Speechless in Contempt…

To be honest I don’t know how, or even if, this rant should begin. While driving home this evening I was listening to the Llewellyn King radio talk show on XM130 POTUS Politics. As the name implies, this is a station dedicated to political talk, and specifically how it impacts, or is impacted by the President of the United States… The discussion tonight began interestingly enough with an analysis of the recent Nuclear Deterrence Review conducted by the Obama Administration, and his proposed changes to the circumstances, and against whom our weapons of mass destruction would be used.

From time to time, I agree, that policies that have been long standing should be reviewed, and adapted to current times. I believe that how, when, and where, we should use our nuclear capabilities is within the purview of the Executive. This is not an issue with me. However, when changes to policies are made, that could further endanger our nation, as have been made here, I believe the President is in violation of his oath of office, and of his duty to protect this country above all others. But I digress even now from the point of this rant – I can write volumes of pages on why President Obama’s direction on this issue is wrong-headed… on another day, at another time.

One thing that was said during the broadcast was that the “Japanese Government has been trying to get Obama to come to Hiroshima to apologize for the nuclear attacks on Japan.” – Wait – WHAT!?!?!

Apparently the Japanese government feels they have found a President that would be willing to arrive in Hiroshima, and possibly Nagasaki, and apologize for the United States’ use of atomic weaponry during World War II, on these cities. Given the Obama Administration’s capability for bowing to foreign heads of state, apologizing across the globe for whatever is requested of this administration to apologize for, appeasement of, and coddling to the worst despots this planet has ever seen, I have no doubt that we shall soon see Obama in Hiroshima.

This is the problem with electing a man that doesn’t believe in the exceptionalism of the United States. It may be a result of his upbringing overseas, and it is the first time that a sliver of doubt has entered my head that maybe I’m wrong about the “Birthers”, maybe they actually DO have a point…

Apologize for Hiroshima, for Nagasaki? Not once, not ever, if I had anything to say about it! Let’s start by putting things in context:

Chalmers Johnson (a noted historian) said;

It may be pointless to try to establish which World War Two Axis aggressor, Germany or Japan, was the more brutal to the peoples it victimised. The Germans killed six million Jews and five million others in its concentration camps; the Japanese slaughtered as many as 30 million Filipinos, Malays, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Indonesians and Burmese, at least 23 million of them ethnic Chinese. Both nations looted the countries they conquered on a monumental scale, though Japan plundered more, over a longer period, than the Nazis. Both conquerors enslaved millions and exploited them as forced labourers—and, in the case of the Japanese, as [forced] prostitutes for front-line troops. If you were a Nazi prisoner of war from Britain, America,Australia, New Zealand or Canada (but not Russia) you faced a 4% chance of not surviving the war; [by comparison] the death rate for Allied POWs held by the Japanese was nearly 30%.

Another historian, Mitsuyoshi Himeta, reports that a “Three Alls Policy” (Sankō Sakusen) was implemented in China from 1942 to 1945 and was in itself responsible for the deaths of “more than 2.7 million” Chinese civilians. This scorched earth strategy, sanctioned by Hirohito himself, directed Japanese forces to “Kill All, Burn All, and Loot All.”

Captured Allied service personnel were massacred in various incidents, including:

• Laha massacre
• Banka Island massacre
• Parit Sulong
• Palawan massacre
• SS Tjisalak massacre perpetrated by Japanese submarine I-8
• Wake Island massacre-see Battle of Wake Island
• Bataan Death March
• Manila Massacre

Have the Japanese apologized for that?

Special Japanese military units conducted experiments on civilians and POWs in China. One of the most infamous was Unit 731 under Shirō Ishii. Victims were subjected to vivisection without anesthesia, amputations, and were used to test biological weapons, among other experiments. Anesthesia was not used because it was believed to affect results.

To determine the treatment of frostbite, prisoners were taken outside in freezing weather and left with exposed arms, periodically drenched with water until frozen solid. The arm was later amputated; the doctor would repeat the process on the victim’s upper arm to the shoulder. After both arms were gone, the doctors moved on to the legs until only a head and torso remained. The victim was then used for plague and pathogens experiments.

According to GlobalSecurity.org, the experiments carried out by Unit 731 alone caused 3,000 deaths. Furthermore, according to the 2002 International Symposium on the Crimes of Bacteriological Warfare, the number of people killed by the Imperial Japanese Army germ warfare and human experiments is around 580,000. According to other sources, “tens of thousands, and perhaps as many as 400,000, Chinese died of bubonic plague, cholera, anthrax and other diseases…”, resulting from the use of biological warfare.

One of the most notorious cases of human experimentation occurred in Japan itself. At least nine out of 12 crew members survived the crash of a U.S. Army Air Forces B-29 bomber on Kyūshū, on May 5, 1945. (This plane was Lt. Marvin Watkins’ crew of the 29th Bomb Group of the 6th Bomb Squadron.) The bomber’s commander was sent to Tokyo for interrogation, while the other survivors were taken to the anatomy department of Kyushu University, atFukuoka, where they were subjected to vivisection or killed.

Have the Japanese apologized for that?

Japanese imperial forces employed widespread use of torture on prisoners, usually in an effort to gather military intelligence quickly. Tortured prisoners were often later executed. A former Japanese Army officer who served in China, Uno Shintaro, stated

The major means of getting intelligence was to extract information by interrogating prisoners. Torture was an unavoidable necessity. Murdering and burying them follows naturally. You do it so you won’t be found out. I believed and acted this way because I was convinced of what I was doing. We carried out our duty as instructed by our masters. We did it for the sake of our country. From our filial obligation to our ancestors. On the battlefield, we never really considered the Chinese humans. When you’re winning, the losers look really miserable. We concluded that the Yamato [i.e. Japanese] race was superior.

Have the Japanese apologized for that?

The controversy regarding “Comfort Women” was re-ignited on March 1, 2007, when Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe mentioned suggestions that a U.S. House of Representatives committee would call on the Japanese Government to “apologize for and acknowledge” the role of the Japanese Imperial military in wartime sex slavery. However, Abe denied that it applied to comfort stations. “There is no evidence to prove there was coercion, nothing to support it.” Abe’s comments provoked negative reactions overseas. For example, a New York Times editorial on March 6 said:

These were not commercial brothels. Force, explicit and implicit, was used in recruiting these women. What went on in them was serial rape, not prostitution. The Japanese Army’s involvement is documented in the government’s own defense files. A senior Tokyo official more or less apologized for this horrific crime in 1993… Yesterday, he grudgingly acknowledged the 1993 quasi apology, but only as part of a pre-emptive declaration that his government would reject the call, now pending in the United States Congress, for an official apology. America isn’t the only country interested in seeing Japan belatedly accept full responsibility. Korea, China, and the Philippines are also infuriated by years of Japanese equivocations over the issue.

The same day, veteran soldier Yasuji Kaneko admitted to The Washington Post that the women “cried out, but it didn’t matter to us whether the women lived or died. We were the emperor’s soldiers. Whether in military brothels or in the villages, we raped without reluctance.”

On April 17, 2007, Yoshimi and another historian, Hirofumi Hayashi, announced the discovery, in the archives of the Tokyo Trials, of seven official documents suggesting that Imperial military forces, such as the Tokeitai (naval secret police), directly coerced women to work in frontline brothels in China, Indochina and Indonesia. These documents were initially made public at the war crimes trial. In one of these, a lieutenant is quoted as confessing having organized a brothel and having used it himself. Another source refers to Tokeitai members having arrested women on the streets, and after enforced medical examinations, putting them in brothels.

On May 12, 2007, journalist Taichiro Kaijimura announced the discovery of 30 Netherland government documents submitted to the Tokyo tribunal as evidence of a forced massed prostitution incident in 1944 in Magelang.

In other cases, some victims from East Timor testified they were forced when they were not old enough to have started menstruating and repeatedly raped by Japanese soldiers.

A Dutch-Indonesian “comfort woman”, Jan Ruff-O’Hearn (now resident in Australia), who gave evidence to the U.S. committee, said the Japanese Government had failed to take responsibility for its crimes, that it did not want to pay compensation to victims and that it wanted to rewrite history. Ruff-O’Hearn said that she had been raped “day and night” for three months by Japanese soldiers when she was 21.

To this day, only one Japanese woman published her testimony. This was done in 1971, when a former “comfort woman” forced to work for showa soldiers in Taiwan, published her memoirs under the pseudonym of Suzuko Shirota.

There are different theories on the breakdown of the comfort women’s place of origin. While some Japanese sources claim that the majority of the women were from Japan, others, including Yoshimi, argue as many as 200,000 women, mostly from Korea and China, and some other countries such as the Philippines, Burma, the Dutch East Indies, Netherlands, and Australia were forced to engage in sexual activity.

On 26 June 2007, the U.S. House of representatives Foreign Affairs Committee passed a resolution asking that Japan “should acknowledge, apologize and accept historical responsibility in a clear and unequivocal manner for its military’s coercion of women into sexual slavery during the war”. On 30 July 2007, the House of Representatives passed the resolution, while Shinzo Abe said this decision was “regrettable”.

It was “regrettable” that the United States called on the Japanese government to apologize for the rape, and murder, of so many women during their atrocities of WWII, but not that it was “regrettable” that the Japanese government sanctioned these actions against innocent women.

Well, I guess they haven’t apologized for that either…

And in response, if I were to be invited to Hiroshima, I would say at that venue that it was “regrettable” that Japan had to bomb Pearl Harbor, it was “regrettable” that they had to commit so many atrocities during the war that it actually made Nazi Germany seem tame in comparison, that it was “regrettable” that to save millions of lives, and end the war quickly that the United States was forced, by Japanese actions to win the war by any means necessary, and that it was “regrettable” that the United States would never, should never apologize for Hiroshima or Nagasaki.

The Worst 10 Foreign Policy Blunders of 2009

2009 was the worst year for American foreign policy since the Carter administration. At the Telegraph, Nile Gardiner reminds us of Barack Obama’s top ten foreign policy follies of the year. It promises to be the most depressing of the many top-ten lists we’ll read between now and New Year’s. Gardiner provides links and cites chapter and verse, so his article should be read in its entirety. But here’s the list:

1. Surrendering to Russia over missile defense.
2. Appeasing the mullahs of Iran.
3. Ending the war on terror.
4. Announcing a surge while declaring an exit.
5. Apologizing to France for America’s “arrogance.”
6. Giving DVDs to the British Prime Minister.
7. Siding with Marxists in Honduras.
8. Bowing to emperors and kings.
9. Embracing genocidal killers in Sudan.
10. Throwing Churchill out of the White House.

It’s been a long year, though I’m sure all of the above blunders are George W. Bush’s fault. That’s who the current administration is giving the blame to as well.

Don’t even get me started on the recent terrorist attack on the NWA flight about to land in Detroit. Hopefully 2010 will see a little more sense (common, uncommon, any kind will do) coming out of this Administration.

Sigh!

John G. Ueltzhoeffer – A 9/11 Tribute…

I was in a great mood until about 10 minutes ago… now I am filled with sorrow, and anger. I am filled with empathy and compassion, and with a burning desire for vengeance…

I am part of an international blog movement to remember each and every innocent life lost during the attack on September 11, 2001. Each of us volunteered to be paired with one of the names of the victims and write a tribute for them. The intent of this tribute is so that their name will live on – not only in the memories and scrapbooks of their family members, but also in the minds, and hearts of those of us that choose to Never Forget.

The individual that I was given to research was John G. Ueltzhoeffer. One of his colleagues and friends wrote this last year as he remembered John:

It has been seven years since I last saw John on September 10, 2001 at the Marsh office at WTC1 95th floor. Myself and John were hired by Craig Hayashi in June 1998 and we were part of an unique team called the Enterprise Architecture Group.

Our job was to be thought leaders in our respective technology domain of expertise and to help Marsh’s (and MMC companies) senior level executives, business leaders and technology group understand how new technology solutions could be leveraged to support the business tactical and strategy goals.

As a software architect, John led the team’s initiative to exploit JAVA and was instrumental in establishing J2EE as the software architecure framework standard at Marsh.

I can remember when John worked on the initiative to select an application server standard for Marsh. He was proactive in his efforts and had recommended the IONA application server (www.iona.com). Although his recommendation was turn down by senior management due to IBM’s Websphere application server having greater marketshare, John led the efforts to establishing development standards leverage IBM’s Websphere at Marsh.

John had a strong commitment to his religion faith and family – his office was full of family photos and artwork drawn by his kids. In terms a colleague, John was always supportive of my initatives as Marsh’s Data Warehouse Architect.

John’s family and friends should be proud to know that he made an impact on his colleagues at Marsh and always had a positive attitude and humble demeanor.

John is always in my thoughts and he his missed.

Regards,

James L. Smith

Another aspect that I learned about John is that his little sister, Helen, thought the world of him. She still misses him and often expresses the depth of this void in comments to other tribute entries that mention her brother. He was also a devoted member of the Christian group called Promise Keepers. The mission of a Promise Keeper is to ignite and unite men to become warriors who will change their world through living out the Seven Promises.  Promise Keepers’ vision is simply put in three words: “Men Transformed Worldwide.”

When people met and got to know John, I learned from my research, three important aspects to his life quickly came across – the pride he took in doing his job, his deep religious convictions, and his love for his family. John was a technical architect in the Marsh technology department so therefore had to have in-depth knowledge about the latest computer technologies. John was very knowledgeable in this subject area so quickly built up a high level of respect with his peers. During meetings and discussions with John on various technology issues he was often described as always speaking with such enthusiasm and be so up to date with the latest technology developments that it made others make sure they were up to date with their readings just so they could keep up.

Another aspect of John’s life was his strong religious beliefs. It did not take long in talking with him for his faith in God to come across. Whenever he went out to lunch together with friends, he would always take time to say a prayer before having lunch. In the time following John’s passing, it has become more evident about this side of him and how involved he was with his church group and friends. This has gone further to impress friends that knew John in that he lived his life which such conviction.

Most importantly, was John’s love for his family. Two instances that typify this in John. The first was when he was on a business trip overseas in Europe. He had been gone for about a week and a friend remembers him talking on the Friday when he was set to come home. He mentioned how he had switched his flight to an earlier flight so he could get home earlier. He then said something to the effect of how hard it was for him to be away from his family. It was not the words that he said that his friend remembers, but the way he said it just underlined how much he missed them. The second was when a few of them were at lunch. Somehow the conversation turned to their families and John took a picture out of his wallet of him and his wife on their wedding day. One of the guys at lunch remarked how beautiful his wife was and how he thought she looked like a movie star. Upon hearing this John’s face just lit up and you could see the happiness and love he felt. This is the way that friend remembers John G. Ueltzhoeffer – and I think the way that we all should as well. A devoted Christian, father, brother, husband, and son…

A few paragraphs of words obviously cannot do justice to capture all that John meant to his family and friends. In my own memories I’ll remember John for the unassuming way in which he lived his life and how much of an impact he had on people around him. Even though I never met John in person, I feel like I know him and know that this world is less without him in it…

Tears are flowing easily now, and I’m remembering re-experiencing the rage and indignation that I felt “That Day”. I would imagine that That Day will remain with me all the days of my life – seared into my memory, much like scarification sears a design into skin.

John, to you – and to all the victims of That Day:

The Rule Of Law – In Honduras…

Article 239 — No citizen that has already served as head of the Executive Branch can be President or Vice-President.

Whoever violates this law or proposes its reform, as well as those that support such violation directly or indirectly, will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.

It’s not exactly like the U.S. Constitution, but does it violate norms of democratic republican government? I don’t think so. The problem of presidents who never leave power is all too common among undeveloped countries, so a very strict prohibition against multiple terms of office seems appropriate.

Zelaya directly violated Article 239 by ordering an election to reform the Constitution in order to keep himself in power beyond his term of office. He was then removed from office as the Constitution of his own country calls for.

How was Zelaya’s removal from office unlawful? It seems to be exactly what the Constitution of Honduras requires given his crime. Obama should be praising Honduras for following its own Constitution and peacefully removing a president from power. Instead, he demands that Honduras violate its own Constitution by bringing Zelaya back.

Obama’s support of Zelaya is the most outrageous thing he’s done since he was elected. I knew he was a liberal, and expected stuff like tax increases and judicial appointments like Sonia Sotomayor. What I didn’t expect was that he would demand that a guy trying to become president-for-life be returned to power after he was lawfully removed by his own country’s legal processes.

Does Obama sympathize with Zelaya because he plans to violate Article Amendment XXII of the U.S. Constitution (which was proposed and ratified in the United States after President Roosevelt refused to honor the two-term tradition set by George Washington)?

The New York Times, which supposedly publishes all the news that’s fit to print, doesn’t see fit to write about Article 239 of the Honduran Constitution and how Zelaya’s removal was consistent with Honduran law.

Here is the Honduran Article 239 from a trustworthy source. While I have an idea what it says, I wanted to be fair and allow an impartial translation of this to be performed:

ARTICULO 239.- El ciudadano que haya desempeñado la titularidad del Poder Ejecutivo no podrá ser Presidente o Designado. El que quebrante esta disposición o proponga su reforma, así como aquellos que lo apoyen directa o indirectamente, cesarán de inmediato en el desempeño de sus respectivos cargos, y quedarán inhabilitados por diez años para el ejercicio de toda función pública.

I plugged this into a free web-based translation tool (worldlingo.com – about as impartial as you can get, it’s a machine.):

I ARTICULATE 239.- The citizen that have performed the ownership of the Executive Power will not be able to be a President or Appointed. The one that break this disposition or propose their reform, as well as those that support the direct or indirectly, they will cease immediately in the performance of their respective charges, and they will remain disqualified by ten years for the exercise of every civil service.

The entire Constitution of the Republic of Honduras can be read here.

********

I had someone comment on my take on this (prior to this being published here) and they stated:

If you want to split hairs here, technically this survey wasn’t unconstitutional. The article 239 prohibits reelections and states “Anyone who breaks this regulation or proposes its reform” (and not “this constitution” as the video states). Zelaya’s survey was asking about putting a fourth ballot box during the elections in order people to vote if they wanted an constitutional assembly to be created.

My response: I’m not “splitting hairs”, “parsing” or even “changing the parameters of the issue” – Sorry, no… That is you that is doing that. The “survey” was unconstitutional when it was brought up in Zelaya’s Presidential Decree as a “referendum” on March 23, 2009. Article 5 states that he does not have the power to even ask for a referendum. Only the Supreme Electoral Tribunal can call for an election. Zelaya was told this, not by one or two opposition party members, not by one or two lawyers – he was informed of the illegality of his actions by the Honduran Supreme Court, and by Congress (which his party controls), and by the Attorney General, in addition to many national institutions. This was no mere “technicality”. So what did Zelaya do? He carried on Hugo Chavez’s plans and forced a confrontation.

He had the “ballots”, “survey documents”, (whatever you want to call them) printed in Venezuela. He then passed them to the military to distribute. When the military refused, and warehoused the ballots, he fired the head of the military and stormed the army base with a mob, and declared that “no one was going to stop the vote”. The VOTE?? Thought this was a mere survey? Guess someone in the know (Zelaya) was thinking it was something else – silly President…

Well to make a long story short – the military, on orders from the Congress and the Supreme Court (who voted that the referendum was illegal on a 5-0 vote by the way, no split decision here), arrested Zelaya.

So – again, in short – Zelaya by his own words intended to hold an illegal vote in order to extend his eligibility for office of the President of Honduras. Article 239 is quite clear – ANYONE attempting what Zelaya did here “will immediately cease in their functions and will be unable to hold any public office for a period of 10 years.”

I guess I’m still not seeing how I am “splitting hairs” as you claim – Please enlighten me…

Remembering Independance…

Fourth of July, Independence Day. Are we where our founders thought we would be after 233 years? After rebelling against an oppressive government and driving that government from our shores the Founders of our nation went about the business of trying to form a government that preserved our liberties and functioned as they envisioned government should. No, our system as they set it up is not perfect. However, it is the best form of government that the world has ever known.

These common men, and some not so common, banded together in the belief that they could govern themselves better than an out of touch government 3549 miles away. They didn’t just rebel, but started with a rather novel approach to the whole issue. They said, “Lets write a document to announce to the world what we are doing here, and more importantly why we are doing it.”Simply stated, it’s all about this:

Patriots Taking a Stand, and Committing to the Cause…

Announcing to the world the reasons for this action…

And ardently praying for “Divine Providence” for Strength and Courage.

Wouldn’t it be great to have these principles in America again? The problem is, these guys would be sued by the ALCU and the Obama Justice Department before they even got their pants on in the mornings…

Have a most Joyous Independence Day!

A video to remind us of some of the sacrifices made to ensure freedom remains in the world:

Topping Point trailer

One of the most amazing trailers for a movie in production that I have seen yet.

more about "Topping Point trailer", posted with vodpod

Flag Day…

Perhaps, just perhaps, the nation needs to take a new look at all of our national holidays. Today is June 14th, Flag Day. While I drove around town I noticed that the groups that do fundraisers, for whatever they need funds for, have a lucretive concern going with the display of flags on national holidays. This reminds me of the type of “praying person” that Jesus the Christ pointed out as an example on how not to pray…

Try as I may, I cannot force, cajole, or “make” people become more reverent toward our country, our Flag, or our way of life. I am beginning to believe that these notions of patriotism, loyalty, and love of country has departed from this nation. I truly at times feel like an outcast, or that I was born in the wrong century.

While reflecting on all this, I recall my friend who just joined the Army, and as I write this, she is undergoing basic training. I recall my own service in the United States Marine Corps. I recall all of the men and women that came before me, and will come after me that feel like I’m feeling right now. One of the most shocking thing that comes to mind right now is on that day … yes “That Day”. I was talking a few days later, and discussing with my friend about the feelings I was having about saying “screw what I have going on right now, I am going to re-enlist in the Marines.” She actually said to me “what’s the big deal?”

Now, before you get all indignant on her, I must say that I understood that she was in a place that was so far removed from the “real world” as far as geography is concerned, it didn’t have the impact that those of us here felt. But here was the really bothersome thing – she lives, and was at the time, in HAWAI’I! – you know – December 7, 1941 and all that?? Yes, that Hawai’i! She and I have discussed this often, and I admit that I could see her point of view, after all she was in Hawai’i, and it happened “all the way over in New York”.

Right now we have men and women in the services that put it on the line day after day after day. As much as some don’t like the idea of a strong military, we have to remind them that these are our sons, our daughters, our very best and brightest that we have to offer.

And they do it all out of a love for this country so profound that words just do not do them honor. So – when you think about this Flag Day, or on the 4th next month, or in November when Thanksgiving is celebrated, remember the reasons we celebrate these events. No, it’s not just about veterans, but in a time of War, they are the ones that I think about nearly constantly, and keep in my prayers every time I pray.

In the spirit of Flag Day, I link to the sights and words that say it so much better than I ever could. Check out each of the links -

The American’s Creed –

I believe in the United States of America as a Government of the people by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a Republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and inseparable; established upon those principls of freedom, equality, justice, and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes.

I therefore believe it is my duty to my Country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag, and to defend it againest all enemies.”

Patriotic Poetry posted here.
Essays on Americanism posted here.
Red Skelton’s Take on the Pledge posted here.
The American’s Creed posted here.

I Am the Flag

• I am the flag of the United States of America.
• I was born on June 14, 1777, in Philadelphia.
• There the Continental Congress adopted my stars and stripes as the national flag.
• My thirteen stripes alternating red and white, with a union of thirteen white stars in a field of blue, represented a new constellation, a new nation dedicated to the personal and religious liberty of mankind.
• Today fifty stars signal from my union, one for each of the fifty sovereign states in the greatest constitutional republic the world has ever known.
• My colors symbolize the patriotic ideals and spiritual qualities of the citizens of my country.
• My red stripes proclaim the fearless courage and integrity of American men and boys and the self-sacrifice and devotion of American mothers and daughters.
• My white stripes stand for liberty and equality for all.
• My blue is the blue of heaven, loyalty, and faith.
• I represent these eternal principles: liberty, justice, and humanity.
• I embody American freedom: freedom of speech, religion, assembly, the press, and the sanctity of the home.
• I typify that indomitable spirit of determination brought to my land by Christopher Columbus and by all my forefathers – the Pilgrims, Puritans, settlers at James town and Plymouth.
• I am as old as my nation.
• I am a living symbol of my nation’s law: the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.
• I voice Abraham Lincoln’s philosophy: “A government of the people, by the people,for the people.”
• I stand guard over my nation’s schools, the seedbed of good citizenship and true patriotism.
• I am displayed in every schoolroom throughout my nation; every schoolyard has a flag pole for my display.
• Daily thousands upon thousands of boys and girls pledge their allegiance to me and my country.
• I have my own law—Public Law 829, “The Flag Code” – which definitely states my correct use and display for all occasions and situations.
• I have my special day, Flag Day. June 14 is set aside to honor my birth.
• Americans, I am the sacred emblem of your country. I symbolize your birthright, your heritage of liberty purchased with blood and sorrow.
• I am your title deed of freedom, which is yours to enjoy and hold in trust for posterity.
• If you fail to keep this sacred trust inviolate, if I am nullified and destroyed, you and your children will become slaves to dictators and despots.
• Eternal vigilance is your price of freedom.
• As you see me silhouetted against the peaceful skies of my country, remind yourself that I am the flag of your country, that I stand for what you are – no more, no less.
• Guard me well, lest your freedom perish from the earth.
• Dedicate your lives to those principles for which I stand: “One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”
• I was created in freedom. I made my first appearance in a battle for human liberty.
• God grant that I may spend eternity in my “land of the free and the home of the brave” and that I shall ever be known as “Old Glory,” the flag of the United States of America.

by Ruth Apperson Ruse

The Thirteen Folds…

1. The first fold of our flag is a symbol of life.

2. The second fold is a symbol of our belief in the eternal life.

3. The third fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veteran departing our ranks who gave a portion of life for the defense of our country to attain a peace throughout the world.

4. The fourth fold represents our weaker nature, for as American citizens trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in times of war for His divine guidance.

5. The fifth fold is a tribute to our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.”

6. The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

7. The seventh fold is a tribute to our Armed Forces, for it is through the Armed Forces that we protect our country and our flag against all her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of our republic.

8. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered in to the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.

9. The ninth fold is a tribute to womanhood; for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty and devotion that the character of the men and women who have made this country great have been molded.

10. The tenth fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since they were first born.

11. The eleventh fold, in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

12. The twelfth fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son, and Holy Ghost.

13. When the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God we Trust.”

After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it takes on the appearance of a cocked hat, reminding us of the Soldiers who served under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for us the rights, privileges and freedoms we enjoy today.

Thank You, Lord, for our country which You have blessed so abundantly. May we be faithful to You and obey You, so that this beloved land may live in strength, honor, and freedom!

The Longest Day – June 6, 1944…

In Honor of D-Day’s 65th Anniversary June 6, 2009

“Dunno. What is it?” the teen answered, when I asked what D-Day meant to her.

“Seriously, you’ve never heard of it?” I was stunned. How can a kid grow up in America, attend school in this country, watch Saving Private Ryan, and not even know what D-Day is? There were no words coming through my mouth even though my patriotic zealot brain wanted to pitch a star-spangled temper tantrum. How could she not know that sixty-five years ago on June 6th, 1944, the future of the world teetered on the Allies’ success at Normandy? The future of the world…her world!

It was the same feeling of incredulity I had in 1983 the day I heard James Watt, former secretary of the Interior under President Ronald Reagan, say he had never heard of the Beach Boys when he banned them from playing at the annual July 4th celebration in Washington, D.C. I thought he was kidding. I don’t even think it was possible to turn a radio on in the sixties and not hear the Beach Boys. They were everywhere. Even today, some thirty-plus years past their heyday, the Beach Boys are still American icons and they are still on the radio!

“Never heard of D-Day,” she had said.

Well, have a seat. Allow me to introduce you to D-Day…the day U.S. and Allied forces invaded Europe at Normandy, inaugurating the ultimate battle to expel Adolf Hitler and his Third Reich from France during World War II. It was and still remains one of the most significant, and triumphant days in World War II. A colleague, also a History teacher, describes D-Day as “a reminder that the success or failure of a war can be contingent upon one single event.” World War II was that war, and D-Day was that event in Europe.

Do we need to remember soldiers who lived long ago, facing enemies that no longer exist, fighting battles we’ve never even heard of? Does a soldier who died in 1944 need our attention on D-Day in 2009? It’s not even one of the federal holidays, so how does it even impact any of us?

What about other wars? Does a doughboy who fought in the Mexican-American War or World War I have any connection to those of us living in an entirely new millennium? How about other World War II soldiers, or the “forgotten war,” Korea; is there any good reason to bring our Korean War soldiers back up for review? What of Vietnam, the soul-searing war that continues to claim casualties thirty-four years following the fall of Saigon? When so many just want to forget, is there any reason to remember? I believe there is.

Remember the Maine! Remember the Alamo, Remember Pearl Harbor, and of course, 9-11! Every generation has its “Alamo.” Having suffered attack or assault, Americans invoke these battle cries whenever we need to assemble our troops for war. To fortify our resolve and prepare for the inevitable, we reach back into history hoping to draft on the courage of yesterday’s warriors as we face new challenges that lie ahead.

Recalling the sacrifices of soldiers and families still living today seems reasonable and meaningful. These living patriots carry around the horrors of war and the suffering of losing a loved one in battle. It is compassionate to recognize their pain and honor their sacrifice. Even more challenging is to value that sacrifice once those directly affected have passed from this earth.

Sometimes I wake in the night thinking about a soldier from my state who may have died somewhere overseas that day. I may not know his name, but I know something about his heart. John 15:13 says, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” A soldier who dies in battle dies for someone else; either a buddy nearby or a nation far away, and my freedom rests on that love.

No, I might not even know the name, but whether he died in 1779 or 2009 he didn’t know mine either. When America’s soldiers sharpened their bayonets, pulled on their flight suits, or laced up their combat boots, they didn’t even know I existed. Yet they fought their way through America’s wilderness, up from the beaches of Normandy, across the countries of Europe, and contended for the islands of the Pacific. America’s courageous soldiers battled through the unfamiliar terrain of Korea, sweltered in the jungles of Vietnam, barreled across the deserts of the Middle East during Desert Storm, fought house to house in Iraq and now, scale mountains in Afghanistan in a never-ending search for America’s enemy.

This they do for my freedom. The cost of my liberty is their sacrifice – the price of that sacrifice; their blood. The blood of the soldier is my life – it is precious and worthy of my remembrance.

We are a nation that lives in the moment, but D-Day offers us one opportunity to step out of the present and reflect on how we arrived here. This day invokes the grief of unbearable suffering, but it also celebrates what’s best about America. It reaches back to recall bravery, self-sacrifice, courage under fire, valor, integrity, and heroism. Mr. McDaniels believes that “only in retrospect are we able to contextualize the significance of the sacrifice.” He is right. The further we get from D-Day, the more we can appreciate the magnitude of the Allies’ victory in Europe. In stopping to remember the past these courageous heroes have written, we can build a future worthy of their sacrifice.

So, if somebody ever says to me, “I’ve never heard of the Beach Boys,” I will invite them to return with me to France so that I might introduce them to America’s original Beach Boys; the soldiers of Normandy – the heroes of D-Day.

Then one by one, beach by beach, we’ll Google: Omaha, Utah, Gold, Juno, and Sword Beaches. The events of D-Day will unfold before us like a long-forgotten treasure map pointing us to the original “band” of brothers. They might not have been physically related, or able to play the guitar and drums, but I can assure you, the “Beach Boys” of June 6, 1944, made some serious noise that day! One can’t help but hear the reverberation now sixty-five years later. They raised such a battle cry for freedom that day, my ears are still ringing!

Yes, D-Day matters…we’re still free…and I’m grateful.

Sounds like they have it right, Down Under that is…

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd – Australia

Muslims who want to live under Islamic Sharia law were told on Wednesday to get out of Australia , as the government targeted radicals in a bid to head off potential terror attacks..

Separately, Rudd angered some Australian Muslims on Wednesday by saying he supported spy agencies monitoring the nation’s mosques. Quote:

‘IMMIGRANTS, NOT AUSTRALIANS, MUST ADAPT. Take It Or Leave It. I am tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture. Since the terrorist attacks on Bali , we have experienced a surge in patriotism by the majority of Australians. ‘

‘This culture has been developed over two centuries of struggles, trials and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom’

‘We speak mainly ENGLISH, not Spanish, Lebanese, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, or any other language. Therefore, if you wish to become part of our society . Learn the language!’

‘Most Australians believe in God. This is not some Christian, right wing, political push, but a fact, because Christian men and women, on Christian principles, founded this nation, and this is clearly documented. It is certainly appropriate to display it on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your new home, because God is part of our culture.’

‘We will accept your beliefs, and will not question why. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in harmony and peaceful enjoyment with us.’

‘This is OUR COUNTRY, OUR LAND, and OUR LIFESTYLE, and we will allow you every opportunity to enjoy all this. But once you are done complaining, whining, and griping about Our Flag, Our Pledge, Our Christian beliefs, or Our Way of Life, I highly encourage you take advantage of one other great Australian freedom, ‘THE RIGHT TO LEAVE’.’

‘If you aren’t happy here then LEAVE. We didn’t force you to come here. You asked to be here. So accept the country YOU accepted.’

Maybe if we circulate this amongst ourselves, WE will find the courage to start speaking and voicing the same truths.