Typically, on this day, as a veteran I head to Texas Roadhouse and get the “free” meal they offer to veterans. But not last year nor this year nor probably ever. Never much for “eating out” in the first place, my wife and I will not be doing so ever again. We’ve always been suspicious of the whole affair, the quality of the food, and the people that work there – the food handlers.
This evening I will cook supper on the grill where I can assure the quality of the whole thing.
Col McRae was a Canadian from Guelph Ontario Canada. Wife grew up in that city and his house is now a museum and memorial. She has been there several times as a school trip. She insists that I should go and visit. I think that will be on the agenda this coming year. The dead I believe are growing restless.
I will probably never visit the memorials that dot the landscape of our nation’s Capitol., because there are way too many asshole politicians there. When the chance avails itself, I visit the Traveling Wall, in the quiet early morning hours. There I am reminded the sad and horrible price we paid and what little we gained (asshole politicians again.)
I hope those listed on that memorial are resting peacefully. I fear the day when we all will be required to account to them for what we did with the price they paid for our nation.
“… Let civilian voices argue the merits or demerits of our processes of government. Whether our strength is being sapped by deficit financing indulged in too long, by federal paternalism grown too mighty, by power groups grown too arrogant, by politics grown too corrupt, by crime grown too rampant, by morals grown too low, by taxes grown too high, by extremists grown too violent; whether our personal liberties are as firm and complete as they should be.
These great national problems are not for your professional participation or military solution. Your guidepost stands out like a tenfold beacon in the night: Duty, Honor, Country.
You are the leaven which binds together the entire fabric of our national system of defense. From your ranks come the great captains who hold the Nation’s destiny in their hands the moment the war tocsin sounds.
The long gray line has never failed us. Were you to do so, a million ghosts in olive drab, in brown khaki, in blue and gray, would rise from their white crosses, thundering those magic words: Duty, Honor, Country…”
Excerpt form Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s farewell speech to West Point, May 12, 1962
It’s eerie how that first paragraph still applies 59 years later. I’m looking for those million ghosts any day now to take revenge for their legacy being sold to the high bidder of the moment.
Typically, on this day, as a veteran I head to Texas Roadhouse and get the “free” meal they offer to veterans. But not last year nor this year nor probably ever. Never much for “eating out” in the first place, my wife and I will not be doing so ever again. We’ve always been suspicious of the whole affair, the quality of the food, and the people that work there – the food handlers.
This evening I will cook supper on the grill where I can assure the quality of the whole thing.
Col McRae was a Canadian from Guelph Ontario Canada. Wife grew up in that city and his house is now a museum and memorial. She has been there several times as a school trip. She insists that I should go and visit. I think that will be on the agenda this coming year. The dead I believe are growing restless.
I will probably never visit the memorials that dot the landscape of our nation’s Capitol., because there are way too many asshole politicians there. When the chance avails itself, I visit the Traveling Wall, in the quiet early morning hours. There I am reminded the sad and horrible price we paid and what little we gained (asshole politicians again.)
I hope those listed on that memorial are resting peacefully. I fear the day when we all will be required to account to them for what we did with the price they paid for our nation.
“… Let civilian voices argue the merits or demerits of our processes of government. Whether our strength is being sapped by deficit financing indulged in too long, by federal paternalism grown too mighty, by power groups grown too arrogant, by politics grown too corrupt, by crime grown too rampant, by morals grown too low, by taxes grown too high, by extremists grown too violent; whether our personal liberties are as firm and complete as they should be.
These great national problems are not for your professional participation or military solution. Your guidepost stands out like a tenfold beacon in the night: Duty, Honor, Country.
You are the leaven which binds together the entire fabric of our national system of defense. From your ranks come the great captains who hold the Nation’s destiny in their hands the moment the war tocsin sounds.
The long gray line has never failed us. Were you to do so, a million ghosts in olive drab, in brown khaki, in blue and gray, would rise from their white crosses, thundering those magic words: Duty, Honor, Country…”
Excerpt form Gen. Douglas MacArthur’s farewell speech to West Point, May 12, 1962
It’s eerie how that first paragraph still applies 59 years later. I’m looking for those million ghosts any day now to take revenge for their legacy being sold to the high bidder of the moment.
A Great Reckoning is approaching…