What kind of nation?

I was enthused by the President's State of the Union speech tonight.  I was thankful that he talked about unemployment insurance, the minimum wage and healthcare.  I was thankful that he talked about the end of our involvement in Afghanistan and the need to get off a "permanent war footing".  I am thankful that he addressed alternative forms of energy and climate change.  I am thankful that he talked about equality in wages for women and in healthcare costs.  I am thankful that he talked about marriage equality.  I am thankful that he talked about equal education for EVERY student, and especially pre-school for our children.  I am even thankful that he BRIEFLY addressed surveillance of our own citizens and curbing drone attacks.

I wish he had mentioned more about immigration reform, and I am afraid that the claims that he has deported more undocumented aliens from our land is the truth.
I wish he had spoken more about drone use and attacks, and I am afraid that he is allowing more to be done to create more enemies than we know about.
I wish he had spoken more about the NSA and surveillance on American citizens, and I am afraid that he is allowing more of that to happen here and abroad than there should be.

My question, as I watch the divisions across the aisle, is... What kind of nation do YOU want us to be?

Do you want us to be a nation that is controlled by those with the most power and wealth, or a nation OF, BY and FOR THE PEOPLE?

Do you want us to be a nation that makes sure EVERY citizen has EQUAL rights, or that keeps some out of equal rights?

Do you want us to be a nation that benefits only the most ruthless who already have an incredible excess of what they need, or that benefits those who would like to be able to have a stable life for their families?

Do you want us to be a nation that jumps at the chance to get into wars, or that uses every means available to avoid the taking and losing of lives?

Do you want us to be a nation that makes sure a few have stellar healthcare, or that everyone has the ability to have good health?

Do you want us to be a nation that educates some VERY well at the expense of the rest, or offers an EQUAL education to all?

The conservative vision is for the oligarchs among us to have more wealth, more power and more control over the lives of others.

The progressive vision is for the playing field to be truly leveled for everyone to have a chance, not just to survive, but to thrive.

What kind of nation do YOU want us to be?
A ruthless, self-centered, divided, conscience-less, immoral plutocracy, or a nation that regulates the nation's resources so that all have an EQUAL chance?
Should we be a nation of thugs who get all they can at the expense of others, both within the nation and abroad, using our wealth and power to exploit others and then throw them away, or a nation that truly lifts up every human being in whatever ways we are able?
Should we be the "bad guy" in this historical drama, or the "good guy" in how we treat our own citizens and those around the world? 

Greed, the lust for power and self-indulgence threaten to steal the soul of America, now more than ever.  We are becoming less civilized in how we deal with each other here and around the world.  So, what kind of nation will we be?  Thug or Hero?  The thugs, who beat the unsuspecting sojourner because they can, the priest and levite who are the sojourner's own people but who do not care enough to help, or the Samaritan (stranger, rival, enemy) who does not ask the question, "What will happen to/for me if I stop to help", but rather, "What will happen to THAT PERSON if I do not?"

What kind of nation will we be?  Clearly some stand for one way and some for the other.  Others stand for nothing, so they fall for everything.

I know what I want, what I will support and work toward.
What will it be for you?

Pastor Jamie