A Christmas Message – USA Gov Policy

Ret. U.S. Army Chaplain Col. Don Zapsic has provided this article exclusively to the New York Analysis of Policy and Government.

“Christmas a humbug, uncle!” said Scrooge’s nephew. “You don’t mean that, I am sure?” “I do,” said Scrooge. “Merry Christmas! What right have you to be merry? What reason have you to be merry? You’re poor enough.” “Come, then,” returned the nephew gaily. “What right have you to be dismal? What reason have you to be morose? You’re rich enough.”Scrooge having no better answer ready on the spur of the moment, said, “Bah!” again; and followed it up with “Humbug.”

The 2017 movie release of “The Man Who Invented Christmas” is a big screen account of Charles Dicken’s great triumph of writing a book called, ‘A Christmas Carol’. The book itself was a secular rendering of what it means to celebrate Christmas featuring the miserly Mr. Scrooge. The work was originally published in 1843 and little has changed when it comes to celebrating the season of hope known as Christmas. In a sense, we all invent our own versions of what the Christmas season is all about through our daily living practices.

How one experiences Christmas largely depends upon a number of factors. I gained a first-hand knowledge of how the poor experience the holiday season through a couple of years of inner-city work. The invention of Santa Claus for example creates some interesting dynamics considering that there is zero discrimination when it comes to the dubious hope that he singularly inspires with parental collusion. Any small child, rich or poor, can dream about what he or she wants under the tree on that magical morning, since hope doesn’t cost anything. Whether 1843 in Dickens time or 2019 in contemporary America, hope is a wondrous thing when it inspires generosity rather than disappointment.

Dickens tale does not stop at The term pheromone was coined by two hormone researchers, Karlson and Luscher who created the word which has Greek origins, pherein, meaning to bring or transfer; and hormon, meaning to buying cialis online excite. A man has a good sexual intercourse and perfect erection when takes order viagra from canada . To determine what merit levitra cost of sales deeprootsmag.org support programs you could be suitable for, visit meritaid.com. The Genetic Literacy Project also states the studies have shown that, when faced pharmacy viagra with the possibility of impotence issue, your doctor shall check a history of when you started to have issues with penile erection for an agreeable time span. contrasting the plight of the poor against the season of hope as there is more than financial poverty to consider. There is also a leanness of human spirit and social isolation to ponder when the pursuit of money overtakes an interest in the common good. Scrooge’s nephew Fred extends a party invitation to come and ‘make merry’ only to be spurned by the miserable old man. The party itself was not some wine-soaked occasion; rather a joyous celebration of people who simply enjoyed each other’s company. Scrooge simply didn’t like most people largely due to his fixation on the bottom line encapsulated in his statement, “Christmas is just a poor excuse to pick a man’s pocket.”

“A Christmas Carol” is obviously a cautionary tale rooted in fiction. Jaded cynics bereft of childhood innocence, like Scrooge’s shrewd business partner Marley, forge their chains in life, link-by-link, through word and deed. Life rarely presents a redo at some critical turning point at the approaching midnight hour. Or does it?

Christians note that it is important to keep in mind that Dickens was not the man who ‘invented Christmas’. The man who did was actually no man at all. He was simply a baby born in Bethlehem. That little baby was God the Christ-child who chose to come into the world impoverished in a stable environment that was literally a stable reserved for animals. The original giving of Christmas gifts was to the Christ-child in humble submission to the God of Heaven exemplified by the three wise men. A mystery no doubt; a tradition meant to be replicated by the giving of oneself in service to others. Whether deserved or not, in recognition of our own undeserving nature in the presence of a righteous and merciful God. The Divine Magistrate who grants last-hour pardons embodied in the pardoning of the thief on the cross. While I wish each and every one who reads this article a Merry Christmas, it is really up to each of us to invent our own Christmas.

Illustration: Pixabay

Quick Analysis

Part 3: AMERICA’S STRATEGIC POSTURE

We conclude our summary of the urgent recommendation of the Congressional Committee on the nation’s Strategic Posture NON-NUCLEAR CAPABILITIES The Commission recommends: The United States urgently deploy a more resilient space architecture and adopt a strategy that includes both offensive and defensive elements to ensure U.S. access to and operations in space. The United States and its Allies take steps to ensure they are at the cutting edge of emerging technologies – such as big data analytics, quantum computing, and artificial intelligence (AI) – to avoid strategic surprise and potentially enhance the U.S. strategic posture. The United States prioritize funding and accelerate long-range non-nuclear precision strike programs to meet the operational need and in greater quantities than currently planned. x America’s Strategic Posture The United States develop and field homeland IAMD that can deter and defeat coercive attacks by Russia and China, and determine the capabilities needed to stay ahead of the North Korean threat.4 The Secretary of Defense direct research, development, test and evaluation into advanced IAMD capabilities leveraging all domains, including land, sea, air, and space. These activities should focus on sensor architectures, integrated command and control, interceptors, cruise and hypersonic missile defenses, and area or point defenses. The DOD should urgently pursue deployment of any capabilities that prove feasible. The Secretary of Defense and the Military Departments transfer operations and sustainment responsibility for missile defense to the appropriate Military Departments by 1 October 2024. This will allow the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to focus on research, development, prototyping and testing. ALLIES AND PARTNERS The Commission believes it is in the U.S. national interest to maintain, strengthen, and when appropriate, expand its network of alliances and partnerships. These relationships strengthen American security by deterring aggression regionally, before it can reach the U.S. homeland, while also enabling U.S. economic prosperity through access to international markets. Withdrawing from U.S. alliances and partnerships would directly benefit adversaries, invite aggression that the United States might later have to reverse, and ultimately decrease American, allied, and partner security and economic prosperity. Further, the Commission believes that our defense and the defense of the current international order is strengthened when Allies can directly contribute to the broader strategic posture, and the United States should seek to incorporate those contributions as much as possible. The Executive branch should recognize that any major change to U.S. strategic posture, policies, or capabilities will have great effect on Allies’ perceptions and their deterrence and assurance requirements. As a result, any changes should be predicated on meaningful consultations. RISK REDUCTION The Commission believes it is of paramount importance for the United States to work to reduce strategic risks. This involves activities and programs across the U.S. government, including in nonproliferation and arms control, as well as maintaining strong, viable, and resilient military forces. The Commission recommends that a strategy to address the two-nuclear-peer threat environment be a prerequisite for developing U.S. nuclear arms control limits for the 2027-2035 timeframe. The Commission recommends that once a strategy and its related force requirements are established, the U.S. government determine whether and how nuclear arms control limits continue to enhance U.S. security. The Commission recommends that the United States continue to explore nuclear arms control opportunities and conduct research into potential verification technologies in order to support or enable future negotiations in the U.S. national interest that seek to limit all nuclear weapon types, should the geopolitical environment change. Where formal nuclear arms control agreements are not possible, the Commission recommends pursuing nuclear risk reduction measures to increase predictability and reduce uncertainty and the chances for misperception and miscalculation. The 2009 Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States reported that the United States was at “a moment of opportunity, . . .but also a moment of urgency” – because the security environment had improved and the threat of nuclear proliferation was the principal concern. Since 2009, the security environment has dramatically worsened and new existential threats have emerged. This Commission concludes that the United States now faces a highstakes challenge that requires urgent action. Nevertheless, the Commission has not seen the U.S. government demonstrate the urgency and creativity required to meet the challenge. Nothing other than synchronized steps taken by the Executive and Legislative Branches will craft the strategy and build the posture the nation requires. The challenges are unmistakable; the problems are urgent; the steps are needed now. Photo: An Air Force Global Strike Command unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches during a test at Vandenberg Space Force Base (DoD)