Dear Editor,<\/p>\n
I am dismayed that a culture of \u201cintolerance\u201d has infiltrated areas of our lives and caused divisions among us. There seemingly is no \u201cgrace\u201d or room for \u201cmargin of error\u201d in conversation. Do you ever wonder what happened to the free exchange of ideas, and what about debate? Would it be possible to even hold one? I find this frustrating and very strange in this \u201cland of the free and the home of the brave.\u201d <\/p>\n
Our nation is unique and special, but not flawless. It is very important that our children are properly schooled, without bias, in American History. They have to know where we started to better understand where we have come from. Those who do not learn from history are likely to repeat it. We have to do a better job teaching the truth. Our country needs healing and that can\u2019t happen unless the need for learning about \u201ccompassion,\u201d forgiveness,\u201d and \u201crepentance\u201d is addressed.<\/p>\n
We are a flawed people, all of us, with a \u201csin\u201d nature. We are created in the image of God but fall short of His glory every day. The third chapter of John helps explain this mystery. Please read it, and soberly consider what it says. God understands our problem and He loves all of us. He sent His son to earth as a sacrifice to die a horrible death, in our place. He did this to give us a chance to be made right in His sight. We could never have done this on our own. This is the \u201cgood news.\u201d <\/p>\n
The other news is we are a nation with many freedoms and opportunities that people from everywhere want to share in, and we welcome those who do so legally. Among these freedoms are \u201cspeech,\u201d \u201cassembly,\u201d and peaceful \u201cprotest.\u201d However, when the protests turn ugly with bricks, bats, arson, looting, and people being beaten and killed, it\u2019s no longer a protest. <\/span><\/p>\n Still, extreme left-wing agenda keep law enforcement officers\u2019 hands tied. With no accountability and no consequences for \u201clawbreakers\u201d or bad \u201clawmakers\u201d it\u2019s a mess. It\u2019s similar to being trapped in a revolving door, or maybe a bad dream where the inmates are running the asylum and you can\u2019t wake up. <\/p>\n Still, the questions remain. Is there really any workable solution available to us? Maybe. The Old Testament, 2 Chronicles 7:14, says, \u201cIf my people who are called by my name, will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n We could try this, and why shouldn\u2019t we? His word says right there in verse 14, \u201cDo as I ask, and I will answer.\u201d Can you imagine the possibilities?<\/p>\n Sincerely,<\/p>\n Doug Graves<\/p>\n Tioga Center, N.Y.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Editor, I am dismayed that a culture of \u201cintolerance\u201d has infiltrated areas of our lives and caused divisions among us. There seemingly is no…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81497","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-letters"],"yoast_head":"\n