WOW! What a great couple of days. Did you get enough to eat? I’ll admit that since gluttony is a sin, I’ll tell you that I didn’t eat that much, but I won’t be eating any big meals for a couple of days. What makes a wonderful meal any better? The family you are sharing it with.
I had told you that we were going up to my daughter’s house to celebrate Thanksgiving. Well, we did and I had a great time. My lovely daughter had invited a crowd that made life easy for the day. There were grandkids, great-grandkids, nieces, nephews, new people to meet and get to know and, of course, their kids. It was a day of big kids and small kids and older folks that just liked watching the kids and unbelievingly great times. This is one that is going to go into the record book. Of course I hate leaving a party like that, but it just makes me want to go again.
Did you have a moment to thank your God for all the blessings we have had this past year? Traffic was even OK; no wrecks that we saw and everyone seemed inclined to give you the right of way, that’s always nice. I had hoped that it would be light and it was.
Of course, having the President shout out that he was going to get rid of all the “assault weapons” didn’t sit well, but I did discover how you can tell if a politician is lying — it’s when their lips are moving. You know I am really down on old Biden, and that is because he is a dyed in the wool liar. He lies and even tells you he is a liar.
If you think I say things like that too often, it’s because I had examples of great Presidents. I remember when Eisenhower was elected, he was an example of a honorable man. Biden should try to emulate some of the most honorable men to hold that office. Abraham Lincoln would be one man he should learn about.
Perhaps he should ask to read the history of the presidency of Harry S. Truman. This was the guy that gave the OK to drop bombs on Japan. Can you imagine what must have been going through his mind when he let the bombers hit Tokyo? He did his duty and returned to his clothing store in the Midwest. He was a real hero that understood the responsibility that he held while our men and women were being slaughtered while overcoming Germany.
I should tell you that I always felt so impotent of actions I could take while in Vietnam. But no matter what, I had about 40 men that would do whatever I asked. To vanquish our enemy was my wish, but our government had already decided that we were not to win.
I wish I could see the men I walked through the jungle with. I hope they had a wonderful Thanksgiving. So many did not come back to thank their maker for all they had. This was another black mark by our own government.
I do want to tell you about an evening that we had at the American Legion Hall just after Thanksgiving. Paul Guzman, our Commander, gave a lesson about how precious our American Flag is to those who have served, to those who want to know more about how to treat the flag and the way of displaying the colors for all to see. I always had a flag with the command of the company while walking the trails in Vietnam. I always fly a flag (always lit at night) at my home.
It wasn’t just a lesson about how to treat it, but how to destroy it when it becomes frayed here in our windy valley. There were two volunteers from our fire department, Tyler Monnares and Steve Halcon, who folded the flags the correct way and retrieved the grommets after the flag has been destroyed by fire. The grommets and any ashes are returned to the volunteers to be buried with honor.
I always talk up our Flag and wish that all citizens would fly one, but I admit there were things I didn’t know. I knew that there are certain honors always observed when dealing with The Stars and Stripes. Don’t let it touch the ground and it should be secured at all times. You see, the Flag is a symbol of togetherness of our nation. No matter where you find American servicemen and women, you will find our flag, and it is OUR flag. It is honored by all who serve under the colors.
There were about 10 to 12 citizens who showed up to find out more and tell us some of what we didn’t know about Our Flag and officers from neighboring military service organizations. Hy Libby from District 28 of the Sons of American Legion Riders came, as he does to many evenings, to help the Officer discuss the information about our American Flag. We welcomed his presence and learned things we didn’t know.
One of the things that I didn’t know and have violated on different occasions is: Our Flag is always our flag, and when you see a person wearing clothing that has a copy of the American Flag imprinted on the back or front, it is not a copy of the American Flag. It becomes Our Flag. To desecrate it by putting some unwarranted statement upon it is to desecrate Our Flag.
Now, I’m not going to tell you to get into a shoving match with the person, but it might be nice to at least tell them of this fact. I bought a really nice shirt one time and it had not a copy of our flag but stars and stripes were embossed, and although I was as proud as a peacock to wear the shirt, I should not have done so. But I had to learn, just like you.
I watched as the folks that were against the Vietnam War would wear the shirts with the flag upon the front or back and perhaps burn it to illustrate their displeasure. I didn’t know then, and to be honest I didn’t approach them to tell them it was wrong and I probably won’t. However, I will be one that approaches the person who has no pride of country and will explain that a lot of men and women fought and died or had sons and daughters that went to war so that The Flag may be worn with pride.
In the world we live in today, with the politicians running amuck and our children being brainwashed in school, we need something to recapture our pride. We are the greatest country in the world. People die trying to get into the United States. Folks who have nothing more than what they have on their back are swimming, wading, lying, bringing drugs and many other dangerous acts simply to be given a chance to embrace the United States of America.
Let’s open our arms and our hearts for these pioneers. They are the new face of America, not that they are doing something that hasn’t been done before. All of America was at one time a new home for so many. The streams were crossed, the country was settled. They may not have carried a flag, but the thought was there for sure.
God Bless.
