People are anxious. They are afraid. They want to know what comes next. They have questions without answers. If it seems that political leadership does things on the spur of the moment, you are not the only one who thinks so. The specter of nuclear arms is real and present.

My friend suggested that people forget the problems of the JFK years. Not at all. I was six years old when President Kennedy was assassinated. My mother wept as if he were a member of our family. My affection for the fallen leader stemmed from my memory of his assassination and Neva J’s love for him. The 1960s were a tumultuous time. I have no memory of living through a Golden Age, but I know we were not afraid of our President when Kennedy held office. He demonstrated his thoughtfulness during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Camelot was an invention of Jackie after his death. We were a hopeful nation that sent astronauts to the moon and established the Peace Corps. We looked to the future instead of dredging up the past. I have read numerous books regarding the Kennedy Presidency. It is believed that if he had not been assassinated, he would have withdrawn us from Vietnam. His morals were not good. Then again, if we apply the morals test for our political leaders, there would be a lot of new officeholders. Or, as my friend told me, morals matter when he was criticizing President Clinton, but when I asked if President Trump’s morals troubled him, he claimed ignorance of any problems.

Martin Luther King led the Civil Rights movement. The Movement was one of the best causes that advanced the condition of African American people.

Our nation made a significant turn several years ago. We now fight preemptive wars. Before this new policy, the United States refrained from using military force before being attacked. As the Vietnam War body count increased, I contemplated why we were fighting and what we were accomplishing that was worth the lives of so many of our soldiers. I had friends in Vietnam, and I almost was drafted myself. The second incident in the Gulf of Tonkin during the Vietnam War never happened, and yet we were lied to, and the draft increased due to the lie. The war in Vietnam escalated under President Johnson.

Church was cathartic this morning. Pastor Kerry asked the congregation a series of questions regarding how they feel about the bombing of Iran last night and the current political environment. Folks are experiencing anxiety. We are balanced on a knife’s edge. As there are differences of opinion on good Presidents, the world is not in awe of President Trump. It is easy to become a legend in our own minds. This is especially true for Presidents.

As the sword of Damocles hangs over your head, be careful to not swat flies cavilerly.