Dean's World

Hear, hear!

Absolutely...Amen!

Couldn't have said it better myself ,

(except I might have added "gay or straight", but then maybe I am starting to split hairs, and possibly adding a touch of controversy where none should exist on a day like today ....)

Salute!

To every man or woman who is now or has ever lain their lives on the line to defend our freedom or stood ready to do so, I can only say:

THANK YOU!!!!

Thanks. I love all of you too. (Even if I bark at some of you.)

You know, back in the early 1950s, when my particular time came, we really didn't think about gratitude or anything like that. To us it was just a simple case of duty as Americans. Uncle Sam said "I need you guys and I need you now, so get off your asses and show up for duty."

That's all it took. And that's all it was supposed to take. Those of us who served in the armed forces around the time of the Korean war had the up-close memories of the 14 or 15 million of our countrymen who had recently served in every corner of the globe during the most stupendous war in history. Nobody wanted to be among the persons who would betray the memories of what those people had done to free the world of the tyranny of the fascist dictators, when the time came to defend this country against the threats of their counterparts, the communist dictators.

Anyway, America and all it represents in the past, the present and the future, was worth the national service our generation carried out. You're damned right I would do it all over again.

The men and women serving America in Iraq, Afghanistan and, for that matter, all around the world, are having some rough bumps these days. But they'll pull through, and so will the USA. May this great commonwealth live on in liberty and strength.

Arnold Harris
Mount Horeb WI

I think The Hardcore band Hatebreed sums this up best:

We Still Fight

Talk of the causes you support
Voice your misdirected views
You only comment on the things you don't have the power to change
Do you even think before you speak
Do you know what it is you condone?
Take a look at the world today
You've taken your freedom and safety for granted

How do you justify (you have no right)
The way you disgrace those who gave their lives
And how do you justify (you have no right)
The way you disrespect those whose loved ones died.

Everyday is a different crusade
You revolt from the safety of your fantasies
Privileged, you've never fought for a thing
You'd be the first to go if there was real anarchy
All your jargon makes me sick
You're the farthest thing from an activist
You've lost sight of what's important and real
You've taken your freedom and safety for granted

(How do you justify...)

This is dedicated to all those who gave their lives to uphold their beliefs
Not to those who try to demean their sacrifices
You have no right.

For those who fought our rights and for those who gave their lives.
And for the families whose love ones died.
It's their honor for which we still fight.

I just got back from Afghanistan, after helping support the elections there. Thanks for the support.