A Challenge for All Americans

Be the People, by Carol Swain, presents a stinging indictment of American culture. The problem within American culture rests with each individual. We longingly gaze toward those in elected positions to lead us; however, we fail to understand the implications that leadership and positions are not the same. In a sense, we have abdicated leadership to others because they hold titles; and in doing so, we have allowed them to escape consequences of political double-speak. We can, and should, ask pointed questions of our elected officials, but we must do so in respectful tones. America was built upon the ability to host robust and rigorous debate while still being able to coexist in the greatest country of the world. Unfortunately, this ability is no longer an accepted practice.

She weaves back and forth through difficult topics (abortion, immigration, racial relations, etc.) and presents details that are heart-wrenching. Her ultimate conclusion, the right one, is that we have forsaken God and have received exactly what we wanted.

I must confess that, although much of what the author wrote resonates with me, the title and the material of the book did not coincide very well. Yes, Swain provided tremendous research within her chapters, but the overall connection to “being the people” was missed in those detailed chapters. I expected a vibrant plan for turning around the prevalent cultural relativism of our day; however, the denouement failed to deliver that stunning conclusion. While a series of steps were outlined in the last chapter, those final thoughts paled in comparison to the depth of the prior chapters.

I would love to discuss this further with the author over coffee because I believe, based upon her interesting American story, that our conversation would be intellectually stimulating. Her work is challenging to read – and quite shocking – yet it is one that I will pass along to inspire others to be the people that our country desperately needs.


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