Keep this nation under your care

This morning I wrote this message to my family.

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Every once in a while my mind flashes back to me as an 18-year-old kid in an office at what was then the Philadelphia Navy Yard. My right hand was raised as Captain F.H. Mitchell, USMC, stood in front of me and administered the oath --

I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same

I was lucky. I never had to go to Vietnam with some of my classmates and friends. I had hay fever and they gave me an honorable discharge and sent me home so I could finish college and go to seminary. They didn't want someone who might start sneezing in the rice paddies. I got to go on with my life because six recruits had died in training at Ribbon Creek in 1956 and one died on a forced march at Quantico when I was there in 1963. The Corps didn't want another investigation of their training methods. I was a Marine for a little more than one year. 

Still, taking the oath always mattered to me. And the few moments in that small Marine Corps office on August 15, 1962 returns from time to time. 

A lot of us have taken that oath. I know Tom did at one point. And yesterday when there was an attempt to overthrow our government that oath was on my mind. And it seems it was on the mind of others. Everyone in the House and Senate had taken that oath, some several times. So had many of the police officers and National Guard troops that responded. I could see that people who differed from me politically were set on living the oath--Pence, Graham, and others (even if they were rather late in getting there). Pelosi spoke of it being the Feast of the Epiphany and shared some of Francis' prayer -"Lord, make me a channel of thy peace." One Republican congressman was filmed talking with what then were still just protesters. They wanted to know if he would deny the truth of the election results. He spoke of his support for much that Trump had accomplished. And he said, "no" he wasn't going to support an attempt to delay acknowledging that truth. They pressed him further. He told them he had taken an oath. They pressed more. He yelled, "I took an oath to God. Doesn't that matter anymore?" Only one protester said, "Yes, it matters to me." 

I watched Newshour with Judy Woodruff as the events unfolded. I was annoyed when Judy kept calling the rioters "protesters." She did the same thing when the crazies on the other side tore apart Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis and other cities. I stayed with watching Newshour because they do mostly try to get it right. Later I realized that the reports by people standing or sitting some distance from the action did not let me see the true horror of what was going on for the human beings in the building and our nation. So, I looked at videos and pictures of officers struggling with the mob, of congresswomen and men hiding on the floor and in barricaded offices, and of the desecration of the nation's holy space. If you also missed some of that take a look at the videos below and the attached PDF of pictures. During the day and later as I looked at the pictures and videos I'd choke up, feel gut wrenching anger, and remember the oath. 

I loved watching Senator Romney, “The best way we can show respect for the voters who were upset is by telling them the truth”

Each day as I say the Office, the Daily Prayers of the Church, there are the versicle and response prayers. One set of V. & R. is especially for days such as yesterday.

V.    Lord, keep this nation under your care;

R.    And guide us in the way of justice and truth.

So, Romney's word's about "telling them the truth" have continued to ring. Justice and truth are intertwined. 

I know that in this family there are Democrats and Republicans. I know the unspoken norm is to not fight about it. But what happened yesterday wasn't about Republicans and Democrats. It was about our nation. And I just wanted you to know what I experienced. 

I love each of you,

Bob

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Our loyalty and obedience to God is actualized in a series of sacramental oaths, vows, and promises. I have made them in the Scouts, the Marine Corps, marriage, ordination and the Order of the Ascension. I have been faithful to all, and I have failed all. I have been strengthened and hurt as others around me have been faithful and failed. It’s enough to make you humble.  Sometimes we lose track of ourselves and our promises. And sometimes in the face of challenges we recover ourselves and our duty. Clearly that was the case for some people yesterday.  We are of a tradition that rejoices in those who are found – “‘for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.” (Luke 15: 24)

In Elaine Chao's resignation as Secretary of Transportation she wrote,"Yesterday, our country experienced a traumatic and entirely avoidable event as supporters of the President stormed the Capitol building following a rally he addressed ... As I’m sure is the case with many of you, it has deeply troubled me in a way that I simply cannot set aside.”  For me that gave credence to Leader McConnell's, "The United States and the United States Congress have faced down much greater threats than the unhinged crowd we saw today. We've never been deterred before, and we will not be deterred today. They tried to disrupt our democracy. They failed. They failed. They failed to attempt to obstruct the Congress."

The Scouts make promises regarding our duty to God, country, other people and self. The Marine motto is Semper Fidelis and values honor, courage, and commitment; all expressions of how to live the oath within that body.  The Corps thinks of it as a commitment even after leaving service.

These sacramental commitments are sometimes lived out in the gray places in between rights and responsibilities, law and duty, legitimate authority and moral behavior.

It appears that the DC National Guard was activated by way of a conversation between Christopher Miller and Vice President Pence.  Maybe that side stepping of the President was their act of responsibility, duty and moral behavior. In Nixon’s last days as president Secretary of State Kissinger, Chief of Staff Alexander Haig, Defense Secretary James Schlesinger and others, played possibly illegal roles in being the guard rails around Nixon during his last days in office. For example, Schlesinger apparently ordered the Joint Chiefs of Staff to ignore any White House military initiatives lacking his signature.

Recently a friend spoke with me about fears that the President might misuse the military in an attempt to hold onto power.

Here’s what that comes down to. Trump declares martial law. A few generals support him. Demonstrators in the streets of DC are “mostly peaceful.”  Near the White House some far left demonstrators start throwing Molotov cocktails at the police and national guard troops. A right-wing group is off to the side. They are carrying weapons. A National Guard major orders the soldiers to load their rifles. The platoon leader, a 21-year-old lieutenant tells them to not obey the order. An 18-year-old private looks to his old, experienced, grizzly sergeant, a 26-year-old accountant, and says, “What should we do, Sarge?” 

In the end it comes down to a human being willing to break the rules in order to preserve the rules.  Here it is in Crimson Tide.   And here’s the conclusion. – “you were both right, and you were also both wrong.”  Got to love the movies! 

Lord, Keep this nation under your care

rag+

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Resources

Reflections: Spiritual and Political

Mother Erika's Epiphany reflection - A New World

Sister Michelle, OA - Her message to the Order of the Ascension 

A PDF of pictures

Videos 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2HpJ0dsmNY&feature=youtu.be  In the chamber, Guns drawn, evacuating. A woman asks, “Where are we going?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92vU-kXm5m8 The mob storming Congress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ELJcj7w5PiE  For me this was the most frightening scene of the day. A mob moving in on a lone police officer.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhtULpI3gKw   Newshour overview of the day.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/09/media/reliable-sources-january-8/index.html   CNN overview on 8th 

New Yorker video released 1-17-21 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=270F8s5TEKY&feature=emb_logo 

Oath of Members of Congress

"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God."

Each person enlisting in an armed force shall take the following oath:

“I, __________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.”

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