Got this tonight in my box from a good friend that is in the Pentagon.
It was written by a Congressional Medal of Honor winner:
AMERICAN NOBILITY
By Maj. Gen. Patrick Brady, Retired
America has no kings or queens but we do have nobility . Our nobility
is called Veterans. That nobility is responsible for the bounty that is
America but tragically their influence has faded in recent years and the
values they died for are under attack. But this election year they are
back in demand and some have said the veteran vote could decide this
election. It may have put Bush in the White House. With this in mind,
John Kerry is seldom seen with out his band of brothers and constantly
plays the” hero” card as a cornerstone of his bid for president, indeed,
as the definition of who he is. Kerry defines patriotism as “keeping
faith with those who wear the uniform of this country. He also brags
that he “defended this country as a young man”. If Missouri is the show
me state, Veterans are the show me voters ? we are not much for words,
deeds are our stock in trade. Lets look at Kerry’s deeds.
Before Kerry played his “hero” card, he played the atrocity card. When
Kerry came back from Vietnam he joined with Jane Fonda and in 1971
denounced “those who wear the uniform” as terrorists-like rapists and
assassins who “cut off heads, taped wires to human genitals and turned
up the power, cut off limbs, shot at civilians, razed villages, shot
cattle and dogs for fun, poisoned food stocks” and said he “committed
the same kinds of atrocities as thousands of others”. He made these
charges under oath. Kerry says today that he would have framed some of
what he said in 1971 differently. But he does not say he lied, which he
did, nor does he apologize. How can one properly frame the denunciations
of ones comrades in arms as modern day Genghis Khans?
The very day that Kerry was calling Vietnam veterans’ war criminals the
family of one of those “war criminals”, Michael Blanchfield, was
posthumously receiving the Medal of Honor for Michael who had thrown
himself on a grenade to save the lives of his comrades. How different
from Kerry was the way this man kept faith with those who wore the
uniform with him. How different from Kerry was the manner Michael
defended his country.
He could have attacked the war without attacking the warrior. He could
have questioned policy without supporting the communists’ claim that our
soldiers were war criminals. He could have kept faith with those who
wore the uniform with him. But he did not and he should be held
accountable.
By every measure, the Vietnam veteran has been an exceptional citizen;
but there is one disturbing statistic -- their suicide rate. In the
first 5 years after discharge the rate was 1.7 times higher than
non-veterans. After 5 years it was less. This may have been due to the
treatment the Vietnam veteran received from the media and the anti war
movement led by Kerry -- in the early years after the war. Living with
the scars of war is difficult, for some unbearable, but all veterans
suffer. The Vietnam veteran suffered physically as much, perhaps more
than any veteran of the past century, but no veteran has suffered the
mental agony of that veteran.
What Kerry/Fonda and the media elite did to the Vietnam veteran and his
family is deplorable. They opened a gash in his psyche and then rubbed
salt in it. Not just the living but also those who died and their
families who questioned if a loved one is a war criminal. And the POWs
some who believed the Kerry/Fonda cartel extended the war, increased
their torture and filled more body bags. Whether Kerry and Fonda have
blood on their hands is debatable but there is no doubt they have salt
on them.
Kerry’s “hero” card is based on medals he received in Vietnam and is
much celebrated, and unchallenged, by the mainstream media. I know many
Medal of Honor recipients who have received less publicity for their
medal than Kerry has for his. But medals don’t make a hero. It is how
one uses medals that make a hero. Every honest soldier knows that medals
are a function of circumstance, even happenstance, but most of all the
support of ones fellow warriors.
I was awarded the Medal of Honor; but my fellow soldiers who supported
me in the actions and took the time to write it up earned it. I wear it
for them, they own my medals. And every Medal of Honor recipient and
hero I know believes as I do. Medals should be a sign of patriotism, a
symbol of sacrifice, support and defense of a great nation. The highest
form of patriotism is service to our youth; heroes also wear their medal
for them to signal the importance of courage. Heroes do not use their
medals for personal political gain. As I said they are not theirs to
use.
Senator Kerry threw his medals away (or ribbons, they are symbolically
the same), a political act very difficult for any veteran to understand.
He must have been proud of them for he wore them even on his fatigues,
in violation of all regulations. But they were not his. They belonged to
those who he served. By that act he symbolically denounced his fellow
veterans -- again. Does one keep faith with those who wear the uniform
by throwing away their medals?
But perhaps most telling of his leadership qualities is his use of his
Purple hearts to abandon his band of brothers, his command, on a
technicality. Kerry may be the only person in history who took advantage
of a Navy regulation that allowed him to leave his command after 4
months for 3 purple hearts none of which ever caused him to miss a day
of duty. In my experience men fought to stay with their band of
brothers, especially commanders. All the commanders I know would get out
of a hospital bed to be with their men. Some one had to take his place;
someone probably less experienced who would have to learn the ropes.
That put his command more at risk than if he stayed. It is not hard to
understand why those who stayed in combat for the full year are upset
with Kerry.
And veterans today would be upset with Kerry’s support of Flag Burning
his non-support of weapons systems and his 12 votes against military pay
raises. But his use of veterans and misuse of his medals should bring
into serious question his loyalty, integrity and character all of which
equal leadership. He is not fit for command.
On This Day In History
Birthdates which occurred on August 31:
0012 Caligula (Gaius Caesar), 3rd Roman emperor (37-41 AD)
0161 Lucius A A Coomodus, emperor of Rome (180-91)
1811 Goode Bryan, Brig General (Confederate Army), died in 1885
1822 Fitz John Porter, Major General (Union volunteers), died in 1901
1823 Galusha Aaron Grow, MC (Union), died in 1907
1828 George Leonard Andrews, Bvt Major General (Union volunteers)
1834 Amilcare Ponchielli Paderno Italy, composer (I Lituani)
1870 Maria Montessori Italy, educator (spontaneous response)
1880 Queen Mother Wilhelmina Netherlands (1890-1948)
1885 DuBose Heyward novelist (Porgy)
1889 A Provost Idell father of modern volleyball
1897 Frederic March Wisc, actor (Dr Jeckyll-Acad Awards 1932/1946)
1903 Arthur Godfrey radio, TV host (Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scout)
1903 Sir Bernard Lovell England, radio astronomer, founded Jodrell Bank
1908 William Saroyan US, novelist/playwright (Time of Your Life)
1914 Richard Basehart Zanesville Oh, actor (Voyage to Bottom of Sea)
1916 Daniel Schorr "journalist" (CBS, PBS Pravda)
1918 Alan Jay Lerner lyricist composer (Lerner & Leowe-My Fair Lady)
1924 Buddy (Leonard) Hackett Bkln, comedian (God's Little Acre, Music Man)
1928 James Coburn Laurel Nebr, actor (Our Man Flint, Magnificent Seven)
1931 Dan Rather news anchor (CBS-TV)
1935 Eldridge Cleaver Black Panther
1935 Frank Robinson baseball player/manager (MVP 1961-NL 1966-AL)
1945 Itzhak Perlman Tel Aviv Israel, violinist/polio victim
1945 Leonid I Popov cosmonaut (Soyuz 35, 40, T-7)
1945 Van Morrison Belfast, singer (Gloria, Moondance)
1949 Richard Gere Phila Pa, actor (Breathless, Cotton Club)
1958 Edwin C Moses track star (hurdler, Olympic-gold-1984)
1959 Rachel Dennison Knoxville Tn, actress (Doralee Rhodes-9 to 5)
1961 David Chastain heavy metal rocker (Chastain-Rule of Wasteland)
1970 Debbie Gibson Brooklyn NY, singer (Only in My Dreams)
1977 Paul Garber helped establish Air & Space Museum in Washington DC
Deaths which occurred on August 31:
1057 Leofric husband of Lady Godiva, dies
1218 Al-Malik ab-Adil/Saphadin/Saif al-Din), brother of Saladin,
1422 Henry V, King of England (1413-22)/France (1416-19)
1688 John Bunyan preacher/novelist/author of "Pilgrim's Progress,", dies
1862 George William Taylor, US Union brig-general, dies in battle
1879 William Barber 6th US chief engraver (1844-79), dies
1888 Mary Ann Nicholls a 42-year-old prostitute, was found stabbed to death in London, 1st of at least five murders by Jack the Ripper
1942 Von Bismarck, German major general, (Africa Corps), dies in battle
1944 Killinger, German ambassador to Romania, commits suicide
1964 Carole Coleman singer (Face the Music), dies at 42
1964 Rocky Marciano former heavyweight champ, dies in a plane crash
1968 Dennis O'Keefe actor (Suspicion), dies at 60
1979 Sally Rand, stripper, dies at 75
1997 Diana Spencer, princess of England, dies in car crash in Paris at 36
Reported: MISSING in ACTION
1967 CAREY DAVID J. JEANNETTE PA.
[03/12/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE AND WELL 98]
1967 PERRY RICHARD C. CARLIN NV.
[REMAINS RETURNED 11/26/86]
1967 STAFFORD HUGH A. CAMBRIDGE MD.
[03/14/73 RELEASED BY DRV, ALIVE IN 98]
1968 BARTOCCI JOHN E. NEW YORK NY.
POW / MIA Data & Bios supplied by
the P.O.W. NETWORK. Skidmore, MO. USA.
On this day...
1385 English King Richard the Second invaded Scotland with a force estimated at 80-thousand men.
1521 Cortes captures the city of Tenochtitlan, Mexico, and sets it on fire.
1535 Pope Paul II deposed & excommunicated King Henry VIII
1778 British kill 17 Stockbridge indians in the Bronx during Revolution
1802 Captain Merriwether Lewis leaves Pittsburgh to meet up with Captain William Clark and begin their trek to the Pacific Ocean.
1842 US Naval Observatory authorized by an act of Congress
1850 Calif pioneers organized at Montgomery & Clay Streets
1864 Atlanta Campaign-Battle of Jonesborough
1864 At the Democratic convention in Chicago, General George B. McClellan is nominated for president.
1865 Federal government estimates the American Civil War had cost about eight-billion dollars. Human costs have been estimated at more than one-million killed or wounded.
1881 1st US tennis championships (Newport, RI)
1886 1st major earthquake recorded in eastern US, at Charleston, SC
1887 Thomas A Edison patents Kinetoscope, (produces moving pictures)
1889 Start of Sherlock Holmes adventure "Cardboard Box" (BG)
1894 Phillies Billy Hamilton steals 7 bases
1895 1st pro football game (QB John Brallier paid $10 & won 12-0)
1900 Dodgers' Brickyard Kennedy walks 6 straight Phillies
1902 Split skirt 1st worn by Mrs Adolph Landeburg (horse rider)
1903 A Packard automobile completed a 52-day journey from San Francisco to New York, becoming the first car to cross the nation under its own power.
1903 Joe McGinnity wins his 3rd doubleheader of the month
1907 England, Russia & France form the Triple Entente
1919 Communist Labor Party of America formed in Chicago
1919 Petlyura's Ukranian Army kills 35 members of a Jewish defense group
1934 1st football all star game-Bears tie collegians 0-0 in Chicago
1935 1st national skeet championship (Indianapolis)
1935 FDR signs an act prohibiting export of US arms to belligerents
1939 Japanese invasion army driven out of Mongolia
1939 Staged "Polish" assault on radio station in Gleiwitz by Nazis dressed as Poles to "provoke" war, excuse for Gerrmany to invade Poland tomorrow to start World War II
1941 Great Gildersleeve, a spin-off of Fibber McGee & Molly debuts on NBC
1949 Six of the 16 surviving Union veterans of the Civil War attend the last-ever encampment of the Grand Army of the Republic, held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
1950 Dodger Gil Hodges hits 4 HRs & a single in a game vs Braves
1951 The 1st Marine Division begins its attack on Bloody Ridge in Korea. The four-day battle results in 2,700 Marine casualties.
1954 Census Bureau established
1954 Hurricane Carol (1st major named storm) hits New England, 70 die
1955 1st microwave TV station operated (Lufkin, Tx)
1955 1st sun-powered automobile demonstrated, Chicago, Ill
1957 Malaya (Malaysia) gains independence from Britain (National Day)
1960 Agricultural Hall of Fame established
1962 Trinidad & Tobago gain independence from Britain (National Day)
1965 House of Reps joins Senate establish Dept of Housing & Urban Develop
1968 6,000 die in 7.8 quake destroys 60,000 buildings in NE Iran
1968 Private Eye magazine reports a John Lennon & Yoko Ono album will have a picture of them nude on the cover
1970 US defeats German FR for tennis' Davis Cup
1970 -Peter Yarrow (Peter Paul & Mary) arrested for taking "immoral liberties" with girl, 14
1971 Dave Scott becomes 1st person to drive a car on the Moon
1972 Olga Korbut, USSR, wins olympic gold medal in gymnastics
1973 1st heavyweight championship fight in Japan (Foreman beats Roman)
1977 Aleksandr Fedotov sets aircraft alt rec of 38.26 km (125,524')
1978 Symbionese Liberation Army founders William & Emily Harris plead guilty to 1974 kidnapping of newspaper heiress Patricia Hearst
1979 Comet Howard-Koomur-Michels collides with the Sun
1979 Donald McHenry named to succeed Andrew Young as UN ambassador
1980 Poland's Solidarity labor union founded
1983 Edwin Moses of USA sets the 400m hurdle record (47.02) in Koblenz
1984 Pinklin Thomas defeats Tim Witherspoon for the WBC heavyweight title
1985 "Prakas" sets trotting mile record of 1:53.4 at Du Quoin, Ill
1985 Night Stalker suspect that terrorized S Calif captured in East LA
1987 Curtis Strange sets golf's earning for the year record ($697,385)
1988 5-day power blackout of downtown Seattle begins
1991 Kyrgyzstan The Land of "Tien Shan" (Heavenly Mountains) Uzbekistan and Kirghizia declared their independence, raising to 10 the number of republics seeking to secede and leaving only five republics with membership in the Soviet Union.
1992: White separatist Randy Weaver surrenders to authorities in Naples Idaho, ending an 11-day siege by federal agents (Weaver's wife & son, and a deputy U.S. marshal, were killed during the seige)
1994: The Irish Republican Army declares a cease-fire
1994: After a half-century, Russia officially ends its military presence in the former East Germany and the Baltics
1996 Seven people drowned when their vehicle rolled into John D. Long Lake in Union, S.C.; they had gone to see a monument to the sons of Susan Smith, who had drowned the two boys in October 1994.
1997: Diana, the Princess of Wales, is killed in an automobile accident (milllions go insane)
2000 President Clinton vetoed a bill that would have gradually repealed inheritance taxes, saying it would have benefited the wealthiest Americans while threatening the nation's financial well-being.
Holidays
Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given "day of the week"
Afghanistan : Pashtunistan Day
Malaysia : Malaysia Day (1957)
Trinidad & Tobago : Independence Day (1962)
US : Festal Day/Order of the Eastern Star (Robert Morris' birthday)
Mental Health Workers Week Begins
National Financial Services Week Begins
National Trail Mix Day
National Golf Month
Religious Observances
Ang : Commem of Aidan, bishop of Lindisfarne, monastic founder
RC : Comm of St Raymund Nonnatus, cardinal, ransomer of captives
Luth : Commemoration of John Bunyan, teacher
Religious History
1688 Death of English Puritan clergyman and writer John Bunyan, 69. Imprisoned several times between 1660 and 1672, Bunyan used these periods of isolation to pen his two literary masterpieces, Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners (1666) and Pilgrim's Progress (1678).
1757 Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.'
1824 Birth of Anna B. Warner, American hymnwriter. She never married, but lived with her sister Susan in New York state. In 1860, a novel they co-authored contained a poem which became one of the most beloved of all children's hymns: I Know.'
1861 Birth of Jesse Brown Pounds, American hymnwriter. During her lifetime she published nine books, 50 cantatas and over 400 religious song texts. Three of her hymns remain popular today: "Anywhere With Jesus," "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" and "The Way of the Cross Leads Home."
1870 Birth of Maria Montessori, Italian educator. She developed a theory of teaching which emphasized a reinforcement of initiative, and a freedom of movement for the child. Her theory of elementary education has since been named, appropriately, the "Montessori Method."
Source: William D. Blake. ALMANAC OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. Minneapolis: Bethany House, 1987.
Thought for the day :
"Faith is like radar that sees through the fog."
Translating Southern United States Slang to English...
BARE - noun. An alcoholic beverage made of barley, hops an yeast.
Usage: "Ah thank ah'll have a bare."
Things a Cat Thinks About...
Why doesn't the government do something about dogs?
Politically Correct Terms for Females...
You do not ask her to dance,
you request a precoital rhythmic experience.
Feel Smarter -- Instantly!...
I've always thought that underpopulated countries in Africa are vastly underpolluted.
-- Lawrence Summers, chief economist of the World Bank, explaining why we should export toxic wastes to Third World countries
