The atrocity in Israel brings to light that evil men exist who will commit mass murder. This personifies the evil against which we must continually fight. There will never be a time when evil ceases, so we must constantly stand guard against its rise.
This is the meaning , to me at least, of “Never Again.”
Note a defining characteristic of tyrants: They use force to bend people to their will. They start world wars, they kill the innocent and defenseless, they commit atrocities. Power is control, and the tyrants are sick with desire for control. The tyrant uses government to enact his sick desire. Governments committed the greatest mass genocides in history: World War 1, World War 2, Korea, Viet Nam, Cambodia, China, Iran, Russia, most of Africa.
One must wonder what allows evil to metastasize and grow. Perhaps it is inattention by good people. We get distracted by our lives and meaningless little fights like Speaker of the House, transgender in the military, educating children about sexual deviants, climate change, plastic bags at the grocery store, global warming or cooling, hate for Trump, love for Trump; the list goes on ad infinitum.
Yet even a brief study in history, religion and philosophy reveals there is something much greater than our immediate concerns. Granted, there is a greater evil that must be resisted, but more importantly, is the fact that most people are at heart, good and well-intentioned.
When one appeals to their noble nature, they can be inspired to feats of great courage, self-sacrifice and selflessness. Politicians can put aside their petty desires and rise above the fray, and become Statesmen. Warriors start out putting their lives at risk for the protection of the innocent. Examples abound. These are the examples we must teach our children.
While the characteristic of the tyrant is control, the characteristic of the good is freedom of individual choice. Even if one disagrees with that choice, we need to realize that the rights endowed by our Creator supersede our own desires. The rights of the individual must be protected at all times.
In fact, our own Declaration of Independence and Constitution amplify the inalienable rights of the individual to decide for himself, by limiting the power of our government. It is even in our name: United States. But not united via control or force, but united in a common and deep ideal, united by our individual decision. United in our love for the individual.
Why start with the atrocity in Israel and end up with individual freedom? Because being ever vigilant against evil, which is desire for control, comes down to each individual exercising his right to individual choice. Your decisions stand against the evil of tyranny. The decisions of those politicians we elect stand against tyranny. Pray for our friends in Israel. And remain ever vigilant against the tyranny of control.
Jay Davidson is founder and CEO of a commercial bank. He is a student of the Austrian School of Economics and a free market capitalist. He believes there is a direct connection between individual right and responsibility, our Constitution, capitalism, and the intent of our Creator.