Jul. 04, 2004 - 19:07 MDT

THE WONDERING JEW

Good Folks

Fourth of July, today. A day of quiet reflection for me. Remembering all of the good people I have known and have read about. Unsung heros, they are many. Man, woman, children of all genders. Acts of love and kindness happen everywhere in our world, some of which we know nothing of -- but are sure do exist in human beings.

An article in the Sunday Parade by Elie Wiesel titled The America I Love. Two paragraphs from what he wrote:

"In America, compassion for the refugee and respect for the other still have biblical connotations. Grandiloquent words used for public oratory ? Even now as America is in the midst of puzzling uncertainty and understandable introspection because of tragic events in Iraq, these words reflect my personal belief. For I cannot forget another day that remains in my memory: April 11, 1945."

"That day I encountered the first American soldiers in the Buchenwald concentration camp. I remember them well. Bewildered, disbelieving, they walked around the place, hell on earth, where our destiny had been played out. They looked at us, just liberated, and did not know what to do or say. Survivors snatched from the dark throes of death, we were empty of all hope -- too weak, too emaciated to hug them or even speak to them. Like lost children, the American soldiers wept and wept with rage and sadness. And we received their tears as if they were heartrending offerings from a wounded and generous humanity."

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Elie Wiesel, a Romanian Jew, mentions in his article, "Granted, U.S. history has gone through severe trials, of which anti-black racism was the most scandalous and depressing." Acknowledging the sins of Americans as well as our generosity and love of others.

Then thinking of things I saw and knew of through my life, both of kindness and love and the despicable behavior of some, totaled, the good by far exceeds the bad. Funny math, but I think it will be understood.

Such things I saw from an early age, love by Mother and Father, by teachers and relatives. Compassion expressed toward more helpless little people has comforted me all my life. Remembering a man who worked hard all day in a stressful job who went to market after work and then caught a streetcar home to take care of his invalid wife, a man who was helpful and friendly to us all. Some Mothers I knew who raised their children alone, taught them well, inculcated the highest morals and ethics into their being. A mirror image were the Fathers who had to be Mothers as well and did the best they could. As I grew it was easy to tell the good from the bad, the good folks stood out.

In later life I was in Viet Nam as a government contractor employee and lived with the military. I went out with crews of GIs from our group who voluntarily spent their time off helping at orphanages and schools, often bringing goodies they purchased for the kids and the sick. They spent their off time trying to better the condition of the war torn people.

Our people, many of whom have the ability to recognize want and the need for friendship as well -- these things and countrymen as an American, I am proud of. Never forgetting those of the military who have sworn fealty to our country and go where they are sent and do what they are told to do despite the rigor and privations they suffer, regardless of their opinions of the folks in command.

I do love the United States, even though one might have a doubt from some of the things I write. The country and goodness of our folks I love to the extreme. There are many things being done that I despise, things where the common man and worker is pushed down and shorted on wages and decent treatment when excess profits and benefits are shared by the top folks in the food chain. Only thing I can say that might even make an iota of sense, the motives behind deplorable things and actions must be holdovers from our European ancestry, must have been learned ages ago and taught to children of those days. I recognize hate can be taught from the knee of parents and see that much of it sinks in as the child ages.

So, it is the Fourth of July, and to be cheerful about it I celebrate our independence with those among us who are Good Folks . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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