Charlie Daniels

The dictionary defines trust as: assured reliance on the character, ability, strength or truth of someone or something in which confidence is placed.

The pollsters tell us that trust in Congress is close to an all-time low, as is trust in media.

As one who came from a day when all we knew about a president was the voice we heard on the radio or the pictures we saw in the newspapers, I speak as one whose formative years were during World War II, and I remember FDR as the voice of confidence and reassurance.

He was a father figure, encouraging a nation whose sons were being dispatched to fight in places with names they couldn’t even pronounce. His regular addresses added legitimacy to the war and inspired a heated patriotism and trust amongst the masses.

Although, in retrospect and maturity, I realize that FDR had his faults and made some political mistakes with many repercussions, but it’s hard to imagine anybody else at the helm during the Second World War.

His deep, steady voice never wavered, confident, assured, and no matter how catastrophic the casualty lists or how far the retreat of troops, when he spoke, all America was firmly convinced that no Swastika or Rising Sun would ever fly over our beloved United States of America.

His tenacity and unyielding optimism saw our nation through some very dark days.

The media was viewed as a true source of news and always couched their war coverage with an unabashed patriotism, never fearful of criticizing the Germans and Japanese who we were fighting on both sides of the world.

The voices of H. V. Kaltenborn and Gabriel Heatter reported on the war over the airwaves. Ernie Pyle was embedded with the troops in action and gave a firsthand view in print, and America lived the battles from afar, hanging on the accounts of how the fighting was going, never doubting the honesty of the correspondent nor the accuracy of their reports.

How far we have fallen.

In this day of spin, parsing, plausible deniability and partisan media, it’s hard to, not only separate truth from lies, but it’s hard to separate precision from hyperbole. Some talking heads and television personalities are so vicious and hateful that practically every statement is over the top, not meant to inform but incite.

Many of our politicians of today are little more than human tape loops, repeating the same tired rhetoric, as predictable as the sunrise and as informative as experiencing somebody having a gas attack.

This is a sorry state of affairs.

It seems that, over the years, as I have watched, and even voted for, fresh-faced politicians who were going to go to Washington, be their own person, stand against the things I stand against and for the things I stand for, that after a few months, exposed to the leaders of whatever party they belong to, they go into their political chameleon act and become the same color as the shot callers and power brokers – just another hack who follows the party line, no matter how far away from the convictions of the people who put them in office it may lead them.

So, I have learned that to place trust in mortal man is futile, and although there are still a few politicians I have hope for, and a few media personalities I respect, I put my trust and my eternal future in the hands of my Creator. He has never told a lie. he does not spin or parse. and He never needs plausible deniability.

His predictions pan out 100 percent, and we live in a time His word foretold thousands of years ago.

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” – 2 Timothy 3:1-5 The Holy Bible

Stay tuned, things are just starting to heat up.

What do you think?

Pray for our troops, our police and the peace of Jerusalem.

God Bless America

— Charlie Daniels

Charlie Daniels is a legendary American singer, song writer, guitarist, and fiddler famous for his contributions to country and southern rock music. Daniels has been active as a singer since the early 1950s. He was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry on January 24, 2008.

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