In the State of the Union message tonight the President made many references to military personnel “fighting for our freedom.” The longest applause was for a soldier he had met right before the soldier’s 10th deployment to combat.

During this deployment the soldier was very seriously hurt by a mine and his brain was damaged. After countless operations the soldier has learned how to speak again and can see in one eye. His disfigured face reflects his wounds. He was sitting next to Ms. Obama. I am not upset by the moment of glory given to this young man but find it hypocritical when the people who sent him to these “illegal, unjust, immoral wars” use him to promote more war that can only lead to more war and killing.

Not in the speech or news tonight was mention of the 28 persons killed in Iraq yesterday making the total number of deaths by war and violence this month to over 800 in this country we ‘freed’. After we leave Afghanistan as planned this year how many more persons will die in conflict and war? Not mentioned in the regular news tonight was a story that the President and Congress secretly resumed sending weapons to rebels in Syria trying to overthrow the Syrian regime by violence? We had stopped since the terrorist rebel groups, Al-Quada, who wish to replace the secular government with an Islamic state. were getting the weapons.

The President’s speech was full of hypocritical statements that drew applause from both parties; we are a special nation (exceptional like no other in the world; ”Killer Drones” will be cut back when the drone warfare race has risen to new heights with this President as the ‘kill list’ gets bigger and bigger with every drone strike; we need to pass an immigration reform bill like the one passed last year in the Senate which gave billions to security along the border and a very long wait list for an immigrant to be a citizen; we are a land of great ‘opportunity’ where everyone with hard work can be what they want to be.

I could just see Jesus wielding a whip walking down the aisles of congress tipping over the tables of these hypocrites. Of course he would have been killed before he got anywhere close to the podium of the President. No need for crucifixion when we have high powered automatic rifles and drones to do our killing.

A modern translation and paraphrase of Jesus talking in the Gospel of Matthew 23: 1–7. 11–12 might be in place here:

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his followers: 2 “The makers of the law, government officials, sit in government seats. 3 We need to be careful to do what they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. 4 They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, especially the poor, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

5 “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their promises and statements for the sake of media; 6 they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the all events. 7 they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘honorable’ by others…”

“The greatest among you will be your servant. 12 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I did not have to change any words in the last two lines. In the Kingdom of God on earth they we are trying to build these mighty politicians will be last and the least among us, like the homeless beggar, will be first. Down with hypocrites!

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