Remembering on Memorial Day

I visited the 2nd Division memorial, which is on the Ellipse, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Korean War memorial today.   I spoke with soldiers who fought in Korea and Vietnam, and my own father is a World War II veteran.

Freedom is Not Free is inscribed on the Korean War Memorial.  More that 54,000 Americans and 628,000 United Nations troops lost their lives in that one conflict. I took pictures and reflected on some of the mementos left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Why did these soldiers and warriors gave their lives?  Was it just so we can live as we please and enjoy doing what we want.  Along with freedom comes responsibility.  When I think about the sexual abuse of children, sexual slavery and trafficking, and other abuses, I wonder, is this what these brave men and women died for?  Responsibility means using our freedom in a way that benefits and honors others.  There is nothing “free” or enlightened about licentious sex, meaning sex that is self seeking, gratuitous, and outside of a committed, loving, lifetime relationship.  Where is the sense of dignity and of seeing each individual as a child of the creator, God?  Where is the beauty and sacredness?

I think of all those who suffer from sexual abuse and the effects of broken families.  Let us protect children, youth, and all of God’s children of any age and honor the sacrifices of those who allow us to live in freedom by upholding the value and sacredness of of each person as a child of God and of their right to live free of sexual abuse and sexual licentiousness.

View my Picutres of the Memorials on Flickr

A Surprising Prevention Success: Why Did the HIV Epidemic Decline in Zimbabwe?

A major study cites behavioral change, i.e. abstinence and especially faithfulness in marriage,spurred on by a fear of death caused by HIV infection and information received from interpersonal relationships, like friends, family and churches for the remarkable decline of HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe from 29% in 1997 to 16% in 2007

This mirrors the research of Ed Green about Uganda. It is interesting to note that little credence is given to the protective ability of condoms, although that is still presented as an "evidence based" method, although there is no evidence to support increasing condom distribution as a prevention method.

http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000414;jsessionid=52D9029E44F1876D3BC759B4F634CC8D.ambra01