The views stated here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the editors of this newspaper. We welcome supporting or opposing views on any published item. Received March 16, 2023.
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Edmund Burke (1729–1797) was an Anglo-Irish statesman, economist and philosopher. Perhaps his most famous quote was:
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Of course, the term “men” means women, too, something that someone who subscribes to “modern views” would likely find offensive. Funny thing, somehow I think I’ll manage to sleep okay tonight despite that.
These things being said, my sincere appreciation to Meghan Peterson for her wonderful commentary “Musings from a Millennial – Truth-Telling Tall Tale Style” in the March 16, 2023 HK News. We need more people to have the courage to step up in the face of our present-day society, which is in the throes of a moral inversion, despite the hits I’m sure she’ll take as a result. Feel free to send some my way while you’re at it.
Plainly, what I’ve seen happen to this country and Western Civilization in the past two decades turns my stomach. Meghan (I refuse to do the “Ms.” Peterson thing) accurately lists the most glaring of the particulars and expresses her hope that one day sanity may return. I certainly hope so, but I must confess to being far from optimistic.
For those of you still reading this, I’ll toss in another idea I’m sure will shake up some even more, and that is what I believe is the root cause: Abandoning God and the moral principles he established for the way life should be lived.
Consider this: If there is no God, there are no longer absolutes of good or evil. Society just makes up its own rules. Taken to the extremes, we end up with a nightmare like that of Hitler’s Germany, where persecuting and killing Jews made you a good citizen. At one time in America, enslaving other human beings was the status quo.
We know from physics that there are immutable laws by which the physical universe runs, and if we do believe in God, it is very much in his character that there must also be certain moral laws which are likewise immutable.
Take God out of the equation and human beings are nothing but cosmic accidents with no more rights, dignity, or absolute value than an amoeba living in a pond. Right and wrong is arbitrarily decided upon by those in power. In such a world, the only stories that will be told are the ones the government allows.
On a personal note, this is not a world view that I will ever accept or allow to remain unchallenged. Meghan’s excellent submission has been a bright light in an increasingly dark time.
It made my day!
Edward Wood, Killingworth
