A Silent Prayer for My Country

By Dan Rather, Dan Rather's Facebook Page

21 May 17

end each of my days with a silent prayer for my country. It has been a ritual for some time, but as of late I feel an anxiety gripping my heart and a sadness permeating my soul that seems unlike anything I have felt before.

I hope against hope as I slip off to sleep that our rapid descent into governmental chaos has hit a nadir - only to awaken to a new set of incoherent tweets or explosive headlines from top-notch reporters. And with that, we are falling once again. As I fall, we fall, even further, I pray again that our Constitutional government, the great gift of our Founding Fathers, will provide a safety net to catch us before everything we hold dear is no more. I believe that is the case, but the slowly rising level of uncertainty is not to be ignored.

I see recklessness where we need leadership... and I am deeply saddened.

I see politicians putting power and politics over principle... and I am incredulous.

I see lies treated as truths... and I am disgusted.

I see justice denied and likely obstructed.... and I am fearful.

I see norms flaunted... and I am angry.

I see global challenges going unaddressed... and I am worried.

I see the press under attack... and I am furious.

I see this, and more, so much more... and I am exhausted.

I find myself returning in my mind to dark days from the past, trying to remember how we as a nation felt, when Pearl Harbor was attacked, when Kennedy was shot, when Watergate took down a President, when terrorists rained terror from the skies. We somehow overcame. And I do believe that we shall overcome, someday. Perhaps, hopefully, someday soon.

But in the end, prayer will not be enough. Action, sustained action, will be required.