2001 Soap Box Archives

Making Myself Clear

I want to sincerely thank everyone who responds to this column, be it positive or negative. After all, the soapbox is mainly opinion and I don’t expect everybody to agree with me. However, I do feel that at times there are those who misinterpret or misunderstand some of the things I’ve said. For instance, I got an e-mail from a lady which said something like, “I’m a Democrat and believe it or not I’m a Christian.” People give me a break. I never said anything to lead anybody to think that I believed that you couldn’t be a Democrat and be a Christian. There are many good Christian people who vote the Democratic side of the ticket. I guess where that came from is my lambasting the Democratic party for taking such Anti Christian stands on such things as abortion and school prayer. I’m knocking the politics, not the people, and I will continue to do so whether they be Democrat, Republican or Independent. I also got letters from people who imply that I am some rich and privileged person who cares nothing at all about the little people. Let me tell you something, I am one of the little people. That’s where I came from and where my heart will always be. I know about getting up before the sun does and working hard all day long. I know about living from paycheck to paycheck, I know about overdue bills and repossed cars, having the electricity turned off. I’ve worn patched pants and shoes with holes in the soled and made excuses for not paying the rent on time and borrowed money from a friend so I could provide food for my family. But through it all, there was one thing I did consistently, I worked day in, day out, year in, year out, I worked and I dreamed. And do you know something? I have never been out of a job for any extended length of time in my whole life. Good times or bad I always managed to find a way to make a living. God has truly blessed me. I know I could never have done it on my own. And I don’t resent paying taxes. I just resent what a spendthrift Congress, Democrats and Republicans, do with it after they get the grubby hands on it. I know this on going to offend the tender sensibilities of some of the more liberal minded of you who read this column, but I believe with all my heart that every able bodied man should work for a living and should not receive anything from the government. I believe that once a man has fathered a child, he should be required to support that child until it reaches the age of majority. No exceptions, except death or disability. You would see the birth rate drop drastically. I believe in school vouchers. I know that Congress and the teacher’s union say it’s a bad idea, yes, it’s a bad idea for them because it takes a tremendous amount of power out of their hands. I claim allegiance to neither political party and will continue to vote for the man or woman I believe in regardless of party affiliation. I believe that people in this country have gotten too dependent on a wasteful, self proliferating government who’s goals are not public service but staying in power by whatever means is at their disposal, even if it means giving away the farm. If we would stop wasting money on people who don’t deserve it we could give enough to the truly needy to assure them a comfortable lifestyle. So that’s where I stand and I hope I’ve cleared up a few cloudy points. Oh yeah, You people who criticize me for standing up for Jesus Christ, just keep it up. I get blessed everytime you do it.

Pray for our troops.

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels

 

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