Without Country

Without Country

Terry Dashner

“’If you are ever tempted to say a word or to do a thing that shall put a bar between you and your family, your home, and your country, pray God in his mercy to take you that instant home to his own heaven. Stick by your family, boy; forget you have a self—while you do everything for them. Think of your home, boy; write and send, and talk about it. Let it be nearer and nearer to your thought, the farther you have to travel from it and rush back to it, when you are free…’

“‘And for your country, boy,’ and the words rattled in his throat, ‘and for the flag,’ and he pointed to the ship, ’never dream a dream but of serving her as she bids you, though the service carry you through a thousand hells. No matter what happens to you, no matter who flatters you or who abuses you, never look at another flag, never let a night pass but you pray God to bless that flag. Remember, boy, that behind all these men you have to do with, behind officers, and government, and people even, there is the Country Herself, your Country, and that you belong to Her as you belong to your own mother. Stand by Her, boy, as you would stand by your mother…’”

His name was Philip Nolan. In the early 1800’s, Nolan, in a fit of anger, told a military court that he never wanted to hear of the United States again. Nolan was sentenced to have his wish fulfilled. He was to spend the rest of his life at sea, never to touch an American port and never to be given any news about the United States. As the years passed, he lived to regret deeply his rash statement and to long for any reminder of his home, his family, his native land. He died aboard ship fifty years later, and in all those years he heard the name of the United States only once.

If this sounds like a novel tale, it is. You might recall reading it in high school. Nolan is the fictitious army officer in Edward Everett Hale’s story, “The Man without a Country.” Although it is fiction, nevertheless, it echoes certain truths. Any person who slanders his country simply because he cares to, that person inevitably will live to regret it. I want to take this thought one step further and say this: Any person who thinks he can live better without America has never traveled extensively outside it or fought on a battle field to preserve its precious liberties. (I will assume the risks involved in making this blanket statement.)

Funny thing, I don’t think any American citizen—not even Michael Moore—is willing to give up American wealth, security, fame, freedom or any other UNIQUE American liberty to leave and never return because America is too capitalistic, too conservative, too Bush Republican, or too far gone. I’d stake money on this if I were a gambler. So, maybe things aren’t really as bad as these lovers of the spot light would have us think. Maybe they just want some attention. After all, those who give the least, complain the loudest for more.

Keep the faith. America stay the course. You will be rewarded for your greatness in liberating the oppressed.

Pastor Terry Dashner
Veteran of the US Navy
Retired police officer
Husband and father of three grown children