It's No Time Like the Present Thing

Dear America,

"Those who expect to reap 

the blessings of freedom must, 

like men, 

undergo the fatigue 

of supporting it."  

Thomas Paine

I love that part, "like men."

And to think, it's so sexist, isn't it!...Oh the shame.  Oh the crime. Oh Thomas Paine -- I love you, man.

And Oh how I dream of a time gone by when men were men and women were women and nobody was confused about anything.  I know -- thump on the head to me.   Whatever.

Yesterday -- Veteran's Day -- I spent the better part of a morning surrounded by MEN, veterans, real men, with their service to America dating back twenty...fifty, sixty, seventy years...and many of them were seated with their wives of twenty...forty, fifty, sixty years right next to them.  It was a beautiful thing, let me tell you.

About a dozen boys of the Camp Pendleton Young Marines stood at attention throughout the entire forty-five minute program -- which took great skill, considering less than six feet in front of them, the "half-time show" featured a dance troupe from the local school, Santa Fe Christian, tapping out a fine boogie woogie number (of course, accompanied by the school band)  -- to a classic, "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B."   

The girls were good!   And almost better than The Andrews Sisters...

Giving high marks on costume -- dressed in red satin and gloves -- the modern day ensemble takes home a decent honorable mention.  But the trophy, that goes to the sisters simply on points for originality and, for something that I like to call --  setting the bar; and certainly not to discount the many years of service in the business of keeping the morale up for our boys.   Hoo rah.

The thing is, we know what "better" is. It's a cut above.  

Take  Jeb Bush, at Tuesday night's debate -- he failed to make something of his campaign.  He failed to stand out and hit a higher bar.  He may have done better than expected, in the eyes of some, but better isn't always enough, is it.   (Not a question.)

Now Ted Cruz did better than Jeb;  he left his mark in the hearts and minds of those listening.

Marco Rubio did better than Jeb, and quite possibly even better than Cruz; he left his mark in the hearts and minds of those listening.

But like most things in life -- it's subjective.

I'm sure for some people, what Thomas Paine said, might be offensive.  Take it out of context, take it out of the 1700's and thrust it into the year 2015 and we have immediate controversy.  But let's not quibble, shall we. 

"Those who expect to reap 

the blessings of freedom must, 

like men, 

undergo the fatigue 

of supporting it."  

I was shocked to read news out of Colorado Springs this morning -- it centers around a lawsuit from a group of women IN the police force who objected to the physical ability test each year.  And now -- long story short (and fat) -- when it comes to the men and women in uniform in the Spring's area and racing to the rescue of citizens in need, nobody will be required to stay "physically fit." [At least, until such time it's been argued back and forth through the legal channels.]

Seriously?

Why wouldn't a woman -- especially a woman currently in police uniform --  insist on staying fit, on their own, for their own benefit, for the betterment of both community and her own life itself?  Talk about a life and death situation that naturally raises the bar --  demanding the call for being better than the average joe a personal standard in the every day!   Holy super girl, this might be such an occasion.

But let's consider for a moment how women got here.    Women have cried discrimination for decades -- fighting tooth and french manicured nail, long and hard, to make gains in male dominated careers, be it local police forces or one of our honorable armed forces...including now in combat zones...and this is where we take it?  Griping under the fatigue of the demands of being in what is, for all intents and purposes, a man's domain?  Are you kidding me?

Shut up.

Shut up.

Shut up.

Dig deep, put down the doughnut, get back in shape, and shut up.

Did I mention you stupid girls need to shut up?

Enough said.

Now for the betterment of this day, this blog, my wish is to do a one-eighty and get back to d'boys in uniform.  Here you go:

"It is the Veteran"

It is the Veteran, not the preacher, who has given us freedom of religion.
It is the Veteran, not the reporter, who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the Veteran, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech.
It is the Veteran, not the campus organizer, who has given us freedom to assemble.
It is the Veteran, not the lawyer, who has given us the right to a fair trial.
It is the Veteran, not the politician, who has given us the right to vote.
It is the Veteran, who salutes the Flag,
It is the Veteran, who serves under the Flag,
To be buried by the flag,
So the protester can burn the flag. 

[that's a really good link! don't miss it]

 Author: Anonymous

...The guest speaker at my local Veterans Day service, Lt. Col. Scott Hall (a very handsome Fighter Pilot!), offered these words in his closing.  

It's something that I like to call perspective.  [And surely within "It is a Veteran," a lesson, or two, lives for the wayward student body re-organizers of  Missou and Yale...and we'll have to save that for another day...]

"Those who expect to reap 

the blessings of freedom must, 

like men, 

undergo the fatigue 

of supporting it."  

According to the stats:  19.3 million veterans in U.S. in 2014, with 1.6 million of them listed as female (but do we really know anymore?)...  And talk about physically fit -- most often, the cream of the crop, all of them; Bergdahl aside, it's a group of men and women who act with honor and courage and strength better than most of us upon any given day.  

Which brings me to this:

it would be an understatement to say, there is     no     time    like    the present.  Think about it.

But this is where I must leave it for one day.

Make it a Good Day, G

Dear America,

Veterans Day 2009

"War, children is just a shot away, is just a shot away"

We are reminded this day as to just how close war can be by the actions of one jihad's act of terror.  As our dear President declared eloquently and stately before 10,000 mourners and military personnel yesterday:

 ...It may be hard to comprehend the twisted logic that led to this tragedy. But this much we do know - no faith justifies these murderous and craven acts; no just and loving God looks upon them with favor. And for what he has done, we know that the killer will be met with justice - in this world, and the next...



...We are a nation that guarantees the freedom to worship as one chooses. And instead of claiming God for our side, we remember Lincoln's words, and always pray to be on the side of God.



We are a nation that is dedicated to the proposition that all men and women are created equal. We live that truth within our military, and see it in the varied backgrounds of those we lay to rest today. We defend that truth at home and abroad, and we know that Americans will always be found on the side of liberty and equality. That is who we are as a people...


...Tomorrow is Veterans Day. It is a chance to pause, and to pay tribute - for students to learn of the struggles that preceded them; for families to honor the service of parents and grandparents; for citizens to reflect upon the sacrifices that have been made in pursuit of a more perfect union.



For history is filled with heroes. You may remember the stories of a grandfather who marched across Europe; an uncle who fought in Vietnam; a sister who served in the Gulf. But as we honor the many generations who have served, I think all of us - every single American - must acknowledge that this generation has more than proved itself the equal of those who have come before.


We need not look to the past for greatness, because it is before our very eyes.


This generation of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have volunteered in a time of certain danger. They are part of the finest fighting force that the world has ever known. They have served tour after tour of duty in distant, different and difficult places. They have stood watch in blinding deserts and on snowy mountains. They have extended the opportunity of self-government to peoples that have suffered tyranny and war. They are man and woman; white, black, and brown; of all faiths and stations - all Americans, serving together to protect our people, while giving others half a world away the chance to lead a better life.


In today's wars, there is not always a simple ceremony that signals our troops' success - no surrender papers to be signed, or capital to be claimed. But the measure of their impact is no less great - in a world of threats that know no borders, it will be marked in the safety of our cities and towns, and the security and opportunity that is extended abroad. And it will serve as testimony to the character of those who serve, and the example that you set for America and for the world...


...Long after they are laid to rest - when the fighting has finished, and our nation has endured; when today's servicemen and women are veterans, and their children have grown - it will be said of this generation that they believed under the most trying of tests; that they persevered not just when it was easy, but when it was hard; and that they paid the price and bore the burden to secure this nation, and stood up for the values that live in the hearts of all free peoples.



So we say goodbye to those who now belong to eternity. We press ahead in pursuit of the peace that guided their service. May God bless the memory of those we lost. And may God bless the United States of America.

The Commander in Chief did a good job marking a tragic moment in American history; a job well done indeed.

We become a proud people and even a sentimental President -- to both war and cause -- upon the anniversary of the fallen men and women in uniform; all of a sudden, even he, sounds like and embodies a man who gets it.
 
As a famed bumper sticker reads, FREEDOM isn't FREE; there is a price to our life and liberty and pursuit of happiness.  It comes in the name of all men and women who came before us, not just in this generation, but yes, to the past -- and this seems to be the only thing that G has difficulty getting around from the President's remarks.
 
In small gestures and by large example, our President is making a habit of dismissing America's past; "we need not look to the past for greatness, because it is right before our very eyes."
 
Of course, it is good to recognize the sacrifices of today's boys and girls in the face of today's challenges and dangers around the world.  Does it need to come on the tails of disillusionment to either the "greatest generation" as the WWII vets have come to be known, or the first generation of liberators by way of the Revolutionary War, or the generation of the great equalizers of the Civil War?  Yes, there was a valiant effort of making note, politely and succinctly, of all those who came before -- and then he just took it back, in a single sentence.
 
Every part and every effort and every human heart lost brought us to this very day, and perhaps if even so much as one thing changed or was out of place from somewhere down the line, we wouldn't be bowing down here today kissing the ground we walk on.
 
The progressives can only take us so far; but moving too far, too fast, we are subject to losing our grip of the golden thread that binds our hearts together, building a tapestry that passes from one generation to the next without ever losing a stitch, that ultimately and seasonally blankets us in time of need -- warming our hearts and minds, protecting our children, and bringing shelter to those who mourn .
 
The veteran in my life, coming after George Washington and all of his men, is my papa. Thank you x
 
It is the eleventh hour, on the eleventh day, of the eleventh month, marking the end of WWI -- while making today Veterans Day -- just another day celebrating the days of yore (ho hum).  May we always recognize our Veterans -- exemplifying and magnifying the patriots of our past  -- without them, we would not be a land of the free and home of the brave.
 
Make it a Good Day, G

by definition, Mr. President, a Veteran is one who has long and already served his country; an active member of the armed forces today is a soldier and until retirement, stands no more a veteran than my dog.

but in all seriousness, while some veterans retire to the golf links, others are wounded from battle.  This would be a good day to volunteer, donate and support those who retired not by choice, but on a stretcher.  Here's something to watch at realamericanstories.com