D-Day, then and now.

The first time I recall beginning to formulate a basic understanding of D-Day, June 6, 1944, and the enormity and meaning of the undertaking was on June 5 or 6, 1966, watching a movie on television with my dad. I cannot say what the movie was. It may have been The Longest Day, based on the novel of the same name, but I cannot find information as to whether that movie was yet available as a TV broadcast. I think that is doubtful.

Nevertheless, whatever movie Dad and I watched, caused me to ask serious questions about D-Day, specifically. I knew about WWII, of course, but as a soon-to-be 3rd grader, I had little understanding about the reasons for the D-Day landings, and the tremendous effort involved, not to mention the loss of life.

Whenever my parents spoke of WWII, the strongest impression I always came away with was the idea that the purpose of the allied mission was to rid the world of dictators trying to dominate and take away freedom from people whom they either felt were inferior, or those they simply found reasons to dislike and dominate with their brutality and extreme cruelty, unto the death of millions of souls. I remember both of my parents using the phrase "arsenal of democracy." Later, I learned President Roosevelt used that phrase to describe the United States and allied powers mission to restore freedom to millions in the world then under tyrannical domination. Never did I even imagine that decades later, the people of the United States would once again be front and center in a domestic battle to preserve democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of action, and of bodily autonomy for women.

Both Mom and Dad have gone on to their eternal rest now. Though I miss them in ways I have not the words to describe, I am thankful they do not have to experience the racism, discrimination, and the authoritarian struggle for power now gripping one of our political parties with the same iron grip with which Hitler gripped the European continent, from September 1939 to May, 1945. It would break their hearts, as it breaks mine, daily.

Though this snake has been uncoiling, slowly, for decades now, I never imagined we could be in a place where so-called religious people who profess to love God, above all else, want to snuff out free will God gave each of us, and replace it with religious hypocrisy and religious intolerance for anyone who isn't like them or who chooses not to live that kind of hypocritical vision--people who prefer brainwashed ideas to truth and love of neighbor.

Thank God my parents and others of their generation were willing to stand up and be counted on the side of freedom, and believed in doing the right thing--not for personal gain, honor or glory or self-congratulations--but because it was the right thing to do. And their reward was the blessings of freedom restored.

Fundamentalist Christians of today constantly ask God to bless America. When I hear this, I think why should God bless America when those very people asking for that blessing can't even begin to accept or tolerate differences of culture or opinion, religious belief or ideas different from their own? Why should God care to bless a nation that tolerates hate and violence, all in the guise of religious freedom, when in reality, the motivation is religious tyranny, judgment and hatred?

How could we, as a country and as a people have lost our way to such a gross extent? Why are many fine with supporting a candidate for the highest office in the land who has been convicted of 34 felony offenses, and still has more criminal trials pending? Why do so many Believers praise and support someone who strives to throw aside the Constitution to bring about the downfall of democracy and become a dictator? How can many in America support a person who attempted to, and nearly succeeded in setting aside a legally conducted election he clearly lost?

I will never understand or condone this behavior. It is evil, and true followers of Jesus should be turning away from evil, supporting what is right, and allowing people to live their lives according to principles of truth and love, not judging one another and finding fault with all but themselves, in a spirit of meanness and spite.

In the book of 2 Chronicles, the Bible speaks to God's people and tells us precisely what we need to do to be heard and for God to heal our land. We are to pray and turn from our wicked ways. That doesn't apply just to progressive Christians, it applies to fundamentalist types also. But I don't see political conservatives and Christian fundamentalists doing anything like it. Oh, they pray. But the motivation is not out of love or fairness or acceptance. It is born out of condemnation, judgment, self-righteousness and lies, and a desire for power and domination, no different from that of Hitler. Hitler's motivation was to bring about a superior race--a white race. Christian fundamentalists are motivated by establishing their brand of religion as a Christian national effort, forcing it upon all people in the country, despite the Constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion and the separation of church and state. That is no different than what Hitler attempted to do. He established Maxi party membership as the state religion. I see this happening here also, and people continue to allow themselves to be brainwashed.

The self-sacrifice of so many on D-Day and beyond was heroic and selfless. It took courage and commitment. I pray that kind of behavior once again returns to all people in the United States before our freedom is truly lost, and before it is too late.