1984

"The best dystopian books take the seeds of contemporary trouble and raise them, so that we can contemplate the scary futuristic fruits of the way we live now." In words other than from a book reviewer, I say, pay attention to our present ills. Idealism masquerading as Jihadist ideology or liberal socialism threatens our civilized, Western world. Winston Churchill granted that "the human race cannot make progress without idealism," but ideals from the ‘brain’ of Beelzebub don’t count. When past President Franklin Roosevelt expressed the ideals he held for America as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want and freedom from fear, the Devil was not in the details. Today, our four freedoms are jeopardized. The intolerant left often legislates against politically incorrect speech or religious utterances and practices. The freedom to choose or ignore certain foods, drinks, jobs or material possessions is supplemented by unnecessary and unnatural external, governmental help. Security and peace of mind that we should enjoy as we go about our daily lives, are threatened by moral lapses in our culture and lack of backbone in our leadership.

Suffering and death constituted the details of Adolph Hitler’s and Joseph Stalin’s dreams of their ideal worlds. The Holocaust in Germany and the Great Purges of Russia produced an endless scream. Its echo was heard around the civilized world. Silence from the survivors would have been the real crime against humanity. But America’s ideals, past and present emanate from the ‘mind of God’ not from some unholy place. We concerned citizens need to speak out. I say "semper paratus," because it’s better to live in an imperfect utopia than in 1984.