In Defense of Decency

This story is really worth the read. It not only epitomizes the true greatness of our American soldiers, but it serves as a truly touching reminder of human kindness and decency.

Boy’s Wish Comes True at Fort Sam Houston By Phil Reidinger Special to American Forces Press Service

FORT SAM HOUSTON, Texas, March 27, 2008 – Gavin Cox could have traveled to any exotic locale or tried any profession in the world, but this 5-year-old with leukemia had just one wish: to be a soldier. MG Czerw teaches Gavin Cox how to shoot an M-9 pistol

His wish was granted March 18 when he became a soldier for the day here.

“He could have chosen any activity during this break in his treatments, to include Disney World,” said Gavin’s father, Troy Heminger. “He wanted to be a soldier.”

The Candidate Who Cried Wolf

From Dick Morris:

Hillary simply cannot tell the truth. Here's her scorecard: Admitted Lies • Chelsea was jogging around the Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. (She was in bed watching it on TV.) • Hillary was named after Sir Edmund Hillary. (She admitted she was wrong. He climbed Mt. Everest five years after her birth.) • She was under sniper fire in Bosnia. (A girl presented her with flowers at the foot of the ramp.) • She learned in The Wall Street Journal how to make a killing in the futures market. (It didn't cover the market back then.)

Whoppers She Won't Confess To

• She didn't know about the FALN pardons.

• She didn't know that her brothers were being paid to get pardons that Clinton granted.

• Taking the White House gifts was a clerical error.

• She didn't know that her staff would fire the travel office staff after she told them to do so.

• She didn't know that the Peter Paul fundraiser in Hollywood in 2000 cost $700,000 more than she reported it had.

• She opposed NAFTA at the time.

• She was instrumental in the Irish peace process.

• She urged Bill to intervene in Rwanda.

• She played a role in the '90s economic recovery.

• The billing records showed up on their own.

• She thought Bill was innocent when the Monica scandal broke.

• She was always a Yankees fan.

• She had nothing to do with the New Square Hasidic pardons (after they voted for her 1,400-12 and she attended a meeting at the White House about the pardons).

• She negotiated for the release of refugees in Macedonia (who were released the day before she got there).

With a record like that, is it any wonder that we suspect her of being less than honest and straightforward?

In Protest of a War

It is interesting to note the different ways in which people try to make themselves heard and show that they are "involved." One may, for example, cease wearing an American flag pin on his lapel in a show of protest. Or, if especially outraged, one could throw his "hard earned" metals back to his government. Yet a third method of involvement is to go to the actual scene of the battle in the attempt to gain a firsthand knowledge of what is really going on.

I suppose what I am getting at is that there seems to be a stark difference between the Democratic and Republican party's methods of making statements. While the Democrats always choose to distance themselves from America as a form of protest, the Republicans always draw closer. While the Democratic nominees are talking about how messed up this country is; while Democratic leaders are telling Americans how bad they are, the Republican party calls for patriotism and true hope for the future.

While the Democratic leaders move away from America, the Republican leaders move closer. When asked why he was wearing a bracelet John McCain answered, "I wear a bracelet on my hand not only as a symbol of the sacrifice that a brave young man named Matthew Stanley made but that of 4,000 other brave young Americans who have served and sacrificed," McCain said "My prayers go out to those families every day, not just on the day that 4,000 brave young Americans have sacrificed."

Why is there this difference? Why is it that in order to show disapproval certain people feel the need to destroy that which they claim to want to protect? Finally, why is it that no matter what, no matter how bad the media makes our country out to be, and no matter how badly we are told we are "losing" there are still those who refuse to give in to defeat and continue to retain hope and optimism for their nation's future?

The Soldier

I was reading a thread from a forum I like and came across this eloquent and truthful message posted by Rhonda:

It's the Soldier, not the reporter Who has given us freedom of the press.

It's the Soldier, not the poet, Who has given us freedom of speech

It's the Soldier, not the campus organizer, Who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.

It's the Soldier, not the lawyer, Who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It's the Soldier who salutes the flag, Serves under the flag and whose coffin is draped by the flag, Who gives the protester the right to burn the flag.

It is the Soldier

Yes, it is indeed the Soldier.
Check out Rhonda's homepage here for more touching tributes to our troops.

Five Years

On this fifth anniversary of the troop deployment to Iraq we must take a moment to stop and think about all that has been accomplished. We must recognize the selfless sacrifice of our soldiers in their mission to dethrone Saddam Hussein, a mission that has been accomplished. Our soldiers continue to remain in Iraq protecting the freedoms that are the basis of American society: free speech, the freedom to assemble, and a free press.

American forces continue to put their own lives on the line in Iraq to protect the safety and security of those back home. The loss of life suffered by the troops should not be exploited for political gain; it should not be plastered on the front pages of our newspapers, termed a "milestone," or posted on online news sites in cheery "interactive features."

It is important to remember the troops and to thank them for their determination and courage in protecting America. While the mainstream media and politicians continue to exploit tragedy in the hopes of achieving power, we should rise above that self-interested mentality. Whether it's with a care package, a card, or a simple "Thank You," we must remind our soldiers that there are people who really, truly care.

(Send a message to a soldier through America Supports You)

They Shot at Me!!! No, wait... um... did they?

"Everyone else was told to sit on their bulletproof vests," Clinton told reporters. "And we came in, in an evasive maneuver. ... There was no greeting ceremony, and we basically were told to run to our cars. Now, that is what happened."

Wait, that's not what Hillary wrote in her tell-all book. She can't figure out if she was shot at, but she wants the American people to believe that she can figure out complex economic and medical policies (not to mention an ongoing war)? Read the full story here.

Who Gives a Shiite?

Yesterday the left-wing media flew into a feeding frenzy at the idea that John McCain, the self-appointed authority on all things military, "misspoke." In his numerous statements, Mr. McCain said that "We continue to be concerned about Iranian taking Al Qaeda into Iran, training them and sending them back."

While McCain rescinded his comments, saying that he meant that Iran is training extremists, not necessarily al Qaeda, news outlets such as the New York Times and TIME Magazine continue to jump on his apparent confusion of Sunni versus Shiite terrorism saying "The United States believes that Iran, a Shiite country, has been training and financing Shiite extremists in Iraq, but not Al Qaeda, which is a Sunni insurgent group."

Although Iran has not yet been linked to the Iraqi Al Qaeda cells, it is not because one is Shiite while the other is Sunni. Iran is a known sponsor of HAMAS, the Sunni terrorist group that operates in the West Bank and Gaza and has connections to Al Qaeda. Sudan, a sponsor of the Sunni Al Qaeda, is known to sponsor the Shiite Hezbollah. In fact, in April 2007, Reuters reported that "Iranian intelligence forces are providing support to Sunni insurgents in Iraq, in addition to Shi'ites, to destabilize the country and tie U.S. forces down."

Admittedly, it is disturbing that McCain didn't immediately realize his error in stating an unverifiable idea. However, his idea is not far-out. Iran, like other sponsors of terror, tends not to care so much about who helps it achieve its horrible ends.

In an election where so much is at stake shouldn't our journalists be focussed on the issues instead of inadvertent slips-of-the-tongue?