I saw this on another small forum, and considered it too well-written to keep to myself:
A need for change
I am an American Veteran. I have served my country for 225 years. I am the embodiment of all veterans who served before me, and all who followed in my footsteps. I am guardian of the national treasures of freedom, duty, honor, country, integrity, and sacrifice for which my comrades and I lived and died to give our children, families, and countrymen. I am a Democrat, an Independent, and a Republican, and I am proud of it.
I fired the first musket ball at Lexington-Concord, and I was present when Lord Cornwallis sent a subordinate to surrender his sword to General Washington. I
explored the Northwest Passage with Captains Lewis and Clark to expand the country's reach from sea to shining sea. I manned the ramparts at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 as Francis Scott Key watched the rockets' red glare from his ship in the bay.
I died a thousand deaths in service to my country, from a beleaguered mission called the Alamo, to the western reaches of the Saddam Line in Iraq. I was last to fall
at the Little Big Horn, which the Sioux call Greasy Grass, and I never made it to shore on Guadalcanal and Omaha Beach, but I died trying. A mini-ball destroyed my knee at a place called Little Roundtop and I lost my right arm at Shiloh. I saved the Union at a farm town known as Gettysburg, and had the awful duty of killing my brother who was fighting on the other side at Bull Run Creek.
I rode with Blackjack Pershing along the Rio Grande before he packed us up and took us to France in the Great War. I was on more expeditions that I can remember, from Teddy Roosevelt's 1898 romp against the Spanish down in Cuba to the coldest winter I ever knew in north Russia -- when I fought "John Bolo" in the winter of 1919. I roamed the world after Pearl Harbor, and know we came a lot closer to losing than many people realize. Only God, good fortune, and the greatest generation of all time won it for us. I was shot down over the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and once again in the skies over North Korea. My best friends in the world died in the snows of the Chosin Reservoir, and were killed again years later in the Ashau Valley of Viet Nam.
I was one of 9,000 unrepatriated POWs secretly held by the Soviet Union and the communist allies following most of the conflicts of the 20th Century, but you never
heard me complain. In fact, through it all, while I wore the uniforms of my country's Armed Services, I rarely spoke up or spoke out. Sure, I complained about the
chow, the weather, the rain, wind, sleet, snow, heat, stupid orders, SNAFUs and a thousand other aspects of the most frustrating and dangerous life a person can
experience, but I saluted the flag, followed orders, and mostly respected my leaders, who had the good sense to earn that respect.
Men like Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Truman, and even Mr. Nixon had been on the front line with me -- veterans themselves -- and they deserved my loyalty, even if I didn't always agree with everything they said or did. Other presidents had visions for the nation, and earned my
respect with their deeds. For the most part, I've stayed out of politics. Sometimes over the years I've marched off to Congress and the Senate, or taken up jobs as governor, mayor, and local sheriff. But for the most part, I've been content to return to the factory, tend the farm, start a business, pick up the odd job, raise my
family, and be a good citizen -- keeping my thoughts, and my concerns to myself.
But this year, with the first election for a new century, I can no longer be quiet. I've seen good presidents and some poor ones, but I have not seen such disrespect,
negligence, and dishonor rendered so frequently upon the country, flag, honor, and traditions I love, have fought and died for, as during the past seven years. I hoped
it was an aberration, but I now know that it is a pattern. It is a pattern that I know will continue for another four years if I don't speak out. We've lost our direction,
our moral compass, and we are losing a sense of what it means to be an America that is proud and respected.
The treasures, traditions and freedoms that I fought for as a veteran are being eroded and endangered. I've put aside my rifle, and will fight now with the ballot, and
my voice. I am tired of being silent in the ranks. I am tired of the national disgrace I have witnessed for seven years, and I fear for the well-being of my grandchildren.
The economy is good, thanks to me and my fellow Americans -- and no one else, despite who claims credit for it. The health of the nation is not so good, and I
blame that on the current commander-in-chief, and his deputy Mr. Gore. They can fool a lot of people, but they cannot pull the wool over this old veteran. It is time for a change.
I am an American Veteran, and I am voting for Gov. George W. Bush to be the next president.
And as you may have noticed from the above, I am not alone.
A need for change
I am an American Veteran. I have served my country for 225 years. I am the embodiment of all veterans who served before me, and all who followed in my footsteps. I am guardian of the national treasures of freedom, duty, honor, country, integrity, and sacrifice for which my comrades and I lived and died to give our children, families, and countrymen. I am a Democrat, an Independent, and a Republican, and I am proud of it.
I fired the first musket ball at Lexington-Concord, and I was present when Lord Cornwallis sent a subordinate to surrender his sword to General Washington. I
explored the Northwest Passage with Captains Lewis and Clark to expand the country's reach from sea to shining sea. I manned the ramparts at Fort McHenry during the War of 1812 as Francis Scott Key watched the rockets' red glare from his ship in the bay.
I died a thousand deaths in service to my country, from a beleaguered mission called the Alamo, to the western reaches of the Saddam Line in Iraq. I was last to fall
at the Little Big Horn, which the Sioux call Greasy Grass, and I never made it to shore on Guadalcanal and Omaha Beach, but I died trying. A mini-ball destroyed my knee at a place called Little Roundtop and I lost my right arm at Shiloh. I saved the Union at a farm town known as Gettysburg, and had the awful duty of killing my brother who was fighting on the other side at Bull Run Creek.
I rode with Blackjack Pershing along the Rio Grande before he packed us up and took us to France in the Great War. I was on more expeditions that I can remember, from Teddy Roosevelt's 1898 romp against the Spanish down in Cuba to the coldest winter I ever knew in north Russia -- when I fought "John Bolo" in the winter of 1919. I roamed the world after Pearl Harbor, and know we came a lot closer to losing than many people realize. Only God, good fortune, and the greatest generation of all time won it for us. I was shot down over the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and once again in the skies over North Korea. My best friends in the world died in the snows of the Chosin Reservoir, and were killed again years later in the Ashau Valley of Viet Nam.
I was one of 9,000 unrepatriated POWs secretly held by the Soviet Union and the communist allies following most of the conflicts of the 20th Century, but you never
heard me complain. In fact, through it all, while I wore the uniforms of my country's Armed Services, I rarely spoke up or spoke out. Sure, I complained about the
chow, the weather, the rain, wind, sleet, snow, heat, stupid orders, SNAFUs and a thousand other aspects of the most frustrating and dangerous life a person can
experience, but I saluted the flag, followed orders, and mostly respected my leaders, who had the good sense to earn that respect.
Men like Washington, Jackson, Lincoln, Grant, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Truman, and even Mr. Nixon had been on the front line with me -- veterans themselves -- and they deserved my loyalty, even if I didn't always agree with everything they said or did. Other presidents had visions for the nation, and earned my
respect with their deeds. For the most part, I've stayed out of politics. Sometimes over the years I've marched off to Congress and the Senate, or taken up jobs as governor, mayor, and local sheriff. But for the most part, I've been content to return to the factory, tend the farm, start a business, pick up the odd job, raise my
family, and be a good citizen -- keeping my thoughts, and my concerns to myself.
But this year, with the first election for a new century, I can no longer be quiet. I've seen good presidents and some poor ones, but I have not seen such disrespect,
negligence, and dishonor rendered so frequently upon the country, flag, honor, and traditions I love, have fought and died for, as during the past seven years. I hoped
it was an aberration, but I now know that it is a pattern. It is a pattern that I know will continue for another four years if I don't speak out. We've lost our direction,
our moral compass, and we are losing a sense of what it means to be an America that is proud and respected.
The treasures, traditions and freedoms that I fought for as a veteran are being eroded and endangered. I've put aside my rifle, and will fight now with the ballot, and
my voice. I am tired of being silent in the ranks. I am tired of the national disgrace I have witnessed for seven years, and I fear for the well-being of my grandchildren.
The economy is good, thanks to me and my fellow Americans -- and no one else, despite who claims credit for it. The health of the nation is not so good, and I
blame that on the current commander-in-chief, and his deputy Mr. Gore. They can fool a lot of people, but they cannot pull the wool over this old veteran. It is time for a change.
I am an American Veteran, and I am voting for Gov. George W. Bush to be the next president.
And as you may have noticed from the above, I am not alone.