Slow Fade

I love contemporary Christian music and Casting Crowns is among my favorites. Their song, Slow Fade, has haunted me from the first time that I heard it.

"Slow Fade"

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade

Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day

The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking

It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day

The song is more about morality and the slow and insidious way in which we allow ourselves to give up higher ground because "just once won't hurt." But as the political season draws to a close, we can also apply the slow fade to some of the policies that drive the Obama campaign. We have been slowly fading into a socialized state since LBJ's Great Society. Slowly and steadily, we have become more and more dependent on the government for the programs that we should be providing for each other through charity, the church and private industry. Instead we are slowly sinking into a complacency in which we are ripe for the picking.

For decades we have been fed a line of "Oh, this is good for you," "Just for this one time, we will be doing this for the good of everyone." Remember what we were told about the recent Bailout---"This is not what we want, but it is needed because the situation is dire." And we have bought it hook line and sinker. Now we are ready to be reeled in for the final time. Along comes THE ONE, with smooth talk, glib rejoinders, empty words and vague promises of what lies ahead. And the masses have swooned.

We, as a country, are ready for the final blow this fall when a democrat presidential candidate bolstered by a democrat congress can potentially drive away all incentive for individual productivity and through wealth redistribution, Patriot corporations, Play or Pay national health care penalties to small businesses that do not provide health care for their employees (and Barack, if there is REALLY no penalty, then why would any small company Play--thereby glutting the government system with new people to be covered at a cost that we CANNOT afford), poor economic conditions that will only be made more dire if business is penalized for being productive, the Fairness Doctrine, 1 or 2 Supreme Court nominations, etc. It is highly probable that we can spiral into a totally dependent situation where there is no alternative for the forseeable future to take back our rights.

Be careful little eyes what you see, be careful little ears what you hear, be careful little feet where you go. NATIONS NEVER CRUMBLE IN A DAY. Be wise in the choices that you make. It is not too late to avert disaster.