VALUES TRIUMPH

Imagine, the surprise of those who have been so certain that denigrating President Bush was the way to win an election.

A campaign to divide America during a time of war was not effective. The majority of the popular vote did not support their views. Moral issues played a big role. Family, decency, love of country all played a role. This is not only a Christian value despite the sneers of some that it was the Evangelicals who came out to vote that are responsible. These values, forgotten by some are valued by people of most religions. I read the blogs of many Iraqis. One young girl at 16 shares her life through her blog and tales of family life. I find the values expressed by her to be so similar to those of the families in Minnesota where I grew up as well as in NC where I now live. I have lived and worked in NY for a number of years and still found the same values in many. The values of honor, integrity and love of family were more obvious in President Bush and in the Republican campaign. There also are many adhering to these values who voted for Kerry and worked with for him in his campaign.

Republicans do not hold an exclusive on values. Democrats include many who demonstrate these values. Unfortunately, those Democrats were not the ones making the news. It is sad that the Democratic party in it's honorable desire to be a party of inclusiveness has included so many who seem to feel they alone have the basic right to free speech and became vile and vicious in actions and words. I include many of the Democratic leaders in this group including Al Gore and Ted Kennedy as well as those of low character who did such things as damage cars with Bush stickers, destroy campaign offices and slit tires.

It is shameful that journalists have by and large lost the ability to report the news, good and bad, without skewing it to fit their personal bias. The MSM did not serve this nation well in the past four years. The media was at it's best on 9/11 when raw footage of the nation's tragedy unfolded. Soon, they became patronizing in their views of what news Americans were capable of viewing. As the war on terror progressed, they looked for the most horrific to report on unceasingly. They seem to be determined to portray all American actions in the most negative view.

This election surprised the foreign leaders who assumed that since the large newspapers, the visual media, union leadership and the so called elite would not vote for Bush, the people would act rationally and elect the candidate of this bias. Those with money, advanced formal education view themselves as the socially superior part of society and often act as if the common man is totally lacking in the ability to think and make correct choices without their guidance. It is the comman man who does the real work and lives the real lessons of life who actually knows more than those whose life experience occurs within the bubble of wealth, academia or celebrity.

The United States was formed by our founders with high moral standards. Some of these stemmed from firm religious beliefs and some from the simple standards of decency and the Golden Rule. These are the guiding principles of our Declaration of Independence and in our Constitution. This is the bedrock of our nation and with God's help, these values will remain in the fabric of our people.