By Harold Keller / L’Observateur / August 3, 1998

One person can still make a difference

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.” We’ve repeated this pledge many times, but are we still one nation under God? If you want an answer to that question, I invite you to a public meeting this Tuesday, Aug. 4, at the Holiday Inn in LaPlace, beginning at 7 p.m. Theguest speaker will be Dr. Robert P. Dugan Jr., vice-president-at-large forthe National Association of Evangelicals in Washington D.C., where heworked in governmental affairs until 1997.

He has served as chaplain for the Colorado State Senate, was a candidate for the United States Congress in Colorado’s second congressional district, and was the vice-president of Rockmount College in Colorado.

Dr. Dugan has received many honors, including being listed in “Who’s Whoin America” and “Who’s Who in Religion.” He is considered a distinguishedChristian scholar and lecturer.

If you think that we are still one nation under God, there is no reason to attend the session. On the other hand, if you feel as I do and are concernedabout the direction our country is headed, I appeal to you to make every effort to be there.

In my opinion, America is at a crossroads. We must decide now if we aregoing to stand up for the America that our Founding Fathers fought and died for, or be satisfied seeing it destroyed from within.

“What can one person do?” you might ask. Just making a decision to attendTuesday night’s meeting is a start. I’m convinced now, more than ever,that one person can make a difference.

About a month ago, a personal friend of mine, Carl Rascoe from Baton Rouge, sent me the following which was written anonymously – I Believe “I believe in the greatness of the individual, and that I am in this world for a purpose, that purpose being to put back into life more than I have taken out.

“I believe in the integrity of other people, assured that they try as hard to follow the gleam, even as I.

“I believe in the gallantry of older people whose seasoned experience and steadfast devotion has preserved for me the precious heritage of the past.

“I believe in the challenge of the future, fully realizing there will be no future except it becomes alive through me.

“I believe in the contagion of health, and that I can spread it through cheerfulness, wholesome habits, sensible expenditures of energies, and wise use of foods.

“I believe in the nobility of work as the creative expression of the best within me, and as my share in easing the common load of all.

“I believe in the enrichment of play and laughter as the means of cleansing my body of staleness and my soul of bitterness.

“I believe in God, who justifies all these beliefs; He is the still, small voice within, ever-urging me toward the unattained. Since He cares forthese things, I believe that even death cannot steal these precious possessions from me.

“And whatever more I believe is entwined in those precious feelings that lie too deep for words.”

Hoping to see you Tuesday!

Harold Keller is a regular columnist for L’Observateur.

Copyright © 1998, Wick Communications, Inc.

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