Hat Tip to PHXG at redstate.com
A facetious Senator Fred Thompson highlights the absurdity of the government's plan to stimulate our economy.
Someone stop the madness, please!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Congressman Moran on Declarations of War
I have been engaged in dialogue lately with fellow conservatives, mostly third party and independent types, on the Constitutional Party Platform on Defense. Among other things, I took issue with the allegation that the President of the United States assumes authority the Constitution does not give him to deploy forces without a declaration of war from Congress. To summarize my argument, it takes special appropriations to fight a war and Congress makes those appropriations (not to mention passes resolutions authorizing the use of force), therefore there is no illegal assumption of authority. Shame on Congress if they don’t declare war, but our separation of powers remains intact. During the debate, I shared the following account with them. I recommend that everyone share it with their own congressional representatives.
Congressman J. Moran (KS-R) was a guest speaker on January 13, 2009 at the Command and General Staff College. He spoke for attribution, unlike the majority of our guest speakers. During Q&A, one of the students stood up and asked (paraphrasing), “Is congress ever going to declare war again or are we going to keep fighting without ever declaring war?” (The last time the United States declared war was World War II.)
His response was very thoughtful. First, he laid the background for his answer with a discussion on the role of the Commander in Chief (CIC). He admitted that the Constitution is not definitive on exactly what authority the CIC of the Army has and by no means are congressional representatives in agreement on their opinions. If the Army is not going to do anything until congress declares a war, there is not a need for a CIC, the generals just take the Army to war after congress declares it. There are members of congress that think the executive branch has authority to do something with regards to troop movements, the limits just aren’t clear. In the end, there is a struggle between the two branches of government to find a balance.
Then he gave a very candid and seemingly sincere (he is a politician after all!) answer to the question. He admitted that no one in congress wants to declare war because it is politically unpopular. It is easier to just let the executive branch be responsible. He elaborated on this a bit and then told us of some soul searching that he has done over the course of the “Iraq War”. He was one who voted for the authorization to use force in Iraq and has mulled that decision over in his mind quite a bit since then. He concluded that he would never again vote for an authorization to use force. He will either do his Constitutional duty, pushing for a declaration of war, which commits the entire nation to the cause, or not.
Fellow student, MAJ Richard Wellman gave a rundown of Congressman Moran’s visit in a blog, which included the following:
Find a complete rundown of Congressman Moran’s comments here.
I think Congressman Moran came to the correct conclusions and has made the right decision. It certainly is consistent with our Divine Constitution. Only time will tell if he follows through or succumbs to political pressures. Regardless, I think all of our representatives owe us introspection on their own congressional involvement in recent “wars”. Maybe Representative Moran’s example can begin a congressional migration back towards adherence to constitutional standards and authorities. We should all urge our respective representatives resolve now to approach the next war in like manner.
[Originally published at redstate.com]
Congressman J. Moran (KS-R) was a guest speaker on January 13, 2009 at the Command and General Staff College. He spoke for attribution, unlike the majority of our guest speakers. During Q&A, one of the students stood up and asked (paraphrasing), “Is congress ever going to declare war again or are we going to keep fighting without ever declaring war?” (The last time the United States declared war was World War II.)
His response was very thoughtful. First, he laid the background for his answer with a discussion on the role of the Commander in Chief (CIC). He admitted that the Constitution is not definitive on exactly what authority the CIC of the Army has and by no means are congressional representatives in agreement on their opinions. If the Army is not going to do anything until congress declares a war, there is not a need for a CIC, the generals just take the Army to war after congress declares it. There are members of congress that think the executive branch has authority to do something with regards to troop movements, the limits just aren’t clear. In the end, there is a struggle between the two branches of government to find a balance.
Then he gave a very candid and seemingly sincere (he is a politician after all!) answer to the question. He admitted that no one in congress wants to declare war because it is politically unpopular. It is easier to just let the executive branch be responsible. He elaborated on this a bit and then told us of some soul searching that he has done over the course of the “Iraq War”. He was one who voted for the authorization to use force in Iraq and has mulled that decision over in his mind quite a bit since then. He concluded that he would never again vote for an authorization to use force. He will either do his Constitutional duty, pushing for a declaration of war, which commits the entire nation to the cause, or not.
Fellow student, MAJ Richard Wellman gave a rundown of Congressman Moran’s visit in a blog, which included the following:
“He stated that he felt Congress has been remiss on how it handles its constitutionally mandated authority to declare war. The representative feels that Congress should make the hard decision to declare war instead of taking the easy way out by just authorizing the President to use force in the open-ended manner that has been occurring under the Bush Administration.”
Find a complete rundown of Congressman Moran’s comments here.
I think Congressman Moran came to the correct conclusions and has made the right decision. It certainly is consistent with our Divine Constitution. Only time will tell if he follows through or succumbs to political pressures. Regardless, I think all of our representatives owe us introspection on their own congressional involvement in recent “wars”. Maybe Representative Moran’s example can begin a congressional migration back towards adherence to constitutional standards and authorities. We should all urge our respective representatives resolve now to approach the next war in like manner.
[Originally published at redstate.com]
Thursday, January 29, 2009
MACHO SAUCE: Where Did This Come From?
I do not know how well known Alfonzo Rachel is, but I had not heard of him until last night. I would not be surprised to learn that he has been a pop icon for the past few years. If so, at least I'm not alone. A friend of mine at work had not heard of him either. Therefore, I am compelled to draft a quick post in case any of you have also missed the Macho Sauce experience.
Zo, as Alfonzo goes by, is a self-styled “Christian Conservative Republican” who seeks to educate the public on the merits of conservatism through very clever and funny, amateur videos. His scripts both entertain and educate, even if sometimes oversimplifying complex social issues. The ring of truth resounds in his dialogue. Two themes that I heard loud and clear in his videos were Liberty and Limited Government, and as such, I consider him a valuable ally in the defense against domestic threats to the Constitution.
For those who have yet to sample Zo’s work, I am embedding a video below. I especially enjoyed his analysis of how portions of the Libertarian agenda, such as legalizing of drugs and prostitution, will realistically increase the size and scope of government, something the Libertarian agenda is decidedly against.
Zo, as Alfonzo goes by, is a self-styled “Christian Conservative Republican” who seeks to educate the public on the merits of conservatism through very clever and funny, amateur videos. His scripts both entertain and educate, even if sometimes oversimplifying complex social issues. The ring of truth resounds in his dialogue. Two themes that I heard loud and clear in his videos were Liberty and Limited Government, and as such, I consider him a valuable ally in the defense against domestic threats to the Constitution.
For those who have yet to sample Zo’s work, I am embedding a video below. I especially enjoyed his analysis of how portions of the Libertarian agenda, such as legalizing of drugs and prostitution, will realistically increase the size and scope of government, something the Libertarian agenda is decidedly against.
"We’ve got a 50% divorce rate in America and you want to legalize prostitution. You’ve got little kids watching their mommies and daddies break up, but that’s not good enough for you. You don’t want them broken up, you want their families burned to ashes! Oh, no! Now we’ve got a single mom, dad’s out of the picture, who is she going to be looking to to supplement that income? Bigger Government.”I also appreciated this quote :
“George W. Bush and the United States Military has kept you safe for the past eight years…”This last quote I highlight emphasizes the fact that grassroots efforts can make a difference in politics. Ultimately, supporting and defending the Constitution comes down the collective efforts of those who care about it.
“The best chance that MachoSauce Productions has, ain’t Fox News, it’s you.”ENJOY!
(Hat Tip: photoman59 at covertconservatives.com)
Saturday, January 17, 2009
A Lesson on Apathy from Britain
or, Why I’m a Member of the NRA and Concern Myself with Politics
I understand this video is old, but I had not seen it before tonight. Chances are it is also new to some of you. It teaches lessons on our Second Amendment liberties that also pertain to our liberty in general. It demonstrates the evil fruits of citizen apathy and the fallacy of placing trust in government. Apathy is clearly a domestic enemy of our Constitution that we must fight.
In the words of the narrator, the Brits have only “themselves to blame for government policies that threaten their way of life, their security and the future of democracy in Britain.”
In the words of a Brit: “It’s a disgrace really. We’ve seen these fundamental liberties, eroded in the last 20 odd years in England, all sorts of legislation that should never have appeared.”
Another Brit: “We’ve been apathetic for years and now we are paying the price for it”.
A warning from Britain: “Learn from our experience and don’t give an inch. Your Constitution matters. Your Freedom matters”. “Don’t be apathetic, get out there and fight.”
My two cents: Government offers safety, comfort, and prosperity in exchange for taking away our liberties and expanding their powers. Rarely do they deliver and even when they do, the price was too high. Will we be seduced like our brethren across the Atlantic? Politicians promised safety. Citizens went along quietly as legislators eroded their liberties. Judge the results for yourselves and ask yourself if you are guilty of apathy. If so, do something about it.
(Hat Tip to BladerunnerXP on Covertconservatives.com)
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Get Involved in Politics
[This post contains many links. My appologies if some of them become inactive over time.]
My first post of this blog explains that the goal of my blogging is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. It occurs to me that a post encouraging and enabling my family and Mormon friends to be actively engaged in the political process would serve to support that goal. Although my family and Mormon friends are the primary targets for this post, any civic-minded reader may find it useful, especially the collection of links towards the end.
I recently became aware that some Christian churches encourage their members not to participate in the political process based on their interpretation of the bible. Some references they cite are: John 18:36 (Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world); Matt 6:10 (we are waiting for the kingdom of heaven); 2Cor 4:4 (this world is Satan’s kingdom); Matt 6:24 (no man can serve two masters); Psalms 133:1 (participation in politics sows discord); Acts 5:39 (since God sets up rulers, by voting we may inadvertently be fighting against God); and Rev 18:4 (we are told to come out of Babylon and partake not of her sins).
The purpose of this post is not to debate various interpretations of the bible with regard to our civic duties. Suffice it to say that my church's interpretation of the bible does not require political neutrality and/or inaction on the part of followers of Jesus Christ. Later day revelation and living prophets have been clear on the matter. To review what our church teaches with respect to our civic duty, watch the short video below and read D&C 134. Read also D&C 98:6, 10.
The LDS Newsroom features an article on the church’s political neutrality policy. Consistent with the references above, the article discusses the role that citizens should play as “responsible citizens” and uses language such as “including becoming informed about issues and voting…” and “[engaging] in the political process.” Note the word including which denotes that the activities mentioned are not an exhaustive list.
The political process is much more than just voting in elections, yet I suspect that for the majority of our society, that is the only level of involvement. Worse, some or many of these cast their votes without arming themselves adequately with information on the various candidates and issues. Founding father James Madison wrote:
Study the Issues
Townhall.com features an “Issues” menu with links to various content relating to many issues. NRA-ILA provides valuable information pertaining to Second Amendment issues. A specific Google search (e.g. “Autoworker’s Bailout”) is also a simple way to begin researching and studying issues.
Project Vote Smart is a site where you can research the voting record of your elected officials. Many other organizations track voting records for their members. While you may not affiliate yourselves with their groups, don’t hesitate to utilize their free online resources if you run across them and find them beneficial. For example, I discovered that the John Birch Society provides some user-friendly, voting information on their website.
Many political organizations rate elected representatives on how they vote compared with their organization’s agenda. Examples include Citizens Against Government Waste and the American Conservative Union.
THOMAS "was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Since that time THOMAS has expanded the scope of its offerings" to include many features and resources for those who wish to research congressional activities.
Know How Congress Works
A good starting point is to read the Constitution. Google (e.g. “how congress works”), Wikipedia, and Citizen Lobbying Kit are also good references.
Contact Your Elected Representatives
If you know the name of the representative you want to contact, a Google search (e.g. “Senator Brownback”) will provide you a link to the representative’s personal website. There will be a “Contact Me” link or some other such link on the front page that will open up a straightforward form with which to send an email. You can find these websites and add them to your favorites or bookmarks for future use.
If you don’t know the name of your representative or senators, try Congress.org. On their pages you will find a query window to enter your home zip code into. This search will bring up a list of all of your elected representatives. By clicking on each representative, you will have access to valuable information about each one, including an option to contact him or her via email.
You can also search for your congressman and senators on the official U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate websites.
Most people forget the positive re-enforcement aspect of communicating with elected officials. This is as important as letting them know when we are displeased with their actions or are urging them to vote this way or that. If you’re lucky, “ata boys” will make up the bulk of your correspondence with your elected representatives.
Write to Publications
The days of sending a letter to the editor or Op Ed to a newspaper via snail-mail are almost gone. Email is too easy and Congress.org makes it even easier. They provide a clickable map of the United States which will in turn list most if not all of the local newspapers and provide forms with which to email letters to editors, etc to the newspaper of your choice, or several at the same time! Townhall.com offers a similar service.
This just scratches the surface of what is available to assist us in fulfilling our civic responsibility to be engaged in the political process. If nothing else, I encourage everyone to become adept enough to fire off an email to an elected officials in a matter of minutes if occasion arises. Read the tips included in the Citizen Lobbying Kit. Consise messages are best. I firmly believe that our representatives need to hear from us often and freedom will benefit if they do.
My first post of this blog explains that the goal of my blogging is to support and defend the Constitution of the United States. It occurs to me that a post encouraging and enabling my family and Mormon friends to be actively engaged in the political process would serve to support that goal. Although my family and Mormon friends are the primary targets for this post, any civic-minded reader may find it useful, especially the collection of links towards the end.
I recently became aware that some Christian churches encourage their members not to participate in the political process based on their interpretation of the bible. Some references they cite are: John 18:36 (Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world); Matt 6:10 (we are waiting for the kingdom of heaven); 2Cor 4:4 (this world is Satan’s kingdom); Matt 6:24 (no man can serve two masters); Psalms 133:1 (participation in politics sows discord); Acts 5:39 (since God sets up rulers, by voting we may inadvertently be fighting against God); and Rev 18:4 (we are told to come out of Babylon and partake not of her sins).
The purpose of this post is not to debate various interpretations of the bible with regard to our civic duties. Suffice it to say that my church's interpretation of the bible does not require political neutrality and/or inaction on the part of followers of Jesus Christ. Later day revelation and living prophets have been clear on the matter. To review what our church teaches with respect to our civic duty, watch the short video below and read D&C 134. Read also D&C 98:6, 10.
The LDS Newsroom features an article on the church’s political neutrality policy. Consistent with the references above, the article discusses the role that citizens should play as “responsible citizens” and uses language such as “including becoming informed about issues and voting…” and “[engaging] in the political process.” Note the word including which denotes that the activities mentioned are not an exhaustive list.
The political process is much more than just voting in elections, yet I suspect that for the majority of our society, that is the only level of involvement. Worse, some or many of these cast their votes without arming themselves adequately with information on the various candidates and issues. Founding father James Madison wrote:
”A popular Government, without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance: And a people who mean to be their own Governors, must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives.”Statesman Daniel Webster observed:
–Letters and other Writings of James Madison, vol. 3 (276).
”If the citizens neglect their duty and place unprincipled men in office,the government will soon be corrupted; laws will be made not for the public good so much as for the selfish or local purposes.”Finally, consider whether or not Thomas Paine was thinking of a biennial trip to a voting booth when he used the word “fatigue” in the following quote:
"Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it."Here are some ways that I recommend everyone be involved in the political process:
- Study the Issues
- Know how congress works
- Contact your elected representatives
- Attend town hall meetings & Watch debates
- Write letters to the editor
- Initiate or sign petitions
- Get connected with likeminded people
Study the Issues
Townhall.com features an “Issues” menu with links to various content relating to many issues. NRA-ILA provides valuable information pertaining to Second Amendment issues. A specific Google search (e.g. “Autoworker’s Bailout”) is also a simple way to begin researching and studying issues.
Project Vote Smart is a site where you can research the voting record of your elected officials. Many other organizations track voting records for their members. While you may not affiliate yourselves with their groups, don’t hesitate to utilize their free online resources if you run across them and find them beneficial. For example, I discovered that the John Birch Society provides some user-friendly, voting information on their website.
Many political organizations rate elected representatives on how they vote compared with their organization’s agenda. Examples include Citizens Against Government Waste and the American Conservative Union.
THOMAS "was launched in January of 1995, at the inception of the 104th Congress. The leadership of the 104th Congress directed the Library of Congress to make federal legislative information freely available to the public. Since that time THOMAS has expanded the scope of its offerings" to include many features and resources for those who wish to research congressional activities.
Know How Congress Works
A good starting point is to read the Constitution. Google (e.g. “how congress works”), Wikipedia, and Citizen Lobbying Kit are also good references.
Contact Your Elected Representatives
If you know the name of the representative you want to contact, a Google search (e.g. “Senator Brownback”) will provide you a link to the representative’s personal website. There will be a “Contact Me” link or some other such link on the front page that will open up a straightforward form with which to send an email. You can find these websites and add them to your favorites or bookmarks for future use.
If you don’t know the name of your representative or senators, try Congress.org. On their pages you will find a query window to enter your home zip code into. This search will bring up a list of all of your elected representatives. By clicking on each representative, you will have access to valuable information about each one, including an option to contact him or her via email.
You can also search for your congressman and senators on the official U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate websites.
Most people forget the positive re-enforcement aspect of communicating with elected officials. This is as important as letting them know when we are displeased with their actions or are urging them to vote this way or that. If you’re lucky, “ata boys” will make up the bulk of your correspondence with your elected representatives.
Write to Publications
The days of sending a letter to the editor or Op Ed to a newspaper via snail-mail are almost gone. Email is too easy and Congress.org makes it even easier. They provide a clickable map of the United States which will in turn list most if not all of the local newspapers and provide forms with which to email letters to editors, etc to the newspaper of your choice, or several at the same time! Townhall.com offers a similar service.
This just scratches the surface of what is available to assist us in fulfilling our civic responsibility to be engaged in the political process. If nothing else, I encourage everyone to become adept enough to fire off an email to an elected officials in a matter of minutes if occasion arises. Read the tips included in the Citizen Lobbying Kit. Consise messages are best. I firmly believe that our representatives need to hear from us often and freedom will benefit if they do.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Isn't Spreading the Wealth Christian?
Increasingly often, I run across individuals who mistakenly believe that the underpinnings of socialism are the Christian values of love and charity, i.e. taking care of the poor and needy. Invariably, they are good, well-intentioned individuals and it almost pains me to burst their bubble. I don’t know what percentage of people who support liberal agendas do so misguidedly, but a concerted effort by conservatives to educate and convert them is in order. The underpinnings of socialism are the non-Christian values of greed and control.
“But, didn’t Jesus teach that we should give to the poor?” Yes, here is what he taught:
Furthermore, he taught that giving to the poor should be a personal and private act.
Alms by definition are voluntary contributions. At no time did Jesus suggest that anyone should be compelled to give to the poor, or that his followers should forcibly take from one person in order to provide for someone less fortunate. Rather, voluntary acts of charity are to spring from love -- love towards God, and love towards neighbors. Note again in the following passage that Jesus gives no hint of coercion or force:
Jesus’ ideal of giving to the poor is very different from the socialist doctrine of taking from the haves and giving to the have-nots. One doesn’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the differences. Furthermore, socialism is not only antithetical to Christian values, it is also incompatible with the principles of our Constitution. The following is one of the best descriptions of socialism that I’ve ever read and highlights the underpinning values of greed and control:
Socialism is about greed and control, not love and charity. We need to get the word out and set the misguided straight. We must aggressively counter what I perceive to be a growing trend to accept the principle of re-distribution of wealth.
[cross-posted at redstate.com]
“But, didn’t Jesus teach that we should give to the poor?” Yes, here is what he taught:
Matt. 5:42 Give to him that asketh thee, and from him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away.
Furthermore, he taught that giving to the poor should be a personal and private act.
Matt 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet …3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
Alms by definition are voluntary contributions. At no time did Jesus suggest that anyone should be compelled to give to the poor, or that his followers should forcibly take from one person in order to provide for someone less fortunate. Rather, voluntary acts of charity are to spring from love -- love towards God, and love towards neighbors. Note again in the following passage that Jesus gives no hint of coercion or force:
Matt. 25:34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom… 35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36 Naked, and ye clothed me…
37 Then shall [they] answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?...
40 And the King shall answer … Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
Jesus’ ideal of giving to the poor is very different from the socialist doctrine of taking from the haves and giving to the have-nots. One doesn’t have to be a Christian to appreciate the differences. Furthermore, socialism is not only antithetical to Christian values, it is also incompatible with the principles of our Constitution. The following is one of the best descriptions of socialism that I’ve ever read and highlights the underpinning values of greed and control:
"Socialism... is the theory and practice of coercive collectivism. It is the evil fruit of greed for other men's possessions and greed for control over other men's labor.
"This greed for goods and power is as old as man and as widespread as the human race. It goes by many names, disguised in many forms, as men think up many excuses for robbing and ruling their fellows.
"Socialist theory is a modern excuse, an elaborate rationalization for this greed and for the organized looting and despotism it seeks to achieve. But its materialism, its collectivist point of view, its reliance on violence and coercion, even most of its economics, are as old and as common as sin.
"It holds out to men the hope that they may reap where they have not sown. It teaches that man is the creature of his environment, and that he may be happy and good if he gets enough wealth, regardless of how or where. All that is needed, says the Socialist Tempter, is to bow down and worship the Socialist State, turning over to it authority and power to take wealth where it finds it and to direct labor as it wills. Just a little class hatred, a little lying propaganda, a little violence on the picket lines, a little suppression of adverse critics, and a few generations of compulsory education in Socialistic thought, then surely we shall see the bright new day of equality, peace, brotherhood, and freedom! So says the Socialist." - Dr. V. Orval Watts, Political Economist, quoted by Ezra T. Benson, December 10, 1963, BYU Speeches of the Year
Socialism is about greed and control, not love and charity. We need to get the word out and set the misguided straight. We must aggressively counter what I perceive to be a growing trend to accept the principle of re-distribution of wealth.
[cross-posted at redstate.com]
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Phenomenal Support To Troops
Although I intend most of my blogging to center Constitutional themes, inevitably occasion will impress me to offer up a thought or two with a military theme. This entry is one of those exceptions.
After making my first post at REDSTATE.COM, Kenny Solomon posted a comment thanking me for my ongoing service and commitment. Quite often, fellow citizens from all over the country who don’t know me thank me for my service after discovering I serve in the military. Candidly, this embarrasses me. I don’t serve for honor or recognition or expect any thanks for what I do, and I admit that I don’t handle compliments well either. Nonetheless, the tremendous outpouring of support and appreciation directed towards service members by grateful compatriots is deeply touching and I dedicate this post to highlight a few personal examples and reciprocate a most heartfelt thanks to all who go out of their way to extend these sentiments.
The first time a perfect stranger ever thanked me for my service was on September 14, 2001. I had been on active duty for just over six years. My family was on vacation in California and September 11 still dominated our thoughts. President Bush had declared a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance and at noontime, Disneyland ceased all activity to observe a moment of silence. I didn’t know exactly what the implications of the attack meant for the military, but I knew there would be some. Evidently, I was not the only one; later that day, a mother and daughter thanked me sincerely for my service.
This experience is now common. Most of my military brethren report a similar trend. However, the surge of support has not just been limited to expressions of gratitude.
Sometime during my first week or two in Iraq, a couple of my Soldiers came into the shop, each carrying a US Postal Service Flat Rate Box (O-FRB1). I marveled that their families were so quick to send them care packages. It turned out that the packages were from one of the many, many organizations sending care packages to troops. Over the course of my tour in Iraq I saw hundreds and hundreds of these care packages distributed. I never had to buy toiletries by virtue of the abundance available from care packages. I can’t think of anything we went without. These packages contained everything imaginable: candy, chocolate, Twinkies, Oreos, chips, dips, cookies, crackers, summer sausages, snacks, knives, scarves, gloves, personal hygiene items, games, books, Christmas cards, Christmas trees, thank you letters…you name it, they sent it!
I regret that I didn’t write down all of the organizations, churches, schools, businesses, and individuals from which I saw a package or letter flow through. The list would be very long if I had. I would like to be able to thank each one by name. There were various Any-Soldier and Adopt-a-Soldier type organizations. Many church groups, community organizations, and schools also contributed. I read several books sent over by knife maker A.G. Russell. His boxes also contained pocket-sized copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution along with an assortment of products (not cheap) from his own business. A box arrived once that was full of handmade scarves. I will always cherish the one made by Marilyn A. Borros of Lakewood, Ohio that I drew from the box.
Finally, let me highlight the U.S.O. Besides sending care packages and entertainers to Iraq, they organized one of the most touching experiences of my life at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. After deplaning, we walked through a long gauntlet of cheering airport workers and passengers on our way to customs. Departing customs towards the buses that would take us to another terminal, we walked through an even longer, more densely packed gauntlet of boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts, brownies, athletic teams, veterans, and many other locals. Applause thundered, cheers and thank-yous rang out, cameras flashed, flags waved, hands clapped our backs and shoulders, hands reached out to shake ours, gifts were pushed at us, personal cell phones were offered to make calls home, welcome back and thank-you banners were everywhere. It was all I could do to maintain my composure and I lost it as soon as I was on the bus. I choke up whenever I think of it. A young Soldier exclaimed as he walked onto the bus behind me, “I feel like a rock-star! This makes it all worthwhile.”
You citizens who extend your support to the troops have done more to support the war effort than you probably realize. Some people wonder why Soldiers continue to re-enlist despite long and multiple deployments – I don’t.
So to all who reach out and support us service members in your various ways, please accept my deepest gratitude and know that you’re efforts are not unnoticed and make a huge difference.
Merry Christmas.
(cross posted at redstate.com)
After making my first post at REDSTATE.COM, Kenny Solomon posted a comment thanking me for my ongoing service and commitment. Quite often, fellow citizens from all over the country who don’t know me thank me for my service after discovering I serve in the military. Candidly, this embarrasses me. I don’t serve for honor or recognition or expect any thanks for what I do, and I admit that I don’t handle compliments well either. Nonetheless, the tremendous outpouring of support and appreciation directed towards service members by grateful compatriots is deeply touching and I dedicate this post to highlight a few personal examples and reciprocate a most heartfelt thanks to all who go out of their way to extend these sentiments.
The first time a perfect stranger ever thanked me for my service was on September 14, 2001. I had been on active duty for just over six years. My family was on vacation in California and September 11 still dominated our thoughts. President Bush had declared a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance and at noontime, Disneyland ceased all activity to observe a moment of silence. I didn’t know exactly what the implications of the attack meant for the military, but I knew there would be some. Evidently, I was not the only one; later that day, a mother and daughter thanked me sincerely for my service.
This experience is now common. Most of my military brethren report a similar trend. However, the surge of support has not just been limited to expressions of gratitude.
Sometime during my first week or two in Iraq, a couple of my Soldiers came into the shop, each carrying a US Postal Service Flat Rate Box (O-FRB1). I marveled that their families were so quick to send them care packages. It turned out that the packages were from one of the many, many organizations sending care packages to troops. Over the course of my tour in Iraq I saw hundreds and hundreds of these care packages distributed. I never had to buy toiletries by virtue of the abundance available from care packages. I can’t think of anything we went without. These packages contained everything imaginable: candy, chocolate, Twinkies, Oreos, chips, dips, cookies, crackers, summer sausages, snacks, knives, scarves, gloves, personal hygiene items, games, books, Christmas cards, Christmas trees, thank you letters…you name it, they sent it!
I regret that I didn’t write down all of the organizations, churches, schools, businesses, and individuals from which I saw a package or letter flow through. The list would be very long if I had. I would like to be able to thank each one by name. There were various Any-Soldier and Adopt-a-Soldier type organizations. Many church groups, community organizations, and schools also contributed. I read several books sent over by knife maker A.G. Russell. His boxes also contained pocket-sized copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution along with an assortment of products (not cheap) from his own business. A box arrived once that was full of handmade scarves. I will always cherish the one made by Marilyn A. Borros of Lakewood, Ohio that I drew from the box.
Finally, let me highlight the U.S.O. Besides sending care packages and entertainers to Iraq, they organized one of the most touching experiences of my life at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport. After deplaning, we walked through a long gauntlet of cheering airport workers and passengers on our way to customs. Departing customs towards the buses that would take us to another terminal, we walked through an even longer, more densely packed gauntlet of boy scouts, cub scouts, girl scouts, brownies, athletic teams, veterans, and many other locals. Applause thundered, cheers and thank-yous rang out, cameras flashed, flags waved, hands clapped our backs and shoulders, hands reached out to shake ours, gifts were pushed at us, personal cell phones were offered to make calls home, welcome back and thank-you banners were everywhere. It was all I could do to maintain my composure and I lost it as soon as I was on the bus. I choke up whenever I think of it. A young Soldier exclaimed as he walked onto the bus behind me, “I feel like a rock-star! This makes it all worthwhile.”
You citizens who extend your support to the troops have done more to support the war effort than you probably realize. Some people wonder why Soldiers continue to re-enlist despite long and multiple deployments – I don’t.
So to all who reach out and support us service members in your various ways, please accept my deepest gratitude and know that you’re efforts are not unnoticed and make a huge difference.
Merry Christmas.
(cross posted at redstate.com)
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