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.
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]
...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
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