Monday, May 31, 2010

Memorial Day


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 community 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,


ETERNAL REST GRANT THEM O LORD, AND LET PERPETUAL LIGHT SHINE UPON THEM.


On behalf of Hotdads I'd like to say thank you to everyone who served or has/had family members that serve(d).

The reason for Memorial day is to remember all the folks who have and are fighting and dying to preserve freedom and liberty here at home and around the globe. One thing stands between relative peace and world wide chaos, that is the United States military. Make no mistake without them we would be in a perpetual state of Clusterfuckites (that is a southern term mail me if you need a definition).

Also remember the U.S. military is a 100% volunteer force, they serve because they WANT to. Think about that. Someone is willing to volunteer to strap on a helmet pick up a gun and go fight, risking death, risking not ever having their own family or leaving their kids and spouse alone for a minimal pay check (surely minimal in the risk/reward sense) so YOU can be free, so you and yours can prosper, so you can walk the streets in relative safety. That is surely something to be thankful for.

The U.S. military is an honorable and noble fighting force, in the last 100 years fighting all over the world and never taking land nor treasure from the vanquished, simply spreading freedom, or protecting it. So the better portion of people who might possibly read this should be damn thankful for the U.S. military that fought to protect them.

Here is a quote from Colin Powell.... read it, after that I shall wax poetic.

Colin Powell in response to a question about the United States and Empire building

There is nothing in American experience or in American political life or in our culture that suggests we want to use hard power. But what we have found over the decades is that unless you do have hard power -- and here I think you're referring to military power -- then sometimes you are faced with situations that you can't deal with.

I mean, it was not soft power that freed Europe. It was hard power. And what followed immediately after hard power? Did the United States ask for dominion over a single nation in Europe? No. Soft power came in the Marshall Plan. Soft power came with American GIs who put their weapons down once the war was over and helped all those nations rebuild. We did the same thing in Japan.

So our record of living our values and letting our values be an inspiration to others I think is clear. And I don't think I have anything to be ashamed of or apologize for with respect to what America has done for the world. [Applause.]

We have gone forth from our shores repeatedly over the last hundred years and we've done this as recently as the last year in Afghanistan and put wonderful young men and women at risk, many of whom have lost their lives, and we have asked for nothing except enough ground to bury them in, and otherwise we have returned home to seek our own, you know, to seek our own lives in peace, to live our own lives in peace. But there comes a time when soft power or talking with evil will not work where, unfortunately, hard power is the only thing that works.

Now for poetic waxing.

When you hear these people from other countries putting down the U.S. and hear them talk smack about Bush or Reagan or whoever is President then you have a choice, you can piss on history and the folks who did take up arms and fight and die to protect, liberate or otherwise help THOSE SAME PEOPLE that are now bitching by joining them with their U.S. bashing, or you can go Johnny Cash on them.



With a big Fuck you to the scum sucking rat bastards. Your choice. But be damn sure when you do choose sides know a whole hell of a lot of braver people than you or I fought and died so you even had a choice to make. It is easy to tell who's side you are on by how you group yourself. Like Momma said, you will be judged by the company you keep.

Say a prayer for a warrior today. Odds are somewhere on the globe a current or past warrior will die leaving family and friends to mourn them.

How'd my poetic waxing go?

Thank a warrior, thank their family, say a prayer, give a donation.

I also hope you take the time to teach your kids what Memorial day is all about.



Didja hit the giveaway? Memorial Day is the last day! Easy to enter, enter as often as you'd like!

Go see what the Real World has going on!


Southern Sage Posted here today too.

11 comments:

Joanna Cake said...

Our Remembrance Sunday is in November but it doesnt mean that we cant remember your fallen, many of whom died to preserve freedoms for other nations.

Chapter Two said...

what amazes me is how again and again men and women feel called to serve. they step up and do what the majority of the people will not do. They have wife or husband at home who is doing their own service by being alone while their mate serves knowing they may never return home to them. The mothers, fathers, and siblings, relatives etc who give up their loved ones to go and protect and serve for us. It is a calling and I am amazed at them. I am proud of them, and I am humbled by those that answer the call

Anonymous said...

amen ladies

dadshouse said...

I agree - remember the vets with honor, respect, gratitude. They serve so we may be safe and enjoy freedoms.

TentCamper said...

Absolutely great post!!!!!!

Thanks for making us all remember...the right way!

HMCinCali said...

I agree to remember the Vets and ones still serving on days like this.
WWII - my Grandpa
Korean - my Uncle
Vietnam - my Uncle
Afganistan - my Cousin
Iraq - My Uncle, 2 Cousins

That said you going off on people that speak their mind, is too me - UnAmerican. The brave men and women fought for our freedoms, true alot of them were taken away lately, but we still have the freedom to speak. And people should not blindly follow their government - that is the biggest danger of all. People should think and speak up if the government is misbehaving. After all that is what our forefathers would have expected which is why they set up the system so people could have a say and that there are checks and balances. So if the Dixie Chicks want to say they do not agree with their President - that is the red blooded American way.

I will tell you what is not the American way - is to let a traitor just go free and prosper. The guy that leaked out pictures of the woman spy should have hanged from a tree. That is a real traitor.

Living as an American is not. Exposing our spys is. Let's get some perspective.

Anonymous said...

TC: Thanks.

Ms H- I would mail you my reply but your profile doesn't have your email on it. I'd rather not do this here, which is why my post wasn't offensive as it would have been had it posted onmy blog.

Just so I can be clear on this, I am unAmerican when speaking MY MIND about people speaking theirs? That sure doesn't seem fair to me, but hey I could be wrong, believe it or not it has happened twice before. I don't know much about the Dixie Chicks and could pretty much care less what the entertainment crowd has to say and one would be smart to purposefully vote to the opposite of their views it seems to me.

I am so happy your brought up the Valarie Plame deal what I do is bust talking points, and this one was a total farce from the jump. And of course a rudimentary search will bring up the truth about it. I will however post my thoughts on it should you like to come by and opine, it will run next week.

I must wonder though if you were not a Bush supporter were you a Clinton supporter?

I wish I had your email addy, maybe you followed comments.

I wonder if me " going off on people that speak their mind, is too me - UnAmerican." or do I have the same right that YOU chastised me for?

Feel free to come by and get some true and honest perspective on a topic you brought to the forefront.

web designing jacksonville said...

Hi everyone! What are you guys doing for your memorial day weekend, me I'm off tomorrow, so I'm filling nice, if you know what I mean, but seriously, how are you enjoying your memorial day?

web designing jacksonville said...

we must remember what this day is about, its not about sales or the deals we can get, its not a time for vacation, nor wasting the day, but a day off to remember our heros from past and present.

web designing jacksonville said...

After all that is what our forefathers would have expected which is why they set up the system so people could have a say and that there are checks and balances.

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