The Word Incarnate, Manifest Destiny

I got this forward from my dad, who has a bit of that nationalistic spirit, or patriotism as well call it here.  It’s about a Navy ship that was just commissioned; of particular note is the second to last paragraph, where a Naval Captain reflects on the construction of the boat.  I thougth it integrated quited well with some of the readings in my classes, particularly of Avram’s work (Anxious about America; a response about Bush’s 2003 National Security Statement from some followers of Jesus), and dicussions in class about manifest destiny and democracy.    The basis of this manifest destiny, as we’ve discussed it, is our history of upbringing and forming a government that was unique and equal for all.  We are to then offer and promulgate this democracy and freedom to others:  it is in fact, our position to do so, given to us by God. For another class (Ryan Bolger’s Church as Mission class), we read an article describing this phenomenon.  Erin Runions writes (from The Post-Colonial Biblical Reader):  “History seems to be a thinly veiled, secular substitution for “God”, who chooses and calls the US to its unique, covenental, and unviersal mission of protecting the world against apocalyptic terror and destruction.”  (Sugirtharajah, 113.)  May I introduce to you the USS New York as an incarnation of such.  What an interesting comparision to John 1, eh?  And the word become steel, and floated among us…        The USS New York

It was built with 24 tons of scrap steel from the World Trade Center . It is the fifth in a new class of warship – designed for missions that include special operations against terrorists. It will carry a crew of 360 sailors and 700 combat-ready Marines to be delivered ashore by helicopters and assault craft. Steel from the World Trade Center was melted down in a foundry in Amite , LA to cast the ship’s bow section. When it was poured into the molds on Sept 9, 2003, “those big rough steelworkers treated it with total reverence,” recalled Navy Capt. Kevin Wensing, who was there. “It was a spiritual moment for everybody there.” Junior Chavers, foundry operations manager, said that when the trade center steel first arrived, he touched it with his hand and the “hair on my neck stood up.” “It had a big meaning to it for all of us,” he said. “They knocked us down. They can’t keep us down. We’re going to be back.” The ship’s motto? “Never Forget”

~ by Brian on October 28, 2007.