Here's a couple, can you add more?

Dick Durbin, Sandy Berger, Howard Dean, Nancy Pelosi, the New York Times, and so many more (but you know who you are, don't you)? All the sad excuses for public servants who have put their careers ahead of national security.





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Happy New Year from our--Lawyers!

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low-stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasion and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all.

We also wish you a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great.

Not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country nor the only America in the Western Hemisphere. And without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith or sexual preference of the wishee.

By accepting these greetings you are accepting these terms. This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for herself or himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.

This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher."

Happy New Year! If I haven't offended you.... yet...

Thank you KW and the Old Vet in the Wheel Chair

For the left wingers who don't understand patriotism, duty to your fellow Americans, or anything good about life in this time. We're so lucky there are people like KW, the Marine who replaced him, and the old vet in the wheel chair protecting us in this great country of ours! There are so many of them that we have to know we are truly blessed. And that we should never take them for granted. Please show your gratitude when you see a service man or woman this Christmas and Hanukah season. We owe our most precious blessings to them and their sacrifices on our behalf. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and a meaningful Kwanza to all and to all a good night!

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Sgt. Grit,

This is an apology.... I graduated in '66, my friends had signed up and gone, all to the Corps, except one. I thought I would go too, but I had letters, seen the guys on leave and watched the news. I decided to sign up to fly in the Corps. I was a pilot, so I signed to go Marine Air, via the Navy to Pensacola. The recruiter said 'H&ll yes, ground air support is like the hand of God to Marines or Army on the ground...' That was 'it' for me. I could see myself in the films I saw on the news... 200' off the deck in a Sandy, or 111 or Phantom. Zips in the wire? I'll be there yesterday. I could have saved grunts, I know it. But I had to have a degree to fly. Why? I had no idea, and still don't. What does napalm or a chain gun have to do with basket weaving?

But I went to college and got it done... hated it. Reported in October of '71 or '72... don't remember. I trained only two months... passed everything. Then the news; In my first hour class my DI said: 'Stand by, the Pilot Pipeline is full (You are out...!). I signed for six, studied for four and was discharged in 90 days.... I was stunned... just stunned. Disappointed doesn't even come close. It was like being dropped off a bus in the middle of the desert, the bus... the dream... was gone, and there was nothing as far as the eye could see. So, I apologize. Some other guy went in my place. It was MY WAR, and I didn't get there. The Marines I know say; 'Forget it man, you tried', or, 'You didn't miss nothin'... it ain't no thing, man.' Well, it was and still is to me. Every time I see an Insignia, a set of Blues, a USMC TV commercial, it all comes back. It's like being a deserter... in my mind.

Don't get me wrong... I never, ever whine. But I b!tch plenty... mostly because I was an idiot. The war in 'Nam was on 'then', and not going to wait for me. Dumb kid...!

I got my discharge and went home. Discharged in summer whites, still Navy, to go home to MN in December.... In the bar waiting for my girl to pick me up, I couldn't buy a drink. It seems like every older guy in the place ordered one for me. Good thing no one tried to spit on me, I was not in the mood. I married my girl and she gave me three sons, the middle one died before I could hold him, but the other two fine sons went on to join the Corps. So I live as a Marine Dad, reminders everywhere that my sons are Marines, but I am still not, and never will be. I will not have had the experience, I will never have this 'band of brothers' for my own. 'Semper Fi' is not my right. All of you who are Marines are truly 'one of the few'. I'm no fool, I know some gave all or suffered in some way, physically or mentally. But such is life, it has a cost, sometimes a terrible one. My oldest son '96-2000, came home and was hired by UPS, right off the street as a manager...first time ever, because he had been an active Marine Sgt. My youngest son joined up in '04 and is in AAV's, both have double bar crossed rifles. I am extremely proud of these boys, and I guess, envious.

To the guy who went in my place... I hope you came out OK and carry no 'baggage'. If you didn't come back, I would so much like to know your name. I'm sorry.

One last thing, being older now, I see this 'baggage' thing way too often. No matter what service, what war, you may have seen things, or done things or caused things to happen that weigh on you. They cause you to blame yourself and wake you up at night in a sweat. You have just got to let it go. It is the 'fog of war', the 'dogs of war'. You did not cause these...war and battle did. Mistakes are made, sometimes costly. Did you want them to happen? Of course not. Would you change them if you could? Certainly. It is over, things done are done. There is no time machine.... I talked to a old vet, in a wheelchair at a flag raising, he was pinching both eyes with his fingers to stop the tears. I asked if I could do something. He said no one can. Why? 'I killed two of my men in Korea.... Just a flank, they got 10 yards and a grenade'. Do you see? Go on with your life. Go to a quiet place and apologize if you need to, but let it go. If they were Marines or Soldiers, they would not blame you anyway. We all have our demons it seems, and there are all kinds. I have the right to forgive you, because you risked your life for mine... and you didn't even know me.

Just had to get all this off my chest. Take what you can from this and live as happy a life as you can, you earned it and paid for it. If I could, I would say 'Semper Fi'.

Through the looking glass, or the rear view mirror......

K. W., Father of Two Marines
Port Charlotte, FL
***
Source: Sgt Grit Newsletter

Congratulations Iraqi Citizens!

Congratulations to the citizens of Iraq, who have had their first real election today! Congratulations to President Bush for 'Staying the Course." Congratulations to our wonderful men and women in uniform for effecting a miracle in Iraq! Truly a miracle has happened today! This is a big step, and it has been endorsed by lots of Iraqis. Millions, actually. I don't think once one exercises his or her right and privilege to vote, he or she ever wants to go backwards again.

Let's not kid ourselves, we cannot expect this democracy to look like ours, nor the country of Iraq to look the same in the future as it does today. But, those decisions CAN be made without benefit of machete or gun, or cowardly face mask to hide behind.

Today is the first step. You'll read lots of comparisions between our country's beginnings and Iraq's. How nice it is to be free enough to make that comparison if you choose.

I came across the following which gives some perspective to the some of the arguments you hear the nay-sayers repeating about the rightgeousness (or lack thereof) in fighting this war. I believe, in time, President Bush will be acclaimed--more than Nixon for opening the door to trade with China, more than Ford for bringing together Begin and Sadat, more than Reagan for telling President Gorbachev to knock down that wall. This is BIG. HUGE. This is the seed planted in the Middle East that the tyrants are so afraid of taking hold. Freedom, democracy, self-determination of the people! Hooray!

Some Thoughts To Get Your Juices Flowing:

There were 39 combat related killings in Iraq in January, 2004.

In the fair city of Detroit there were 35 murders in the month of January, 2004. That's just one American city, about as deadly as the entire war-torn country of Iraq.

When some claim that President Bush shouldn't have started this war, state the following:

a. FDR led us into World War II.

b. Germany never attacked us; Japan did. From 1941-1945, 420,000 lives were lost ... an average of 105,000 per year.

c. Truman finished that war and started one in Korea. North Korea never attacked us. From 1950-1953, 37,000 lives were lost ... an average of 12,334 per year.

d John F. Kennedy started the Vietnam conflict in 1962! Vietnam never attacked us.

e. Johnson turned Vietnam into a quagmire. From 1965-1975, 58,000 lives were lost, an average of 5,800 per year.

f. Clinton went to war in Bosnia without UN or French consent. Bosnia never attacked us. He was offered Osama bin Laden's head on a platter three times by Sudan and did nothing. Osama has attacked us on multiple occasions.

g. In the years since terrorists attacked us, President Bush has liberated two countries, crushed the Taliban, crippled al-Qaida, put nuclear inspectors in Libya, Iran, and, North Korea without firing a shot, and captured a terrorist who slaughtered 300,000 of his own people.

The Democrats are complaining about how long the war is taking. But, it took less time to take Iraq than it took Janet Reno to take the Branch Davidian compound. That was a 51-day operation.

We've been looking for evidence for chemical weapons in Iraq for less time than it took Hillary Clinton to find the Rose Law Firm billing records.

It took less time for the 3rd Infantry Division and the Marines to destroy the Medina Republican Guard than it took Ted Kennedy to call the police after his Oldsmobile sank at Chappaquiddick.

It took less time to take Iraq than it took to count the votes in Florida!!!!

Our Commander-In-Chief is doing a GREAT JOB! The Military morale is high!

The biased media hopes we are too ignorant to realize the facts. But Wait! There's more!

The following was not written about the current war time. The exchange below took place when John Glenn was running against Metzenbaum for a seat in the Senate, but it's certainly revealing about a certain mindset that's is in no short supply today.

JOHN GLENN (ON THE SENATE FLOOR)

Some people still don't understand why military personnel do what they do for a living. This exchange between Senators John Glenn and Senator Howard Metzenbaum is worth reading. Not only is it a pretty impressive impromptu speech, but it's also a good example of one man's explanation of why men and women in the armed services do what they do for a living.

This IS a typical, though sad, example of what some who have never served think of the military. Senator Metzenbaum (speaking to Senator Glenn during a campaign for the Senate position in Ohio): "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a real job?"

Senator Glenn (D-Ohio): "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook, Howard, it was my life on the line. It was not a nine-to-five job, where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank."

"I ask you to go with me ... as I went the other day... to a veteran's hospital and look those men ... with their mangled bodies in the eye, and tell THEM they didn't hold a job!

You go with me to the Space Program at NASA and go, as I have gone, to the widows and Orphans of Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee... and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their DADS didn't hold a job.

You go with me on Memorial Day and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery, where I have more friends buried than I'd like to remember, and you watch those waving flags.

You stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell ME that those people didn't have a job?

What about you?"

Sources: http://www.answers.com/topic/howard-metzenbaum

Lt General Chuck Pitman, USMC Retired Apologizes--And He's No Murtha

This "Letter of Apology" was written by Lieutenant General Chuck Pitman, US Marine Corps, Retired**:

For good and ill, the Iraqi prisoner abuse mess will remain an issue. On the one hand, right thinking Americans will abhor the stupidity of the actions while on the other hand, political glee will take control and fashion this minor event into some modern day massacre.

I humbly offer my opinion here:

I am sorry that the last seven times we Americans took up arms and sacrificed the blood of our youth, it was in the defense of Muslims (Bosnia, Kosovo, Gulf War 1, Kuwait, etc.).

I am sorry that no such call for an apology upon the extremists came after 9/11.

I am sorry that all of the murderers on 9/11 were Islamic Arabs.

I am sorry that most Arabs and Muslims have to live in squalor under savage dictatorships.

I am sorry that their leaders squander their wealth.

I am sorry that their governments breed hate for the US in their religious schools, mosques, and government-controlled media.

I am sorry that Yassar Arafat was kicked out of every Arab country and high-jacked the Palestinian "cause."

I am sorry that no other Arab country will take in or offer more than a token amount of financial help to those same Palestinians.

I am sorry that the USA has to step in and be the biggest financial supporter of poverty stricken Arabs while the insanely wealthy Arabs blame the USA for all their problems.

I am sorry that our own left wing, our media, and our own brainwashed masses do not understand any of this (from the misleading vocal elements of our society like radical professors, CNN and the NY TIMES).

I am sorry the United Nations scammed the poor people of Iraq out of the "food for oil" money so they could get rich while the common folk suffered.

I am sorry that some Arab governments pay the families of homicide bombers upon their death.

I am sorry that those same bombers are brainwashed thinking they will receive 72 virgins in "paradise."

I am sorry that the homicide bombers think pregnant women, babies, children, the elderly and other noncombatant civilians are legitimate targets.

I am sorry that our troops die to free more Arabs from the gang rape rooms and the filling of mass graves of dissidents of their own making.

I am sorry that Muslim extremists have killed more Arabs than any other group.

I am sorry that foreign trained terrorists are trying to seize control of Iraq and return it to a terrorist state.

I am sorry we don't drop a few dozen Daisy cutters on Fallujah.

I am sorry every time terrorists hide they find a convenient "Holy Site."

I am sorry they didn't apologize for driving a jet into the World Trade Center that collapsed and severely damaged Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church - one of our Holy Sites.

I am sorry they didn't apologize for flight 93 and 175, the USS Cole, the embassy bombings, the murders and beheadings of Nick Berg and Daniel Pearl, etc....etc!

I am sorry Michael Moore is American; he could feed a medium sized village in Africa.

America will get past this latest absurdity. We will punish those responsible because that is what we do.

We hang out our dirty laundry for the entire world to see. We move on. That's one of the reasons we are hated so much. We don't hide this stuff like all those Arab countries that are now demanding an apology.

Deep down inside, when most Americans saw this reported in the news, we were like - so what? We lost hundreds and made fun of a few prisoners. Sure, it was wrong, sure, it dramatically hurts our cause, but until captured we were trying to kill these same prisoners. Now we're supposed to wring our hands because a few were humiliated?

Our compassion is tempered with the vivid memories of our own people killed, mutilated and burnt amongst a joyous crowd of celebrating Fallujahans.

If you want an apology from this American, you're going to have a long wait! You have a better chance of finding those seventy-two virgins.

Chuck Pitman
Lieutenant General, USMC

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Resources: http://www.usmc.mil/genbios2.nsf/0/EA7025F431B3DF8C85256A40007188C6?opendocument
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/pitman.asp
http://www.hannity.com/forum/showthread.php?referrerid=50368&t=42155

Photo Credit: http://www.juedische.at/_TCgi_Images/
juedische/20050813110110_LtGenChuckPitman.jpg

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**This has lots of sources listed - though Snopes isn't done investigating whether the author truly was Lt Gen Pitman. Regardless of attribution, the point is an excellent one and should be shared with everyone in this great Country and everyone fighting for freedom. If Lt Gen Pitman didn't write it, I bet he wishes he did. I know I'd be proud to have put words together in such clarity of thought and purpose.

Go Purple Says Bill Bennett

The desire to DO SOMETHING during wartime is not a new one, but it is understandable. Standing by without any way to contribute to the "cause" can be frustrating. In the war in Iraq (and against worldwide islamo facist terrorism), we've done a few things. There's the Spontaneous Acts of Kindness Campaign for our Men and Women in Uniform, Part I and Part II.

There's another campaign I've recently read about on several blogs to Thank A Service Man or Woman whenever and wherever you see them, or or by email and these are great. We don't want these to stop. These are aimed at the Good Guys and Gals and who most need to hear from us. We need to continue to support our heroic troops at home and abroad. That's definitely Job One!

But if you're still looking for a way to support the idea of freedom and democracy coming to Iraq, there's another idea I recently heard about and think you'll like. Bill Bennett on his morning radio program has been discussing an Open Letter to Managers and Store Owners that he wrote describing a way for them to help Americans declare solidarity with the regular Iraq citizen -- the very people we are fighting to free from facist rule in the Middle East. Here's an excerpt:

From the National Review....

"...Nevertheless, there has been another story in Iraq that has unfolded over the past year, despite the violence, despite the terrorism — it is the story of a brave people standing up for themselves, with our help, to build a democracy — the first Arab democracy in the Middle East. While some have discounted this story, it is a fact. In January — and again in October — millions of Iraqis braved threats of attack from terrorists and stood up on behalf of democracy, casting their votes in a process that will culminate in a third election next week, Dec. 15th.

If there has been one, strong signal and image of those brave efforts, it has been the purple, ink stain on every voting Iraqi’s finger — proving they voted. Those ink stained fingers have been raised with pride in January and October; and we want them raised with pride again next week, as they stand up for freedom and elections in their new democracy..."

..."With our troops, with our allies, and with the brave Iraqis, we look forward to a new birth of freedom in Iraq; and want to do what we can to show our soldiers, our allies, and — most importantly — the Iraqis, that we stand with them as they stand for themselves.

Starting on Monday, December 12th, I — and tens of thousands of others across America — will be marking my right index finger with purple ink to show those in Iraq we support them. Based on suggestions from listeners on my nationally syndicated radio show, I — and we — are asking you (to the degree physically feasible) to make available an ink pad or marker at your check-out counters for your customers, to mark their fingers with ink as they leave your store."

I'm going to print out the letter and the flyer on the purplefingerforfreedom site and take it to my small business customers--if they want to show their solidarity, I want to help them do it!

Click Here To See Sacred Cow Burgers comparison of The Saddam Way to Purple Finger's Go Purple campaign. It's funny but a very serious eye-opener.

Sources: http://www.purplefingerforfreedom.org/
http://www.nationalreview.com/comment/bennett200512080909.asp
http://www.bennettmornings.com/
http://www.thankasoldierweek.com/
http://www.sacredcowburgers.com/

Photo: http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20050128/
capt.sge.fua56.280105220831.photo00.photo.default-370x276.jpg

Iraq Unplugged

I just received my copy of Iraq Unplugged and am so moved and so impressed with these talented guys, I have to pass along the word for you to hear them too. Take a minute to go to their websites, get their music, and listen carefully.

Buy an album each (Iraq Unplugged and American By God's Amazing Grace) for yourself, your loved ones, and for whoever is on your Christmas, Channukah, or whatever holiday list you have.

Iraq Unplugged is a sobering, very human album in the true unplugged tradition that will touch (and break) your heart--I guarantee it. It's very affordable and you can get it from the soldiers' own website. My favorite cuts are You Know Me, The Day You Were Born, I Am A Patriot, All I Really Miss Is You, and The Ballad of Ahmed Razooki. But there's not one cut that I'd ever skip. All are A+++. The words and music are all by Army Reservists serving in Iraq Nick Brown and Jr Schultz.

The third in the trio of soldiers is Luke Stricklin. Luke's now a out of the Army though the three were stationed together and wrote and played together in Iraq. He has been picked up by Pacific-Time Records. His fabulous album is out and he's making personal appearances. I bought more than one copy and gave the others to my friends and family, it's so so good! The album's title is American By God's Amazing Grace. You can get this one on Amazon.com or from his website . Again, all A+++ cuts.

Both sites have opportunities to listen to some of the songs. (This is my Christmas gift to you and yours.) Luke's is G rated. Unplugged is not quite for the youngest kids' ears. Though both are patriotic, awesome music, and in my regular listening rotation these days. All three--I hope and pray--are destined for fame--and a safe return to their homes and families in Arkansas. God bless 'em all for speaking for their buddies and for all of us.

I'm Marrying My Daughter, How About You?

I've been thinking about using the following as a blueprint for estate planning for my children. I may not set up a trust, or select anyone as the executor of my estate. I'll just marry one of my daughters. Creating a civil union between a parent and child would be a much easier way to by-pass the tax laws. I can do it myself and it costs next to nothing to do.

In fact, I might just write a book detailing how any and everyone else can do the same. The only drawback is that the technique is so easy there might not be enough meat in the story to fill a book--even with wide margins and big print.

A magazine article! That's the ticket! I'm thinking the financial planning industry would be reeling as more and more people decide they can handle their own affairs this way. The entire industry could virtually go away. Next we'll have to dream up ways to replace those tax dollars coming into our governmental budget system... Perhaps an increase in taxes across the board--or maybe there is a free lunch for those at the end of the "rainbow."

Says Al Mohler,

"Carol Sarler wants to enter into a civil union with her adult daughter. Nothing incestuous or lesbian, mind you. She just wants the tax savings and other benefits that come with civil unions.

Writing in a major British newspaper, Sarler argues, "If I were gay, I could pop into a lesbian dive, pick up a cute little chickie, install her in my home and then, giddy with optimism and desire, trot her off to the register's office a month later and make her my civil partner."

But Sarler just wants to be able to give her adult daughter the same tax and inheritance benefits homosexuals are demanding for their partners. Fair is fair she argues. Why should her daughter be denied what the homosexuals demand?

This is where the logic of civil unions and same-sex marriage inevitably leads. If marriage can mean something other than the union of a man and a woman, it can mean virtually anything."

The Sexiest Man Dead or Alive

When the eagles are silent the parrots begin to jabber.
-Winston Churchill

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Okay, you have yours, I have mine.