As a man who has served and defended my country for it’s freedoms – I do not typically get rattled or become unhinged too easily – unless there are bullets being fired. Unfortunately, one of my admitted weaknesses is when Honorable people are unjustly and unfairly judged via ‘ignorant’ misrepresentations of actual facts and evidence – via an ill-timed attempt at degradation of the reputation of someone – they never knew; never met; don’t have any firsthand knowledge of and have no righteous claim to speak ill of …
(Note: With all due respect: before someone gets their feelings hurt over my reference and use of the term ‘ignorance’ – I copied the wiki definition at the bottom to ensure my accurate and applicable use of the term – with all due respect and all and no offense intended at anyone in particular).
FIRST and foremost – as CHRISTIANS it is not our place to judge…
I’m honestly trying my best not to judge as well – sometimes it’s just so hard when dealing with people who are so disrespectful of others who do not deserve it - especially on the day of their passing (show some human decency and dignity please)…
So as a tribute to a Great Man (not just my opinion – see Obama’s quote below, and he was revered by Bill Clinton as well): Lets respectfully pay homage to HIS life of service and accomplishments, and then his legacy…
George H.W. Bush DOCUMENTED LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
- spent a lifetime in public service…
- known for his gentlemanly demeanor, dedication to traditional American values, willingness to take on foreign despots like Iraq's Hussein and Panama's Manuel Noriega, and presiding over the breakup of the Soviet Union.
- In childhood, he was nicknamed "have half" for his generosity in offering other youngsters half of whatever he had.
On his 18th birthday, he enlisted in the Navy, becoming the
youngest fighter pilot in World War II. He flew 58 combat missions, including one that nearly ended his life.
"He was on a bombing mission about 600 miles south of Japan," said historian Douglas Brinkley, "when he was shot down and it went into the sea. And it's
a great moment for his life of heroism, [September 2, 1944]." and was
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals.
- Following World War II, he enrolled at Yale University, where his first son, George W., was born. Bush graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a degree in economics and was captain of the varsity baseball team.
- moved to Texas where he worked in the oil business and was elected to two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Robin, their
first daughter, died in 1953 of leukemia. She was not yet 4 years old.
"It had a profound effect on me," Mr. Bush recalled. "And I think that horrible incident
drew us even closer together."
- Appointed to a series of high-level political positions: U.S. Ambassador to the UN, chairman of the Republican National Committee, Chief of the U.S. Liaison Office in Beijing and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
- elected to the first of two terms as Ronald Reagan's vice president and in 1988 was nominated by the Republicans to carry the party's banner
- As President of the United States of America
- "This is America…a brilliant diversity spread like stars, like a thousand points of light in a broad and peaceful sky," he said in his convention acceptance speech and the "thousand points of light" phrase came to be associated with his administration.
- the world did dramatically change with the end of the Cold War, the breakup of the Soviet empire and the fall of the Berlin Wall.
- Deposed Panamanian leader/dictator, Gen. Manuel Noriega, who was returned to the U.S. to stand trial as a drug trafficker.
- When Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, President Bush assembled a global coalition, waging an air and ground campaign known as Operation Desert Storm. Kuwait was liberated in just six weeks. President Bush didn't order U.S. troops to press on to Baghdad, fearing a long war.
- "George Herbert Walker Bush was the finest foreign policy president the United States had after Harry Truman. And I don't say that lightly," said historian Brinkley.
His Legacy:
Mr. Bush's
son George would serve as the governor of Texas and two terms as president, while another son,
Jeb, became the first Republican governor of Florida to serve two full terms.
George Herbert Walker Bush was the
patriarch of a political dynasty. But
his legacy is not of power, but of service.
- "He easily could have chosen a life of comfort and privilege, and instead, time and again, when offered a chance to serve, he seized it," President Barack Obama said of him in 2009, marking the 20th anniversary of Bush's Points of Light initiative.
- "Think for a minute about the impact that he's had. … That's the extraordinary ripple effect that one life, lived humbly, with love for one's country, and in service to one's fellow citizens, can have. May we each strive to make that kind of difference with our own lives."
So before we as Christians decide to aimlessly MIS-judge this great man of honor – we should first ask ourselves: How have we served our country, what are our life’s accomplishments, what are our legacies? What have our kids achieved? Have our kids lived up to our expectations?
"Ignorance is a lack of knowledge. The word ignorant is an adjective that describes a person in the state of being unaware, and can describe individuals who deliberately ignore or disregard important information or facts, or individuals who are unaware of important information or facts."
Wikipedia
Yes, RIP and may God Bless George HW Bush for his service to our great nation...