Entitlements

Ella Fitzgerald sang the well worn song Into each life some rain must fall. To this totally blind, 100% disabled, medical officer and service connected veteran of the Korean War era it has been a long monsoon season. I have never known what it is like to go shopping, careless spending, facing every year of life in a recession.

There is one word I cannot stand to hear, ENTITLEMENT. In my youth, one never heard of vacation or retirement. I was shocked to learn as a military officer I would get 30 days “Leave” each year. My parents, grandparents... we never knew anyone who took a vacation or retired. Your social security was in a good name. (Proverbs 22:1) Working hard during work days, preparing for harvest time physically and spiritually. At 81, I still work everyday. It made me ill, at military facilities, military clubs, that retired officers lived in palatial homes, spent their time on the golf course while their wives played bridge enjoying large retirement checks. It is too late fro me, but I hope government will treat some veterans, as myself, better. The government has never afforded a white cane or talking watch for me.

And then, the corporate elite, much like the military elite, active and retired, enjoy all the pleasures of the country club. Several times in my life, I have been invited to functions at military clubs and country clubs. Such lavish, ostentatious display of wealth is vulgar... the most expensive food, the most expensive drinks, all simply because life has been an easy road. One corrupt politician's wife would walk around the country club and say “I wonder what the poor folks are doing.” Poor folks here an around the world are just trying to survive.

The academic elite, professors and staffers, active and retired, enjoy the largess of other's hard work in swanky academic clubs. Government workers get 67 days of paid vacation each year even public school teachers, starting work at age 24, working 30 years in order to draw full retirement can then have a second “double dipping” professional retirement. Some public school teachers make over $100K per year when retired.

For a long time, “worker bees” have understood the difference between slaves and masters so, through political vote, at least 50% of the population now depend on entitlements or subsidization (social security, Medicare, Medicaid, public housing, food stamps, etc.)

In America, to live well, you are at one end of the spectrum or the other, very rich or very poor. Government housing is now superior to most American homes. An example of how the rich live, Ron Baron, investment banker, living in the Hampton's on Long Island, the ocean front lot on which his extravagant house is built cost $100M, a sunken basketball court where he works out. Americas richest women, Oprah Winfrey, seven homes, gave up her evangelical religious beliefs because she could no longer believe in the sovereignty of God.

When Jesus Christ gave His life a ransom for all, sacrifice for the sins and sicknesses of the entire world, the veil of the temple was “rent” from top to bottom. God is boss, in spite of Oprah or the many billionaires in the world, He makes all of the decisions. He even knows that 50 - 75% of all people on the continent of Africa live in extreme poverty. He knows about the slave markets of Asia, though in denial, most Americans are slaves... that tremendous number still working for a living neither extremely poor or super rich. As Americans, those of us with blessed ancestry have the opportunity and responsibility to know the honor of work. The pleasure of having saved and prepared for for future... the golden years.

In a nation so blessed as America, oceans on either side, scenic mountains, oil, gas, mineral deposits, great productive farmlands, wonderful climate, a wealth of secular knowledge and religious instruction. (more colleges and churches than any other place in the world.) 50% of young people entering school do not finish High School, forsaking capitalism, free enterprise the basis of all wealth. When the informed study the political geography of America, opportunities available, we fail to understand the word ENTITLEMENT.

Dr. Victor Frankl, holocaust survivor said, “I could tell when my fellow prisoners were so desperate.” One would say to the other “Just start running for the fence. You will be shot and it will be all over.” Our God is a jealous God, expects life lived to the fullest without the expectation of ENTITLEMENTS.