The Next Day

Daniel Jr. spent the day with Jen, his recreational therapist. Daniel, it should be noted, has, and was born with, Cerebral Palsy. CP is just a waste-basket term to describe any number of abnormal neuromuscular symptoms that can't otherwise be attributed to a diagnosed condition. Cerebral Palsy actually means 'shaking brain.' That hardly applies to Daniel, though. Neither does his brain shake, nor any other part of his body. Back to the reporting, though: Daniel spent the day with Jen. He generally enjoys his time with her on Wednesdays. They go to the "Y" and swim, then see a movie or have lunch. Sometimes they bowl or go to a video game store.

Last week Daniel came home a little unhappy. He had had a discussion with Jen and felt like he didn't make his case very well when the two of them disagreed. Daniel is a little disadvantaged when it comes to debate. He is not gifted in the area of persuasive speech and doesn't argue well with anyone except his siblings.

Jen told Daniel she believes we should all be paying more taxes to help support the needs of the disadvantaged in this country. From the things Daniel reported, it was clear Jen is liberal and most likely Democrat. It should be noted, the Windham Family is conservative. I'd not go so far as to say we are Republican anymore, for it seems to us that the Republican Party has abandoned the principles by which we govern our lives. There are standards and ideals we hold; strong beliefs held by those noble men who founded this country. The notion that hard work and endurance, honesty and good will are qualities of character each person should posses, is one too many in today's society find irrelevant. We find, though, that these virtues are utterly required to achieve joy and fulfillment in this life.

There was a time when the food you grew in your garden was most of what you had to feed your family. No body came around from the township to take 20% of that food away to redistribute as the town council decided was appropriate. What happened to the idea that by the sweat of your own brow you shall eat your bread? I understand the desire to help those in need, but charity becomes counterfeit when it turns to theft. It is wrong to forcibly take from one man because it is believed another man has a need. It is wrong to steal from one who has worked hard to earn what he has in order to give to another who hasn't. If a person is in need through no fault of his own, let it be charity who lifts him up. Why should he be given that which was stolen from another?

Most every child will hold fast to a toy when another tries to grab it away. The same child will share that toy with willingness and no animosity if persuaded correctly. On the same note, it does harm to a child to be taught to grab from another and to be able to keep that which he wrongfully took from the child who 'had it first'. I believe this truth can be applied to all cases in which something is taken from someone by force. Whether it be a toddler, a bully in the school yard or the government.

After a few generations of grabbers and keepers and stealers have come and gone, we are now left with an alarming number of people who see no wrong in taking what they want and paying nothing for it; no work, no risk, nothing endured. Too many people believe it is the place of government to decide who has enough money, who has too much money and who should have some of that money that belongs to someone else. So many people have been indoctrinated with this counterfeit notion of charity that no one stops to wonder at the irony in the stand that some people are just too rich. Are some people too rich? Are some people too educated? Are some people too happy? Too dark? Too beautiful? Too ugly? Are some people too free?

What has happened to us America? Wake up! At some point I pray we will listen to the council of the wisest man to walk the earth and we will teach the hungry how to fish. To steal from the fisherman is wrong, though it may be politically correct.

My 21 year old son who supposedly has a shaking brain can see the logic in this, though he may not be able to argue the point well with Jen. I'm happy to have the last word for him, for today, at least.