Are American Values Worth Defense?

"War is not 'the best way of settling differences; it is the only way of preventing their being settled for you."

-G. K. Chesterton

I am more astounded every day when I find another little gem from Mr. Chesterton. I cannot believe that after years of being advised to read him I took so long in actually practicing that advice, seeing as I have been so richly rewarded in reading his works. The man is an intellect of tremendous proportions.

Still, as I had always desired with this blog to discuss varying interests and concerns, I hesitate to continue one of what has become only two real threads in recent days: my media debut and issues of violence and war. Incongruent though they are, they represent the pattern I have fallen into recently. I will do my best to break it tomorrow.

Why not today? Because the above quote just seems too relevant to recent posts to ignore. If we don't react to protect our values when they are threatened we will soon find ourselves without them. This means doing whatever we must in order to ensure their continued availability for us.

If we aren't willing to do that, what does that say about us or our values? It would say that what we believe in isn't worth keeping dear. If that's the case, then no discussion with anyone else over anything would be fruitful.

In sort, if what we do and what we believe in is worth defense, we cannot let anyone take it from us. I believe that is the gist of Mr. Chesterton's advice. We do well to heed it.