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Paul Elisha: Mother Of Exiles

As the present global mind-set continues to dominate the American psyche, from the acme of political policy to many ordinary areas of doing business, this commentator calls “Time-Out!”, for a look at where we are, how we got here, what it’s cost us and what our future portends. As the self-appointed market managers of the so-called democratic (small-d) idiom, we seem to have become habituated to catch-phrases that create a wide latitude of definition and too much room for inexactitude: like “National Destiny” and “Spheres of Interest;” both of which help to harbor inhospitable hanky-panky for the uncontrolled capture of money and power.

Too many of those, who’ve brazenly come to envision themselves as the embodiment of theocratic-sanctioned owner-inheritors, have also mistakenly assumed that this automatically bars accession by others, who post-date their presence, from equal status as participating inheritors of equal opportunities for educational service, work, taxation, citizenship, electoral inclusion and all other pursuits and evidences of citizenship these make possible.

As the all-embracing lines in the immortal dedicatory sonnet, NEW COLOSSUS, created especially for ‘Lady Liberty’ by the poet, Emma Lazarus reminds us:

Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand A mighty woman with a torch, whose flame Is the imprisoned lightning, and her name Mother of Exiles. From her beacon-hand Glows world-wide welcome; her mild eyes command The air-bridged harbor that twin cities frame. “Keep ancient lands, your storied pomp!” cries she With silent lips. “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Those last six lines should echo an immortal reminder for every one of us to generously share all the blessings America can still provide, with others, equally in need of them.

The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.

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