A TRUE PRINCESS Amid the hysteria over the death of Diana Spencer, a lady who is worthy of the title, "princess," quietly passed away halfway around the world. Mother Teresa epitomizes virtue with her life of selfless sacrifice and compassion, working with the poor starving people of Calcutta. She received a great honor in 1979 when they awarded her the Noble Peace Prize. She, in turn, gave the money and honors bestowed her back to those most in need. Her character, her heart, and her soul are beyond attack. She did not seek any of the fame she achieved. It came because of her faith and by working hard to achieve her goals. It is fitting that Mother Teresa breathed her last breath in this life while the whole world is paying homage to exactly the opposite type of person. Diana Spencer was famous because she married Prince Charming. Unfortunately, Charming Charley Windsor turned out to be a frog instead of a prince. The marriage fell apart, and they divorced -- both having broken the marriage vows. We know this because Diana shared this with the rest of the world in a tell-all book and to whomever would listen. She died when her playboy boyfriend’s drunk chauffeur crashed into the wall of a tunnel while driving at nearly 100 miles an hour. Despite the polite claim of shyness, Diana sought publicity at every corner. She flashed her smile repeatedly as she adorned herself with the crown jewels. The preceding paragraph treats Ms. Spencer harshly, but it is the cold hard truth. It is also true that she supported worthy causes, and I must express my sympathy for her family and friends. It is not out of personal dislike for Diana that I point out her foibles. It is because it clearly illustrates the warped beliefs of too many people in the United States. The United States exists because our ancestors revolted against the tyranny of a monarch. They shed their blood to create a nation based on the principle that everyone starts out equal. It is how we live our lives that define our greatness or our failings. From the beginning, we have not always lived up to this standard of the equality of opportunity, but it was always a driving force. The civil war ended our greatest evil. Abraham Lincoln brilliantly summed it up in the Gettysburg address, "Four Score and Seven Years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal." He ended this great oration with these words, "That we highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain-that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom-and that government of the people by the people, for the people shall not perish from this earth." These same principles were the driving force 100 years later when equality of opportunity finally became the law of the land with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Reverend Martin Luther King reaffirmed the beliefs when he dreamed of the day that "a person would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin." This is the foundation of our nation. It should be abhorrent to us that a person still can be adored just because of the blood that flows through their veins or because of whom they marry. Instead, it appears that millions of Americans are consumed with anointing people to be their role models who have never done anything of value. It is appalling that when I turned on the TV to watch the nightly news, Rather, Jennings and Brokaw all were in London. Rather and Brokaw both spent the first ten minutes of the show talking about Diana instead of Mother Teresa. Jennings did lead with a long story about Mother Teresa, but ended trying to place these two people on the same level. Several days ago, the Des Moines Register had pages of stories about Diana. As I sifted through it, I kept thinking, "when are they going to equate her with Mother Teresa?" Sure enough, I turned the page, and there was a half page picture of the two of them together. There is really something wrong when these two people are treated as if they are worthy of the same sorrow and adoration. Then again, it may be the way Mother Teresa would have wanted it. This true princess passed from this world as the entire world was looking at the life styles of the rich and famous while another poor child died on the streets of Calcutta. Look into your heart and soul. Which funeral would you rather have attended? Who’s life would you rather emulate? |
