A Picnic for Mugabe

It’s bad enough when you find yourself nearly helpless to stem the outrageous actions of our own “leadership.” It goes a step further on the frustration scale when you observe the cynical disregard of the citizens of a foreign land by their masters. Most recently in Zimbabwe, we find supporters of Mugabe ready to throw a birthday bash for him on the occasion of his upcoming birthday on February 21.

I happened across the proposed menu in a posting from Jammie Wearing Fool which you may find instructive: “The list includes 2,000 bottles of champagne (Moet and Chandon or ’61 Bollinger preferred,) 8,000 lobsters, 100 kg of prawns, 4,000 portions of caviar, 8,000 boxes of Ferrero Rocher chocolates, 3000 ducks; and much else besides.”

“A postscript adds: ‘no mealie meal’—the ground corn staple on which the vast majority of Zimbabweans survived until the country’s collapse rendered even that a luxury.”

Read the whole thing and join me in outrage. The situation there does lead me to understand the attitude which a righteous president might assume when informed of the human rights violations in another country. When reliably informed of the rape, murder, and torture of the citizens of Iraq, George Bush was horrified. When further advised by otherwise reliable intelligence officers of a threat to our nation by that same irresponsible despot, he took action. He, and members of the American military, were willing to commit lives, treasure and themselves to bringing a measure of freedom to that oppressed area. As mentioned before, Iraq is now safer than Chicago, commerce has resumed, and self-defense and governance is a reality.

I confess I have great difficulty understanding people who can tolerate the murder of our own citizens both by terrorists and medical procedures (abortion) who will protest to any length to protect a snail darter. I further question those who are willing to abide the plight of millions of starving Africans and devote their energy to defending the “rights” of known terrorists. Further; when provided with the hard evidence of the greatest governmental achievement know to mankind; they deliberately elect to destroy it. When surrounded with countless examples of the largess of a kind and loving God who has provided bounty and protection to us for well over two centuries continue to insult, defame, diminish His importance and even deny His existence. Is it any wonder that I wander about muttering to myself?

Is political power so important that we must bankrupt the nation, demonstrate cowardice to the world, and shun our duties as keepers of “the shining light on the hill?” It would seem that if you are in almost any sort of current high position, it is. Among the various governments of the world, we are the oldest continuous system and we act like petulant third graders. It seems as though we become more childish by the day. In my opinion, the blame rests squarely upon the shoulders of the electorate through their sloth, disinterest and laziness toward the maintenance of the republic. Each of us has a part in the continuance of this nation. If we continue to ignore our responsibilities—we shall lose it!

“But,” you plead, “I am just one lone voice and no one listens to me anyway.” If you do not speak it’s a cinch no one will listen. In the blogosphere, Zion Beckon’s readership is minuscule. Still, we pound the keyboard and assert what we see as the truth. It is a small thing but when “small things” are multiplied by millions, they become very large things. In a world driven by polls and focus groups, your collective voices matter. Here is a laundry list of little things which have the capacity to drive the politicos nuts.

Own, reference, and read the Constitution.

Stay in touch (write, phone, email) with your elected representatives.

Write letters to the editors of newspapers

Bring religion and political conversation back to the dinner table.

Study and understand issues.

Vote, but only with clear understanding.

Support, financially, that which you espouse.

Be a participant and not an observer.

Share your observations with others.

Be certain your own house is in order.

This will require work and possibly a change of life style. Is this nation worth it? I say yes! What is the alternative? Simply stated it boils down to the choice of the menu for Mugabe’s birthday or “mealie meal.” It is also the choice between our 7% unemployment vs. Zimbabwe’s 94%. Finally it’s the option of enjoying a full, rich life, or groveling for your very existence. Make your voice heard!

In His abiding love,

Cecil Moon