What Would Reagan Do?

   
       As our country continues to face major struggles with our economy, along with having to deal with unresponsive members in our Congress who refuse to listen to the will of those who elected them in the first place, we must all ask ourselves the question, "What would Reagan do?

       First, we must remind ourselves of how President Reagan approached the challenges he faced, not only during his presidency, but also throughout his whole life.  He was an example to us all of optimism.

       Ronald Reagan believed in the inate goodness of all men and women.  At the same time he never hesitated to stand up tall and strong in the face of wrong, and to give all he had to prevent the wrong from continuing by stopping it in its tracks.

       We, as Americans, can honor our Founding Fathers who gave us two of the greatest documents to ever be conceived by and for mankind, the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, as well as honoring the members of our military who have fought to protect our freedoms and liberties, especially all who gave their lives in order that we can live free today, by taking a stand individually and collectively against the forces of evil that are afflicting our nation.

       Every voice spoken or written can make a difference!  NEVER lose faith in that fact.  If our elected officials aren't listening, others in America are!  If the media isn't listening, others in America are!  If your co-workers aren't listening, your neighbors are!  Let us never be afraid to say what we truly feel in our hearts, and let us never be afraid to take a stand for what is right for ourselves, our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our nation.

       America is still the land of the free, and we can keep it that way, IF and ONLY IF, each of us does something about it!  Tell your neighbor, but also tell your congressman.  Tell your congressman, but also tell the president.

        We won't change our country through violence, so doing anything to harm the opposition will only hurt those who are fighting for what's right.  We WILL, however, change America back to it's ordained strength and world leadership status by fighting tyranny wherever it raises it's ugly head.  It's already all around us, so we're already on the battle lines.

        And if anyone, anywhere, makes a statement you disagree with and then says to you "The debate is over" and begins to walk away or change the subject and won't stay on point, it's because they already know they'd never win an honest debate.

       Stand with us, America.  Believe me, our country, our rights, our freedoms, and our liberties are worth it - for us, our children and grandchildren, and for the memory of those who have gone before us and who fought with everything they had, some even with their very lives, to give us what we have today.

        God Bless America!

Jace Carlton
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief

Comments

We're hearing a lot today about big splashy memorial services.  I want a nationwide memorial service for Darrell "Shifty" Powers.  Shifty volunteered for the airborne in WWII and served with Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, part of the 101st Airborne Infantry. If you've seen Band of Brothers on HBO or the History Channel, you know Shifty.  His character appears in all 10 episodes, and Shifty himself is interviewed in several of them.

I met Shifty in the Philadelphia airport several years ago. I didn't know who he was at the time. I just saw an elderly gentleman having trouble reading his ticket. I offered to help, assured him that he was at the right gate, and noticed the "Screaming Eagle", the symbol of the 101st Airborne, on his hat.

Making conversation, I asked him if he'd been in the 101st Airborne or if his son was serving. He said quietly that he had been in the 101st. I thanked him for his service, then asked him when he served, and how many jumps he made.

Quietly and humbly, he said "Well, I guess I signed up in 1941 or so, and was in until sometime in 1945 . . . "

At that point, again, very humbly, he said "I made the 5 training jumps at Toccoa, and then jumped into Normandy . . . do you know where Normandy is?"

I told him yes, I know exactly where Normandy was, and I know what D-Day was. At that point he said "I also made a second jump into Holland, into Arnhem."  I was standing with a genuine war hero . . . . and then I realized that it was June, just after the anniversary of D-Day.

I asked Shifty if he was on his way back from France, and he said "Yes.  And it's real sad because these days so few of the guys are left, and those that are, lots of them can't make the trip."  My heart was in my throat and I didn't know what to say.

I helped Shifty get onto the plane and then realized he was back in Coach, while I was in First Class. I sent the flight attendant back to get him and said that I wanted to switch seats. When Shifty came forward, I got up out of the seat and told him I wanted him to have it, that I'd take his in coach.

He said "No, son, you enjoy that seat.  Just knowing that there are still some who remember what we did and still care is enough to make an old man very happy."

Shifty died on June 17, 2009 after fighting cancer.

No parade.

No big event in Staples Center

No wall to wall, back to back, 24x7 news coverage.

No weeping, adoring fans on television.

And that's not right.

Let's give Shifty his own Memorial Service, online, ….in our own quiet way. Please forward this email to everyone you know.

Especially to the veterans.

RIP, Shifty.

Listening to and Sharing
The Voice of America



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Freedom is not Free...
Nor has it ever been.
There are always sacrifices made in obtaining it
as there are in maintaining it.
These sacrifices are most often made by those who serve in uniform,
and as well as those who love them.
  
NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN AND EVER HONORED
IN REMEMBRANCE, IN THOUGHTS, AND IN PRAYERS
  
Those who served,
Those who are serving today,
Those that came home... and those that didn't.
  
And ... always
  
The loved ones at home ...
  
from
  
A PROUD MOM OF THREE ~ ONE ~ A U.S. MARINE
  

  
“Being an American”
    
“In the first place,
we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here in good faith
becomes an American and assimilates himself to us,
he shall be treated on an exact equality with everyone else,
for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man
because of creed, or birthplace, or origin.
But this is predicated upon the person's becoming in every facet
an American, and nothing but an American.
There can be no divided allegiance here.
Any man who says he is an American, but something else also,
isn't an American at all.
We have room for but one flag, the American flag.
We have room for but one language here,
and that is the English language.
And we have room for but one sole loyalty
and that is a loyalty to the American people.”

Theodore Roosevelt 1907