Faith in Our Future

Watch the news today and you may get the impression that the entire world is run by extremists, and that America, and Americans, are hated everywhere.

I thought I'd share with you a conversation I was privileged to have with North Dakota native Brigadier General Gigi Wilz. General Wilz grew up in Richardton, ND, in a military family. She joined the National Guard when she was just 17 and since then has served our country for 30 years, using her talent not only to pave the way for women in the armed forces, but to act as a representative of the people of our nation. She spent the last two years as NATO Commander in Bosnia-Herzegovina, where she met and got to know people from all 29 nations that make up the NATO Alliance; people from all corners of Europe. She was in a position to really hear what people elsewhere think of us. What she said might surprise you. I'm writing it here, word for word.

"I think if we take the middle of the road citizens of other nations, they still love America and think America is important in terms of global order. Most people, when you talk to them, all want to come to America and experience that. So, I think for the most part we have a good reputation, regardless of what you hear on both ends of the spectrum in the media."

I asked her if she thinks the media as an industry chooses sides. She laughed and said, "I probably shouldn't answer that question sitting here in a television studio, but yes, I think they have the tendency to go way right or way left. And the truth of the matter is, most Americans are right down the middle, and that's the population that the news media is not capturing today."

Fair enough. Next question: Situations like what's going on in North Korea are very frightening. With her military experience, does it worry her?

"It does, but I don't know that we haven't been here before with other rogue nations, so as long as we have incredible leadership within the defense structure and we have a Congress and we have a president who's trying to influence that, then I'm less concerned."

She also said, "I'm not the politician, I'm not the world leader, but from a military perspective we think it's very important that we demonstrate  an alliance. That's why NATO is important...I believe that diplomacy is still the best deal, always backed up by military power, and that's why the NATO Alliance is so important.

Does our form of government still work?

"Yes, without question. It's got a checks and balances system so, just like I subordinate myself to civilian leadership, that leadership also needs to pay attention to Congress. That's important."

When the news we hear is so often gloomy, I found General Wilz' views reassuring, as if we are still in good hands.

You can read more about her in this month's issue of Inspired Woman magazine, Freedom issue. Find the link here:
https://inspiredwomanonline.com/