There has been much disturbance recently regarding the destruction of statues--testimonials to US history.  As I see it, the past is a step ladder by which we ascend to our present society.

Remember the quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (George Santayana)

These memorials serve to remind families of their fallen-soldier ancestors who fought for what they believed in.  They can also be viewed as art.  Are African Americans complaining?  No, it is the liberal left who seem to be offended at anything and everything!

Delinquents are now attacking, defacing and/or destroying all sorts of other statues and memorials.  Where will it all end?  

In summary, let us gaze upon these artistic sculptures and remember where our country was, and how far we have come toward equal opportunity across all classes and races.

​Our society tends to blame anything and everything these days on an all-purpose “scapegoat”.
Scapegoat definition from Merriam-Webster Dictionary:
1) a goat upon whose head are symbolically placed the sins of the people after which he is sent into the wilderness in the biblical ceremony for Yom Kippur
2) a. one that bears the blame for others
    b. one that is the object of irrational hostility

Some current examples of this term we are seeing in current news media:  Russia, opioids, climate change, racism, statues...the list goes on.
The most recent incident catching my attention was an article in our local newspaper blaming opioids for a large number of young men being unemployed.  

Whatever happened to the “old-fashioned” concepts of sin and personal responsibility?  God created us as agents of free will.  We exercised that will for the first time in the Garden of Eden, by eating of the forbidden tree.  At every moment we make choices--some with positive consequences and others with negative.  Nevertheless, they are our choices; we must therefore take responsibility and acknowledge ownership of the results.  Blaming third parties is both immature and not pleasing to God.

We are covered by Jesus’ offering of Himself on the cross for our sins; however, we must continually:
1)  be aware of our sins
2)  repent (feel sorrow)
3)  confess to God (pray for forgiveness)
4)  make restitution (by apologizing to those wronged, fixing problems caused by the sin, and/or having a change of heart.)  These can be accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us.

Moving our society back to our God-given foundations of freedom, justice, and democracy begins one step at a time, with each individual.