AMEN

Today, Cole's sweet teacher who he had for Kindergarten sent me a really cool quote. (She's one of those people that is always forwarding things - you know, you see their name in your in-box and think "How nice, I'm so glad to get a message from her" and then you realize she has sent it to you and every blessed soul she's ever met.) Anyway, this whole election thing has gotten me worked up and stressed about what is happening to the work ethic in America.

This quote is by an early 20th century American clergyman named Rev. William J.H. Boetcker: "You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves."

Amen.