America needs a wake-up call

As a Middle East news correspondent in 1973, Peter Jennings was covering the war between Israel and Syria. One day an Israeli pilot was shot down and rushed to a Syrian hospital. Peter Jennings and his camera man boldly entered the hospital and without any resistance walked right into a room where a Syrian surgeon was operating on this Israeli pilot.

Mr. Jennings thrust a microphone at him and said, “how does it feel to be working on an Israeli pilot?” No comment from the surgeon. Again he asked “how does it feel to be working on an Israeli pilot? No comment. Frustrated at failing to capture a sound bite, he and his camera man exited to the hall. About ten minutes later the surgeon came out to the hall and took the two men to the window. He then said, “You see the home over there? It was bombed by an Israeli plane three days ago. My wife and children died. It could have been him. But I am a doctor.”

I believe there is a lesson for all of us in the civility and self-control exemplified by this Syrian surgeon. Very few of us are doctors who have taken the Hippocratic Oath. Nonetheless we are Americans and our heritage has left us several moments like the Syrian surgeon, of individuals who understood their sacred honor. Maybe it is time we “mutually pledge to each other” that sacred honor and eradicate the rampant dishonesty in our country.

Contention and cruelty have reared their ugliness recently in nearly every social venue. We have seen the social fiascos from schools and school buses, from professional athletics to entertainment circles, from halls of legislatures to town hall meetings and from blatantly reprehensible community organizations to pretended ministries.

Aspersions seem to be the makeup of every day. Talk shows and news channels from every realm of the media strata surely pique mans weak emotions while failing miserably to inspire man’s capability to be civil. Political division is a mere reflection of private division. Far too many have severed a relationship with our father in heaven. Truth resounds in the thought, “no man can serve two masters.” And current events make us question which master we are serving.

What role can we individually play in restoring government, industry, and families to health and vigor? Giving the current flash flood of anger and outburst I can only sadly swallow the words of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prophet Joseph Smith when in a civic tone he stated: “No honest man can doubt for a moment but the glory of American liberty is on the wane, and that calamity and confusion will sooner or later destroy the peace of the people.” And then in prophetic tone he would state: “Now, O people! people! turn unto the Lord and live, and reform this nation.” Precisely the answer for today’s America.

Weeks before his death, as enemies sought after his blood and threatened the peace of Nauvoo, the Mormon prophet would counsel: “Keep the peace by being cool, considerate, virtuous, unoffending, manly, and patriotic, as the true sons of liberty ever have been, and honorably maintain the precious boon our illustrious fathers won.”

This will not be easy as we have to let go of false traditions, pride-driven political posturing, biases and prejudices, addictions and immoral behavior. But we can improve our personal roles in maintaining civility.

In my opinion, one thing is certain and ever constant — our father in heaven holds the destiny of this nation, indeed the whole earth, in his hands. His divine love is always near and is extended with eternal perspective.

Unfortunately, due to the hardness of our hearts, we will need to recognize and come to appreciate that love through divine judgments. America needs a wake-up call. Hopefully when such a wake-up call comes we will not be antagonistic, bitter, and threatening to the creator as we have been to one another. But accept his loving and wise course correction.

Jenkins lives in Layton.