Please. Don’t leave me. I know you rolled your eyes. Spit-up what you are drinking. Yet, I am going to be another voice for us to fight divisiveness.
Just a reminder and for those who do not know.
On July 3, 1989, I began my career as a high school music teacher. On December 22, 2021, with the support of Diana (my wife since March 30, 1991), I decided to retire early from teaching. If I had made it another three or four years, I would have had that “Golden Egg” of a pension. Yet, I could not be what California public education wanted me to be. If you are interested in knowing more specifics, please read https://conductingmylife.com/explanation-of-retirement/
For the first time since July 3, 1989, I have been without of job! Since January 11, 2022, we are on day 55 without a job. Being without a job (having had two interviews leading to “no” and sending out over eight applications with several “no’s” in response to those applications) led me to ask the question, “Now, what to do?” And every answer to how to deal with “no” / people not seeing my capability to do the job / loneliness / etc., has been “Christian-based.” With not 56 years left to go, I need to prepare to “go.” I need to truly reestablish my, “Begin with the End in Mind.” I need to #livenotbylies
When Ukraine was invaded by Russia, I wanted to devote a “Now, what to do?” article or two to a bigger deal than me. Do not misunderstand me. I am big deal! Not bigger than Jesus Christ. NO! But I am a ‘big deal’ to those I currently serve and to those I have not yet begun to serve. I need to be ready for the next gift Jesus Christ gives me. THAT WILL BE A HUUUUGE DEAL 😊
Last article focused on BEING PATRIOTIC. Inspired by the Ukrainians fighting for their patriotic response for their nation and seeing too many people in our beautiful nation not being PATRIOTIC. Meaning too-many-people who are not expressing devotion to and vigorous support for the United States of America. I encourage you to read that article.
This “Now, what to do?” article is COME TOGETHER. The Ukrainians are teaching us the power of COMING TOGETHER. A cliché that is like hundreds of other cliches: overused and underappreciated.
In 56 years of living / over 20,500 days of living, I have not seen a more divided United States of America and without a doubt, that division is planned for our demise! Without a doubt!
The division I am seeing has taken over hundreds of years to accomplish and expedited thanks to technology and frankly, immoral / uneducated people. In 1961, we were asked, “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country!” Now, it seems that question is on deaf ears.
On a California State University’s white board was the following statement (this was displayed on FACEBOOK the week of February 28 – March 5, 2022):
“Every system is designed to do something. Every system is built by people.” – Candice W. D.
Then the students wrote their responses to that quote. The one response that hurt my heart, “How do we create a culture of accountability for white leaders?” Signed by a female student. I am surprised she did not include “male.” Let’s get the “intersectionality” to happen, people!
Another response is, “how do we disrupt the “normal” that others have accepted?” asks female student. Wow! My takeaway is: our next generation of educational leaders’ goal is to “disrupt the “normal” that others have accepted.” Who made you (female student) the queen of normal? Where is the tolerance?
Here is my friend’s (a university graduate student in that class) public Facebook response to my “public frustration” with such a racist statement (“How do we create a culture of accountability for white leaders?”):
You (Paul Everts) are seeing it correct! We need to hold our white leaders accountable just as they would hold anyone else accountable for their behavior. Who created the standards? My big thing is criticality. We must be able to look at different scenes from different angles to be able to see different perspectives. Furthermore, we must always be checking for Blindspots in our leadership.
My public Facebook response to him / specifically his question, “Who created the standards?”
Well, my answer to the question you asked is – God. As far as blindspots?? Yes. 100% agreement. Respectfully, that comment about white leaders would be a blindspot for me and that person.
I have known this awesome young man since he was in a leadership seminar I led when he was a high school student; that would be probably close to fifteen years ago. I LOVE HIM!! I will do all I can not to defriend him / block him. Too often recently, I have done both (defriend / block) and now it is time to put on the FULL ARMOUR OF GOD and defend what God has said. In this case, what comes to mind is “image of God.”
- I apologize for defriending / blocking friends based on differences. I am not apologizing for defriending / blocking friends who mock me and my Christianity. You crossed the line.
Ladies and Gentlemen / Gentlemen and Ladies … what are you doing? In the end, how do you think this is going to end? The answer I have been told is y’all want to tear it down / burn it down and make it better. Better than what? What is a better United States of America? Are we seeing what “better” looks like in Philadelphia / Los Angeles / Chicago / New York City… just to name a few?
I say, we need to wake-up folks who are “woke” to this belief that what we look like on the outside and how we pee – standing or sitting – is what we are — is leading to our nation’s peril!
At President Biden’s State of the Union Address (which I did not watch), I was happy to hear the Democrats… THE DEMOCRATS begin the iconic chant of “USA! USA! USA!” That was exciting.
Only to see a video within days of that iconic moment (chant of “USA! USA! USA!”) of what appears to be high school students representing a “Trans Community” shouting down a speaker with “F*** YOU FASCIST.” And then seeing the overwhelming praise (from still, a small percentage of the USA population) for these “F*** YOU FASCIST” chanters received for their behavior. AMAZING! Praising behavior that would have been excoriated if it was done to a “Trans person.” The shoe on the other foot. For example, a bunch of teens chanting, “F*** YOU TRANS-IE!” That action would NOT have been “heroic!” It would have NOT / SHOULD be NOT tolerated. But then since this “F*** YOU FASCIST” is done by a “marginalized group” that same action is deemed okay because it’s done by a “marginalized group?”
All of this (Critical Race Theory / Teaching students to be “Social Activists” oppose teaching how to be educated in the laws of their nation / how to be patriotic) is meant to divide our nation. Divide and conquer is a proven method that works.
What bothers me about “see me for who I am on the outside” is not how I was and to do this day, how I am taught. I am taught we are created in the IMAGE OF GOD.
- Genesis 1:26-27 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over very creeping thing that creepeth up the earth. So, God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
- Genesis 9:6 Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man
There is definitely a battle to keep the Christian principles alive and purposeful in our nation. No doubt. When prayer was taken out of schools June 25, 1962, we have seen the march forward to become more secular. Frankly, started earlier by John Dewey in the late Nineteenth century! Do some research on John Dewey. Radical!
Change of a nation’s culture is generational. We see that (change is generational) in my discussion with students 14 years-old to 33 years-old. They have been trained “what you see (gender / race) on the outside is what ya get.” They are identified as part of a group. Their identity comes from being in a group. Look again at that California State University student’s response, “How do we create a culture of accountability for white leaders?” Not all white leaders lead the same. Not all black leaders – lead the same! There are white and black leaders who lead the same! However, she has been trained to look at a person as part of a group, versus as an individual. When one cop is bad … ALL COPS ARE BAD! Evil thinking, folks.
We need to fight for COME TOGETHER.
We need to COME TOGETHER.
I don’t see traits such as truth / honor / respect / responsibility / self-discipline / integrity being owned a “race of people.”
- All people should COME TOGETHER to want the truth.
- All people should COME TOGETHER to want honor.
- All people should COME TOGETHER to want to be respected.
- All people should COME TOGETHER to have the need to be responsible for their choices / their actions.
- All people should COME TOGETHER to have the need to have self-discipline to fight evil!
- All people should COME TOGETHER to have the need to be the same person in private and public!
I believe once we get out of this “well that’s a white way to believe” or “that’s a patriarchal way to believe” or “because you are Christian, you are bad” or” because you are not Christian, you are bad” we WIN! We all WIN! Until that time (come together) arrives, more people are going to get hurt. More friendships will be lost (I have lost my fair share and probably will lose more).
Please, I ask of you to consider COMING TOGETHER. As corny as it is, look for all the commonalities you have with another human, rather than getting the other person to have more in common with you.
Now, of course, some Biblical thoughts on COME TOGETHER
- Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as a is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing new.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
- Colossians 2:2 That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ.
- 1 Peter 4:9 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling
- Romans 12:10 Love one another with brotherly affection Outdo one another in showing honor.
- Romans 16:17 I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:
We are hosting a seminar April 29 / 30 in Visalia, CA
April 29 7pm-9pm at Cafe 210 “Sometimes you win sometimes you learn for TEENS” $10 covers cost for the seminar
April 30 9am-3pm; registration begins at 8am “The 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth” $55 per participant; $400 per table of 8; $500 for SPEAKER SPONSOR
For more information, go to this website at go to the EVENTS tab.
If you would like to be an “investor” in this program, please visit this website https://bit.ly/3BuWjd3
We are looking at providing this event throughout the nation! Let us come to you! Please contact Paul Everts at band2gether@comcast.net