BOYLAN: Serving God and country

Published 11:42 am Tuesday, November 22, 2022

In year 2011 at age 42, Reverend (now Senator) Warnock opined that one cannot serve God and the military. These words could be discarded as the opinion of someone who had little experience in life and, too, in our democratic society. At age 42 with a college degree and one who benefited from the service of others, Warnock’s words defy logic, and in my view are unworthy of any person who aspires to represent us in the US Congress. As I passed Veterans Day giving a speech to a group of executives in Atlanta, Sen. Warnock’s statement gave me pause for reflection. If one cannot serve God and the military, I paused to reflect on whom in our country would be then willing, able, and available to protect our country and its values. On this Veterans Day, Warnock’s words had special impact, particularly as my remarks were aimed at causing the audience to reflect on the fates of those who served in the effort to preserve our values — our country. Warnock’s statements, although made some 11 years ago, have not (to my knowledge) ever been recanted or explained. Yet, now he represents each of us in Georgia in the U.S Senate, and, for the larger population in our country as well.  I cannot accept that any citizen of our country, each of whom has benefited from the service of those who were willing to place themselves in harm’s way for the purpose of defending — protecting — our values, would express such a  belief.  Warnock does not deserve to represent us in the US Senate — or in any other capacity for that matter.  I believe each of deserves to be represented by a person who believes that our country needs and, too, requires the service of each citizen to protect the values that birthed our nation and the freedoms we continue to embrace. Senator (Reverend) Warnock who has benefited from the service of others is not such a person

Peter J. Boylan

Milledgeville