Last Sunday, Maryan and I headed eastward to see our daughter and her partner in Michigan. At first, we talked much about the June 24 tragedy (the day that the NOT-supreme court threw the U.S. back into the dark ages), but we turned to the music of rebellion of the 1960s to find solace for our weary souls.
In 1964, Bob Dylan sang Times are a-changing and gave birth to the modern era. Since then, those who lost in the 1960’s cultural war have been working to turn the clock back to the dark ages.
The truth is that the “Good Ole Days” never existed. The prevalence of human suffering dominated the human experience and led to the global demand for social change. We must remember that prior to the cultural shift of 1960’s, the world lived through devastations of wars, including WWI and WWII. Most of the world had to endure the oppression of European and U.S. colonization. Most of the world was agrarian and suffered through the global Great Depression, where millions of people had to watch their family members die of starvation. The global Influenza pandemic that started in New York City also killed more than 100 million people and led to an international call for better health care systems.
The demand for change came because people wanted better lives. People wanted to live happier, healthier, freer, and in peace. We must remember that women’s rights came along with racial justice, judicial reform, global peace, immigration reform, voting rights, campaign reforms, educational justice, economic progress, workers’ rights, environmental protection, technological advances, and more.
If you had enjoyed protection as a worker from harassment, sexual or otherwise, you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If you felt you were paid fair wages for your labor, you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If you had an opportunity to access a public college education, you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If you had an opportunity to vote for a candidate of your choice, you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If your family could immigrate to the U.S., you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If you have a cell phone or use GPS to get around, you owe it to Roe v. Wade. If you have or had health insurance provided by your employers, you owe it to Roe v. Wade.
Roe v. Wade was not just about abortion, as conservative NOT-christians (lower capital is intentional as they have nothing to do with Christ of the Bible) claim. Still, it was a part of a larger movement that solidified a broad set of rights that previously were not freely expressed. The examination of Constitutional Rights questioned the idea that people should be happy with merely being born, work their entire life for someone else’s benefit, and be glad to die to end suffering, but declared that all people have God-given rights to pursue happiness, healthy life, meaningful career, and opportunity to explore God’s image in them. As a civilized nation, the U.S. decided that these God-given rights should be fundamental rights afforded to all its people.
Times are a-changing, and we are moving toward a more civilized society. The June 24 tragedy reminds us that the caring and righteous people must remain vigilant to protect God’s given rights for all people as tyrants (those who claim to be gods) are always conniving to misuse power to manipulate people and create suffering for others.
Let us be the people of God and protect the progress God is bringing about in our world.
Pastor Sunny
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