.

A few years later

It is now to late

The red letter writing

That stood out on the pages

Of the Holy book are gone

Leaving just the legalities

That were supposed to have passed

Leaving pain everywhere

And bodies in the gutter.

He looks at the book

In his shaking hand

Knowing it was illegal

For these pages to be seen

There should have been ripped up,

Burnt and forgotten

As the  country moved

To a dictatorship,

A new "Mein Kampf" as scripture.

The fresh land he'd arrived at

Gone, destroyed

Rubble of broken lives everywhere.

He should have worn that safety pin

Should have spoken out

Should have live those red words

And gone and lived

Been selfless

Whatever the cost.

Now it's to late

They are coming

They know about the Book

So it's time for it to be hidden.

Finally with courage to stand,

To hold on to it and and shout

"Jesus is love and peace

All people are equal".

If only sooner!!

The door breaks

A shout

A shot rings out

What success?

What hope?

As memories flood

"If only" he cries

"Forgive me!!"

Then, it's over.

 -Richard

The election here in the US is getting closer and frankly I am sad and disgusted by this whole process. 

For the first time since I have been able to vote I am going to have to cast my vote against someone rather than for someone.   For those who know me well know that I vote on issues after researching them.  Although my instinct is to be a Liberal Democrat (in the English sense, not, American!!) I have never just voted for a "straight party", but, have always looked at what is being said.   For example in England I voted for all three main parties at one time or the other and since being in the States have voted both Democrat, Republican and on one occasion green.   In fact one thing I would change in the electoral system is to remove the choice for "straight party" off a ballot as it makes people lazy and not thinking.

The person who I could never vote for is Donald Trump.  I am actually amazed anyone can.  Even before the recent tapes where released I could not with a clear mind or clear ethics vote for him.  He has demonstrated over many years to be to volatile and erratic to ever be considered for any political office never mind President.   I have spend much time listening to what he says and read his website.  His policy statements are just that, no meat, and what the other side has done is wrong.  I need substance.  For example on healthcare he said and I'm paraphrasing "I'll figure something out".   This on one arguably the most important issue facing America!!   Some of his statements on immigration, and this is the issue that I am far most conservative on myself are shocking in ignorance and as far as foreign policy, boy, that is scary.   On business he talks about this experience.   How many times did he go bankrupt losing millions and millions on dollars?  He sends his factories over seas whilst preaching against.   Ask the worked in New Jersey for example what they think about his personal greed?  If he gets upset at Saturday Night Live what is he going to do if a world leader dares disagree or laughs?  However, the main reason I could never with a clear conscience vote for him is the hate that spews from his mouth and that of his followers.   Again, I am not saying the other side is perfect, absolutely not, however, there is a different tone of vehemence coming from the Trump supporters.   Many years ago I read "Mein Kampf" and I have also studied countries where dictators rule and how they come into power.   What I am seeing from the Trump movement is like history being repeated.   It is like being at Nuremberg rally.  I felt this before the tapes.

Then we get onto his tapes.   As a man I am embarrassed and  ashamed.  I can't imagine how a woman must feel.   This is again the behaviour of megalomaniac that I have described above.  What is really upsetting me even beyond this is the attitude of many Evangelical Christian Leaders.  Over the last few years I have became more and estranged from this wing of the Church.   It is like they follow the Bible minus the words of Jesus because they do not match what politically they want.  I can't imagine what someone like Bonhoeffer would say.  One argument I have heard is that it was eleven years ago and he has changed.   OK.   First of all eleven years ago he was nearly sixty and on his third marriage so certainly should know better.   The argument I hold dear to my heart is that you should not judge, especially as he has asked for forgiveness.   Absolutely!!  The problem is his only defense has been to go after Bill Clinton.   See the problem here?  One, Bill is not running (and good job as I could not vote for him either) so this again shows sexist behaviours and two, if he should be forgiven for an event eleven years ago Clinton should be for those over twenty years ago.  You can't ask and expect forgiveness on one hand and judge on the other hand. Just again proves the point on what Trump really thinks and also the agenda of some of these Evangelical leaders.   Even as I write this I am feeling anger and tears at this complete failure of so many in the Church.  Make America great again?!  It already is, yes, with problems.   It is treasonous to say this, just creating more hate and fear.  Imagine getting elected on fear and hate.   When did this happen?   Germany in the 1930's.  

Trump should not and cannot be President, not just for the sake of America, but, for the sake of the World!!

Ok, for those (if anyone) still reading this we come to Hillary Clinton.   If I was told even six months ago that I'd be voting for her I'd have said you were crazy.   She is also a severely flawed candidate.   So I decided to look into the issues and things that have been said against her.  Reviewing her website as I did with Trump I found a much more comprehensive list of policies and actually actionable plans.  I was pleasantly surprised by this and the fact that I could get behind most of them.  So, I moved onto some of things thrown against her regularly:

1. Bill Clinton.   He is not running for President and I have stated my argument above on this.   
2. She defended a rapist as a lawyer.   She didn't have any choice as a public defender.  This is one of the cornerstones of the justice system, so if the argument is this rapist should not have a defense we are again moving into the dictator state previously described.  The facts of this case show that the girls mother did not want a long trial so guilty plea-bargain was arranged.
3. Thirty years of not going anything?  I looked into her career a little.  She has worked for children's causes and health issues for a long time and has been a public servant.   During this time what has Trump done?   Made and lost a lot of money just taking care of himself.
4. Her charity.   I don't know all the details in this, but, from the information I looked at it appears more money went to good than did Trump's. 
5. She will defend Rowe vs Wade.   A difficult one on the outset.   I am not in favour of abortion.   However, pro-life is way more than this.   It goes to Healthcare and assistance.   Here are some facts.   The abortion rate in the US is one of the highest in Western Europe (only Sweden is higher).  Ironically the countries with some of the lowest rates The Netherlands and Germany for example of the most liberal abortion laws.  So, what is the difference?  They also have the most comprehensive healthcare and post-pregnancy laws meaning a lot of parents in the States who can't afford to have a baby can there.  Also, they have easier adoption laws.  So, the real way to reduce abortions is not to legislate against that, but, to implement a universal healthcare.  A fact missed by so many conservative's and evangelicals alike.   She is also more pro-life than Trump when is comes to things such as the death penalty and military spending.  This is why I never categorize abortion as pro-life, as there is such a hypocrisy in this statement or pro-choice, because in greedy America right now there may not be a choice.
6. The e-mail scandal and Benghazi.   This I do not believe can be defended.  She lied.  Period.  However, looking into this issue holistically let's go back to the previous Republican Presidency.  How many e-mails did they lose or destroy?  15,000 like Clinton?  A few more? How about approximately two million!!!  Perhaps the GOP needs to look at themselves first.   For Benghazi, a horrible loss of life and mistakes where undoubtedly made.  Again, looking into as a holistic event.  During the eight years if the last Republican Presidency eighty embassy staff were killed (slightly higher than the four of Benghazi).  Also, lost in this is that the funding for embassy security was cut by the Congress.  The Democrats of course?  No, the Republican Congress.  I think the finger pointing here should be turned around (In this whole post this is the only time I mentioned the fact that the majority of President Obama's tenure there has been a Republican Congress blocking the way... ).   One more comment on lies:  The Bush Administration and the Iraq war.  How many lives where lost because of these lies? 

These are just a few of the issues I discovered when trying to decide if I could actually vote for Hillary.  The answer surprised my and is a resounding yes. 

I am sure many would disagree with me, but, I ask take the blinders of party affiliation or previous history with Clinton off and really look at these candidates and what it could mean not just the future of the world and just not America.  Clinton is not a great choice, Trump, is a potential catastrophe.

Note:  whilst researching this I found out the GOP as had an "Anybody But Hillary" plan for over 10 years now.  Or, put, another way whilst Trump was denigrating woman the GOP was already planning to destroy Clinton.  Makes one think!!

-Richard
-Richard